Lopa Patel

Lopa Patel is a digital entrepreneur with significant experience of creating start-ups and transforming businesses through technology.

The founder of two ventures in online media and a data-driven marketing consultancy, she is also skilled in working in a challenging cultural environment as a Non-Executive Director and as a Trustee.

She founded the South Asian diaspora website NewAsianPost.com, lifestyle portal Redhotcurry.com, ecommerce site TheRedhotshop.com and annually publishes both the Asian Power Couples Hot 100 list and The Top 100 Asian Stars in UK Tech list.

Lopa is an experienced marketing consultant who previously set up the direct marketing services company DMS Direct Ltd, where she worked with international companies in a broad range of industry sectors.

She is a Chartered Marketer and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), a Fellow of the Institute of Direct Marketing (IDM) and a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts (RSA).

Lopa is also the Founder & CEO of equality and inclusion think tank Diversity UK, a Non-Executive Director of EMBG (Ethnic Minority Business Group), and a Trustee of educational charity Raha International. As a Technology Ambassador for STEMNET, she encourages girls to take up science careers.

Lopa was previously a Non-Executive Director of Becta (British Education Communications and Technology Agency), a Non-Departmental Public Body in the UK, Deputy Chair of global volunteering initiative Sewa Day, and a Board Member of social enterprise venture TSBC (The Small Business Consultancy).

She has also been a Board Member of Tamasha Theatre Company and a Mentor for Young Enterprise UK, assisting girls on the national entrepreneurship programme.

She is an inspirational leader and her outstanding record of achievement has been recognised through accolades including the Windrush Award in 2003 (Outstanding Champion for the Internet & Technology), Asian Woman of the Year in 2005 (Media), and an MBE for services to the creative industries in 2009. In 2015, she was awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion.