Lord Karan Bilimoria CBE DL
President, CBI; Founder and Chairman, Cobra Beer
In 2004, Karan was appointed a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for services to business and entrepreneurship. In 2006, he was appointed an independent crossbench peer in the House of Lords and created Baron Bilimoria of Chelsea in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. He was elected as the first BAME President of the Confederation of the British Industry (CBI) in 2020.
He qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young and graduated in law from the University of Cambridge. He is also an alumnus of the Cranfield School of Management, the London Business School and the Harvard Business School.
In 2008, Karan was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman by the President of India. This “Overseas Indian Award” is presented to recognise exceptional achievement by members of the over 25 million strong Indian expatriate community around the world. His other awards include Entrepreneur of the Year from the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and an Outstanding Achievement from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.