Integrity

The judging process

The Asian Awards judging process is designed to ensure that only the most deserving and extraordinary individuals are recognised.

How it works

A rigorous, independent process

The Asian Awards judging process is entirely independent. Judges are drawn from across business, culture, sport and public life — chosen for their expertise, their standing within the Asian community, and their ability to make fair and informed assessments.

01
Nominations open

Nominations are submitted by the public and by the Asian Awards committee. Anyone can nominate a deserving individual across any category.

02
Longlist review

The Asian Awards team reviews all submissions and creates a longlist for each category, based on eligibility and initial merit assessment.

03
Independent judging

An independent panel of judges assesses each nominee against the category criteria, scoring on achievement, impact, legacy and broader contribution.

04
Winners announced

Winners are announced on the evening of the ceremony — kept confidential until the moment of presentation on stage.

The panel

Meet the judges

The 10th Asian Awards judging panel is chaired by Lord Bilimoria of Chelsea and comprises eminent figures from business, culture, sport, media and public life. The panel scores and ranks nominees before a high-profile endorsement panel gives final ratification.

Lord Bilimoria of Chelsea
Chair of Judging Panel
Lord Bilimoria of Chelsea

Founder of Cobra Beer and peer of the realm. Lord Bilimoria has chaired The Asian Awards judging panel since the inaugural ceremony in 2010. He is Chancellor of the University of Birmingham and a leading voice for Asian enterprise in Britain.

Philip Bernie
Head of Sport, BBC
Philip Bernie

Senior figure in British broadcasting with extensive experience overseeing major sports coverage at the BBC. Philip brings deep knowledge of broadcast media and public engagement to the judging panel.

Sanjeev Bhaskar OBE
Actor & Presenter
Sanjeev Bhaskar OBE

Co-creator and star of Goodness Gracious Me and The Kumars at No. 42. Stars as DCI Sunny Khan in BBC's Unforgotten. Awarded an OBE for services to drama and the community. A former Asian Awards winner himself.

Gurinder Chadha OBE
Film Director
Gurinder Chadha OBE

Director of Bend It Like Beckham, Bhaji on the Beach and Blinded by the Light. Awarded an OBE for services to the film industry. One of the most important voices in British cinema and a founding judge of The Asian Awards.

Matthew Freud
CEO, Freud Communications
Matthew Freud

Chief Executive of Freud Communications, one of Britain's most influential PR and communications agencies. Matthew brings expertise in global brand strategy, reputation and media relations to the judging panel.

Sir Martin Sorrell
CEO, WPP Group
Sir Martin Sorrell

Founder and former CEO of WPP — the world's largest advertising and communications group. Now Executive Chairman of S4 Capital. One of the most influential figures in global business and media.

Sir Tejinder Virdee
Scientist & Physicist
Sir Tejinder Virdee

Distinguished physicist at CERN and Professor at Imperial College London. One of the principal architects of the CMS detector at the Large Hadron Collider, which contributed to the discovery of the Higgs boson. Knighted for services to science.

The full judging panel for the 10th Asian Awards will be announced in 2026. Historical judges for the 1st Asian Awards included Dame Kelly Holmes DBE MBE, John Peace and Lord Alan Sugar.

Nominate

Know someone extraordinary?

Nominations for the 10th Asian Awards are now open. If you know an individual or organisation whose achievements deserve national recognition, we want to hear from you.

Nominees must demonstrate outstanding achievement in their field, a connection to the Asian community, and the values of ambition, dedication and excellence that define The Asian Awards.

Submit a nomination View award categories