BURNLEY man Shahid Malik has become a commissioner with the Commission for Racial Equality - one of only 15 UK race chiefs.
The appointment by Home Secretary comes just two months after Mr Malik - son of Burnley councillor and former Blackburn Racial Equality Council director Coun Rafique Malik - became boss of a £60 million regeneration company in London.
Mr Malik, 30, secured the CRE post following a year-long national recruitment process which attracted more than 4,000 enquiries for the four jobs available.
On his success, he said: "I am privileged and honoured to act as an ambassador for the Commission - it is undoubtedly a heavy responsibility"
Mr Malik, who is London-based but returns to his Burnley home at weekends, added: "I believe my family background, being born and brought up in Burnley, and my belief in the notion of community has moulded my values and influenced the contribution I wish to make to society."
Mr Malik recently became chief executive of the Haringey Heartlands Partnership to regenerate the Wood Green area of London.
He took the post after less than a year as head of policy and development for the Greater Nottingham Training and Enterprise Council. He is also vice-chairman of the Urban Forum Board of Directors and an independent governor of Sheffield Hallam University.
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