Fair Play Talks to successful businessman Michael Anthony Khouri-Bent – and Corporate Director at Metropolitan Care Solutions – about his journey to the top in the UK’s property and residential sector. This year’s BBBAwards finalist also shares some of the challenges he faced along the way and how his journey has influenced him to encourage other Black and minority talent to succeed through mentoring and funding support.
FAIR PLAY TALKS: Can you briefly tell us about your business journey to date?
Michael Anthony Khouri-Bent: From 1987 until 2003 I enjoyed a very successful career in social Housing. In 2001, my career culminated when I joined the Housing Corporation (Department for Communities & Local Government); where I assumed responsibility for central government’s social housing investment across the East Midlands.
Between 2001 and December 2014 I established a specialist children’s residential care organisation that grew to the point of being the largest Black-led children’s residential care organisation in the Midlands (and possibly England); employing over 200 staff and owning 14 residential settings. The services were rated by Ofsted as either ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’; for successfully caring for some of the country’s most complex and vulnerable children and young people.
In 2014, I sold that organisation for £22 million, after which I established a very successful property investment and management company; which owns and manages a medium sized portfolio of commercial and residential properties. In 2018, I returned to the residential care sector on the back of encouraging discussions with the Government Regulator (Ofsted) and a number of social care departments. At present the organisation employs some 70 people; and is already rated by Ofsted as providing services judged as either ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’.
My long-term goal is to continue to provide first class services that serve to promote the ability, and contribution, of Black businesspeople; and motivate people of colour to join the business community as a result of seeing visible Black-led success stories. Additionally, over the years I’ve provided for a significant number of Black and minority ethnic, people employment; and more importantly – growth opportunities. Many of my ethnic minority employees would probably have not been afforded similar employment opportunities in White-led counterpart organisations. At present 66% of my senior management team comprise ethnic minority and female employees. This is something I’m particularly proud of, and wish to continue on a long-term basis.
FAIR PLAY TALKS: What challenges did you face along the way to the top?
Michael Anthony Khouri-Bent: Over the years, as a Black businessperson and hitherto, as an employee, I experienced the usual racially motivated judgments, discrimination and stereotypical assumptions. Also, and particularly from a business perspective, I found a lack of ‘go-to’ people for help, advice and sharing of experiences.
I also found that not only did I have to prove my professional, or business, capability but had to prove I was worthy as a human being: in most business relationships, particularly when dealing with contractors and/or commissioners, the starting point was one of subordination. I think this is something many of my Black counterparts allow to get in their way. But in my opinion, whilst it’s sad, it’s a motivation to succeed and dismiss the institutional, systemic and racist myths over the value of the Black contribution.
FAIR PLAY TALKS: In your opinion, are there specific challenges Black entrepreneurs face on their journey to the top that White/other groups don’t?
Michael Anthony Khouri-Bent: In my opinion, there are a range of societal and systemic blockages that present challenges to Black entrepreneurs that our White counterparts will never experience. For example, the willingness of commissioners to have faith in our offer at face value; access to business finance; access to business support tailored to the needs of our communities and the system-based disadvantages experienced by those who are trying to derive the education; training and development opportunities essential to acquirement of critical entrepreneurial skills.
FAIR PLAY TALKS: Are you involved in promoting Black talent/race equality or other diversity initiatives?
Michael Anthony Khouri-Bent: I have, and continue to, mentor a number of Black-led start-ups. In addition, I have personally provided for Black-led start-ups substantial capital and revenue loans and grants; without which a number of these organisations would neither have started nor continued to exist. In addition, I financially support Nottingham’s annual Black Male Achievers Awards. I also financially support, and serve as a Judge for, the annual Nottingham Award, ensuring Black entrants are encouraged and fairly judged; resulting in a number of Black entrants receiving the prestigious Nottingham award. Also I support Nottingham’s Young Creatives Annual Awards (financially and operationally); and again ensure significant Black participation and award success.
FAIR PLAY TALKS: What more can banks, organisations and the government do to improve access to funding and business opportunities?
Michael Anthony Khouri-Bent: There is a clear need for fundamental systemic analysis and review. Recent events have highlighted a range of system failures ranging across a number of key institutions including health, education, criminal justice, employment, public policy and public administration both politician and senior civil servant levels. Government needs to demonstrate a true, meaningful, substantive and measurable commitment to systems-change. A task group comprising black academics and business leaders, ministers and senior civil servants should be established to bring about substantial systems change across key institutions; expectations should be backed by legislation.
FAIR PLAY TALKS: Given the focus on diverse talent, what more can organisations be doing to attract Black/minority talent, and actually retain them?
Michael Anthony Khouri-Bent: Briefly, organisations need to create culturally competent environments, providing for culturally sensitive recruitment processes, employment opportunities and progression opportunities. In my organisation, retention levels for black and minority ethnic staff is incredibly high because they have the opportunity to develop and progress; they work in a culturally competent environments and practice on a level playing field.
FAIR PLAY TALKS: Should the Black and other minority communities also be doing more to promote race equity?
Michael Anthony Khouri-Bent: This is a sensitive topic over which I have quite strong, potentially controversial, views. In my opinion, whilst racist barriers are real and impactful, as a race we can do more to overcome such barriers and need to stop looking to other races to solve some of our own problems. Yes we need fairness, equality and freedom of opportunity, but we also need to espouse a psycho-mentality underpinned by a self-help; self-growth mentality. Also, we need to demonstrate that a Black life doesn’t just matter when it’s been taken by a White person.
FAIR PLAY TALKS: How important are awards and organisations like The Black British Business Awards (BBBAwards) in the UK to promote Black talent and role models?
Michael Anthony Khouri-Bent: In my opinion, BBBAwards has an important role in providing the Black business community a collective, and far-reaching voice with particular regard to potential, value and contributions. The Awards process serves not only to celebrate our excellence and contribution, but serves to showcase our capability and the true scope of what we do, how we do it and where we do it.
FAIR PLAY TALKS: What’s your advice to young Black/minority youth that will help to encourage them to pursue their dream job or business venture?
Michael Anthony Khouri-Bent: Never be afraid, recognise your magnitude and be prepared to take risks; sometimes a wrong turn is required to get you to the right destination.
Self develop, self develop, self develop. Education is key. Celebrate every learning opportunity and receive it as a gift. If at all possible, save 5-10% of everything you make and spend it on your personal development; not just in a specific areas but generally learn as much about life as you possibly can. We live in an age of ‘ease of learning’; knowledge and the world has been opened up to us all through the worldwide web – use it. Understand your history; read the stories of successful people; listen to motivational material. At the end of the day all you have is you; educate yourself about how best to make YOU work; physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually.
BIOGRAPHY
Until December 2014 Michael Anthony Khouri-Bent was co-owner of Pathway Care Solutions Ltd which specialised in the provision of residential care services to children and young people. At the point of sale, the company owned 14 residential homes and employed over of 200 people. The company was IIP GOLD accredited, featured in several business magazines and was largest black-led provider of children’s residential care services in the East Midlands. At the point of sale the company had emerged in the sector as a premier-provider; formally recognised by a number of Local Authorities as either Lead or Preferred provider. After selling PCS (in December 2014), he developed a property investment & management company (LETS Move – Nottingham Ltd). LMN owns and manages a property portfolio comprising a selection of residential & commercial property. In 2018, he returned to the residential care sector and now owns a company (Metropolitan Care Solutions), employing some 60 people.
INSPIRING BLACK ROLE MODELS
Winners of the Black British Business Awards will be revealed at a virtual ceremony taking place on 7 October 2021.
Other BBBAWards finalists this year include Samuel Lawrence, Director of CBRE, who is changing the narrative for the next generation of Black business leaders and Hannah Chukwu, Assistant Editor at Penguin Random House UK, who is championing the voices of underrepresented authors worldwide.
Click here to check out the full list of this year’s Brilliant BBBAwards Finalists.
Sign up for our newsletter
