Lord Karan Bilimoria — Co-Founder
Hi, I’m Karan Bilimoria. I am an entrepreneur, cross-bench peer in the House of Lords, and passionate advocate for business, education, and international cooperation. I founded Cobra Beer in my twenties with no brewing experience, £20,000 in student debt, and a simple idea: there had to be a beer that was less gassy, smoother to drink, and perfect with food. That idea became one of the UK’s most iconic beer brands- now served in thousands of restaurants and awarded over 150 Gold medals by Monde Selection since 2001. For 15 years, I led the Cobra Beer Partnership with Molson Coors. But my journey has always been bigger than one company. From serving as President of the CBI and Founding Chairman of the UK India Business Council, to becoming the first Zoroastrian Parsi in the House of Lords, I’ve spent the last three decades building bridges between countries, communities, and generations of entrepreneurs. Education has been at the heart of my work. I’m Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, Honorary Fellow at Cambridge, Visiting Fellow at Oxford, and deeply committed to supporting future leaders. Today, I continue to champion entrepreneurship, resilience, and values-based leadership in business, policy, and public life. I post here regularly on leadership, business lessons, public service, and the human side of entrepreneurship. Follow for daily insights, stories, and reflections on building a meaningful legacy- one bold decision at a time.
Stackforce AI infers this person is a Beverage Industry Leader with strong entrepreneurial and leadership skills.
Experience: 41 yrs 3 mos
Skills
- Entrepreneurship
- Business Development
Career Highlights
- Founder of one of the UK's most iconic beer brands.
- First Zoroastrian Parsi in the House of Lords.
- Chancellor of the University of Birmingham.
Work Experience
International Chamber of Commerce
Chair of ICC UK (1 yr 4 mos)
Kellogg College, Oxford
Fellow (8 yrs 5 mos)
Cambridge Judge Business School
Chairman Advisory Board (10 yrs 2 mos)
Westminster Higher Education Forum
Patron (10 yrs 2 mos)
Venkateshwara University
Patron (10 yrs 2 mos)
Manufacturing Commission
Chairman (10 yrs 2 mos)
UKCISA
President (11 yrs 2 mos)
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
GB Food Pioneer - Great British Food Campaign (11 yrs 2 mos)
The India Association
Patron (12 yrs 2 mos)
University of Birmingham
Chancellor (10 yrs 6 mos)
Special Advisory Panel on the UK's National Memorial to Mahatma Gandhi
Member (1 yr)
Global Forum for Indian Leadership
Patron (0 mo)
Commission on the Future of Management
Member (0 mo)
The British Library
Ambassador (13 yrs 2 mos)
Vice Chancellor's Circle of Advisors for India, University of Cambridge
Member (14 yrs 2 mos)
The Ataxia Telangiectasia Foundtion
Patron (14 yrs 2 mos)
Saint Paul's Cathedral Foundation
Trustee (2 yrs)
Prime Minister of India's Global Advisory Council
Founding Member (4 yrs)
UK India Business Council
Founding Chairman (3 yrs)
Founding Chairman (4 yrs)
Cranfield School of Management
Advisory Board Member (8 yrs 9 mos)
University of Cambridge India Partnership Advisory Board
Chair (3 yrs)
Roundhouse Trust
Advisory Board Member (18 yrs 2 mos)
The Prince's Trust
Enterprise Leader (18 yrs 2 mos)
BRITISH CONSULTANCY CHARITABLE TRUST
Patron (18 yrs 2 mos)
Pratham UK
Patron (18 yrs 2 mos)
Child in Need India (CINI)
Patron (5 yrs)
London Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Deputy President (2 yrs)
The Adab Trust
Advisory Board Member (19 yrs 2 mos)
The British Sikh Association
Patron (19 yrs 2 mos)
Booker Group PLC
Non Executive Director and Senior Independent Director (9 yrs)
UK House of Lords
Member of the House of Lords (20 yrs 2 mos)
The Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (Incorporated)
Patron (20 yrs 2 mos)
British Cardiac Research Trust
Trustee (20 yrs 2 mos)
CIDA Foundation
Advisory Council Member (20 yrs 2 mos)
Royal Hospital Chelsea
Commissioner (6 yrs)
HRH The Duke of York's Business Advisory Council
Member (3 yrs)
India International Foundation
Patron (0 mo)
GREATER LONDON LIEUTENANCY
Representative Deputy Lieutenant for London Borough of Hounslow (5 yrs)
Deputy Lieutenant, (25 yrs 2 mos)
University of West London
Chancellor (5 yrs)
Governor (3 yrs)
The RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce)
Patron (21 yrs 2 mos)
Development Board Member (2 yrs)
Council Member (3 yrs)
THE COBRA FOUNDATION
Trustee (21 yrs 2 mos)
Birmingham Business School
Advisory Board Member (21 yrs 2 mos)
London
International Envoy for London (21 yrs 2 mos)
Interactive University UK
Ambassador (21 yrs 2 mos)
UK-India Round Table
Member (12 yrs)
Asia Task Force
Member (5 yrs)
Boston Analytics
Advisory Board Member (5 yrs)
Enterprise Insight
Champion, Make Your Mark Campaign (3 yrs)
Roko Cancer Appeal, MKC Trust
Champion (0 mo)
Thames Community Foundation
Patron (0 mo)
London 2012 Olympic Bid
Ambassador (0 mo)
Ditchley Foundation
Governor (22 yrs 2 mos)
NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR GRADUATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
National Champion (22 yrs 2 mos)
Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning, University of Cambridge
Visiting Entrepreneur (22 yrs 2 mos)
Training For Life
Honorary President (6 yrs)
Brake Brothers Ltd
Non Executive Director (3 yrs)
Oxford Entrepreneurs
Founding Patron (0 mo)
Memorial Gates Committee
Member (23 yrs 2 mos)
Indo-British Partnership
UK Chairman (6 yrs)
Asian Business Association, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Vice Chairman (5 yrs)
UK Zoroastrian Chamber of Commerce (UKZCC)
Founding President (3 yrs)
The Neighbourhood Renewal Private Sector Panel, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Member (2 yrs)
The Tyson Task Force on the Recruitment and Development of Directors
Member (0 mo)
RETHINK SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS LTD
Patron (0 mo)
The indus Entreprenuers
Member (24 yrs 2 mos)
London First
Member of the President's Committee (4 yrs)
Metropolitan Police Joint Mentoring Initiative
Mentor (2 yrs)
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Member of the UK India Consultative Group (1 yr)
The Loomba Foundation
Chairman Advisory Board (25 yrs 2 mos)
Thare Machi Starfish Initiative
Patron (25 yrs 2 mos)
National Employment Panel, Department for Work and Pensions
Member (6 yrs)
SME Board, National Employment Panel
Chairman (4 yrs)
Bank of England-LCCI/Asian Business Association Panel
Member (8 yrs)
New Deal Task Force, Department for Education and Employment
Member (2 yrs)
Tandoori Magazine
Founder and Publishing Director (9 yrs)
Cobra Beer
Founder (37 yrs 2 mos)
European Accounting Focus Magazine
Sales and Markting Director (0 mo)
Cambridge Union
Vice President (0 mo)
Cresvale Ltd (Part of S&W Beresford Plc)
Consulting Accountant (0 mo)
Ernst & Young
Chartered Accountant (4 yrs)
Education
MA (Law) at University of Cambridge
President's Programme in Leadership at Harvard Business School
YPO London Business School Growing Business Presidents Programme at London Business School
Business Growth Programme at Cranfield School of Management
FCA at ICAEW
Diploma at London Metropolitan University
B.Com (Hons) at Osmania University
at Hebron School,
