GG2 Leadership & Diversity Awards - 2025

Barry Gardiner MP is the MP for Brent North, he was the Former UK’s Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade and Shadow Minister for International Climate Change. Barry was first appointed to Labour’s shadow cabinet in June 2016, leading on energy and climate change. Prior to these positions, Barry served on Labour’s front bench as the Shadow Minister for the Natural Environment and Fisheries from 2013 and then Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change from September 2015. Under previous Labour governments, he served as the Minister for Biodiversity and as the Minister for Competitiveness in the Department of Trade & Industry, as well as a Direct Rule Minister in the Northern Ireland Office. He is the Vice-President for Europe on the board of the Global Legislators Organisation for a Balanced Environment. The Chartered Institute of Water and Environment Managers named him as the Environmental Parliamentarian of the Year in 2013 describing him as “One of the most influential environmental thinkers in politics today”.

Anuja is the first ever non-white, and youngest, judge to sit at the Old Bailey in London. She is also one of the first Asian woman to be appointed Queen’s Counsel. In 2012, Anuja became a full-time circuit judge and has appeared in cases involving national security, human rights and vulnerable witnesses. Over the last 20 years, Anuja has been at the forefront of teaching and mentoring projects in the UK and abroad. She was appointed a judicial mentor and role model in 2014 and is the governor of the City Academy in Hackney, working on a range of outreach projects. Earlier this year, Anuja was appointed a circuit judge commissioner on the Judicial Appointments Commission, an independent commission that selects judges in England and Wales. In 2017, she was named Woman of the Year at the GG2 Leadership Awards.

Kalpesh is Group Managing Editor of Asian Media Group (AMG). He graduated with a law degree (LLB Hons) from Queen Mary University of London, and qualified as a barrister from the Inner Temple. Kalpesh is responsible for the strategy and growth of AMG operations over three countries: Britain, India and America.

Shailesh is Executive Editor of Asian Media Group. He has 30 years’ experience in journalism, overseeing a raft of titles, including Eastern Eye, GG2, Asian Trader, Pharmacy Business, Asian Hospitality as well as the Asian Rich List and GG2 Power List. An economics graduate, Shailesh has chronicled the Asian community in the UK and US for nearly three decades.