Tony Matharu: Made in London
Few people embody the spirit of London quite like Tony Matharu — hotelier, businessman, philanthropist, and proud Londoner. As Executive Chairman of Integrity International Group, Tony has spent a lifetime building, creating, and giving back. Yet, as he told BBC Radio London’s Made in London, his success is rooted not only in enterprise but in a deep sense of gratitude and service — to the city that made him. But Tony is more concerned about our capital city than ever before.
A City That Shapes You
“London has been part of my life story from the very beginning,” Tony reflects. “I was born here, I work here, I live here — it’s home.” Though his family’s journey to London spanned continents — from fleeing during Partition (the greatest refugee migration ever) to Kenya from India before finally settling in Britain — it is this migrant story, he says, that partly shaped his character.
“My grandparents and parents had to start over, twice,” he explains. “They left their country without a safety net, without a comfort blanket. That self-sacrifice and the resilience it necessitated, are an accepted part of progression and success. You make the most of every opportunity because you can understand and appreciate what it took to provide the opportunity.”
For Matharu, this mindset; of ambition, endurance, and determination, is central to both his own journey, and to London’s success.
“Immigrants make enormous sacrifices,” he says. “They leave behind family, familiarity, and comfort often with no choice, like the Ugandan Asians ejected by Idi Armin, to build a life. They work incredibly hard, constantly scanning the horizon for opportunities, looking for longer-term futures. That attitude underpins so much of London’s success — doing things wholeheartedly, with purpose, often in collaboration and in partnership with others, with family who provide support and shared seed funding.”
It’s a sentiment familiar to many first-generation Londoners — a quiet determination to build something meaningful, not just for oneself but also a legacy for others.
The Rich Tapestry of London
London, Matharu says, “showcases the rich tapestry of life.” A city of innovators, creativity, and connection, it is a “melting pot of different nationalities and backgrounds, and London curates it better than most.”
It’s that diversity, he believes, that makes London not just a financial capital, but a cultural one too. “It’s what helps to keep London’s heart beating — people from all backgrounds working, living, creating and thriving together.”
The Spirit of London 2012
Asked what moment best captures London at its finest, Matharu doesn’t hesitate: the 2012 Olympic Games. “It reminded the world what London can do. It was fabulous; a moment of unity, optimism, and creativity. We showed the best of London and who we are.”
“The Olympics put more than £13 billion into the UK’s economy and London and the UK has lived off that success for many years since, particularly in terms of our soft power, where we used to punch well above our weight. It reminded us that London can lead — not just in sporting excellence or finance and professional services, but in design, delivery, hospitality and we demonstrated our individual and collective can do spirit.”
Yet he worries that some of that spirit has dimmed. “People have lost their voice,” he says. “They feel unheard. London’s influence depends on keeping an open, inclusive, and confident public discourse, nourishing the global city that welcomes everyone.”
Finding Your Voice
Despite his impeccable composure, Matharu doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects — racism, inequality, and the need for representation. “In leafy Surrey, we stood out,” he recalls. “You had to prove yourself; run faster, work harder, do better. But in doing so, you built resilience and self-confidence in order that you could compete in whichever environment or circumstance you were placed.”
His tone is reflective, measured and considered. “If you’re confident in yourself, you don’t need to shout. You can speak softly and still be heard. Of course, education (in the widest sense) is vital, at home and in school — it helps people to (literally) feel comfortable in their own skin, to rise above the barriers.”
“Silence is dangerous, but when you do speak out, you must do so carefully and respectfully.” He believes that London’s influence depends on preserving that balance — between free expression and mutual respect, between diversity and unity.
“London’s strength has always been its openness. But right now, the city is under strain,” he warns. “It’s disproportionately affected by recent government measures, and London’s Asian business community especially so.”
London’s wealth is disproportionately invested in property assets which are more costly than elsewhere in the country and property assets have been a consistent and relentless target of the current regime.
He points to changes in National Insurance and business rates, which he calls “London’s modern day window tax”, which have hit certain sectors particularly hard. “Asian-owned businesses make up around 68% of the key sectors most affected — wholesale, retail, hospitality, restaurants, venues, transport, care and business services,” he explains. These are heavily property related, and asset taxes have disproportionately penalised both Londoners and more particularly London Asian businesses. “If we are disproportionately affected, we should make sure our voices are heard.”
Service and Creation
For Matharu, business has always been more than balance sheets and buildings. “I like to create partnerships; in fact I like to create and generate value — full stop,” he says. “But the real goal is ultimately to be of service. To make a contribution and a positive legacy for the future.” That ambition is now very seriously under threat. Private businesses (even in Canada over 98% of all businesses are SMEs) are now the victims of attacks by recent and proposed legislation – most particularly the prospect of the removal of Business Property Tax Relief which is the biggest disincentive to invest and grow a family business. Indeed, that’s what Labour’s Denis Healey said when he introduced Business Property Tax Relief in 1974.
Between 23% and 27% of all businesses surveyed by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry said they would either sell or close down their businesses as a result of the single proposed measure to remove Business Property Tax Relief. In Tony’s view this proposal must be immediately abandoned. Just the mere threat of it has caused asset backed property related businesses to sell up and transfer their wealth and investment overseas – seriously damaging London’s prospects and future prosperity. We must collaborate and make sure this message is heard by our leaders who often are ignorant of the hugely disproportionate negative impact it is likely to have on family businesses, on Asian family businesses, on London and on the UK’s public services which benefit from London’s success. “When London stutters, the UK stalls.”
The ethos of collaboration and partnership runs through his ventures: from award-winning hotels to community initiatives. His work during the pandemic, founding the Central London Alliance (CLA) to help reopen and revive the capital, speaks to his instinct for collective action.
“When London faces a challenge — whether it’s the Great Fire, terrorist bombs or COVID — it has always found a way back. But we cannot afford to be complacent. In a global world it is easier than ever for competitor cities and countries to take advantage. That resilience, that grit and determination, is part of what makes this city so special, and must be witnessed again now.”
London’s Golden Generation
Matharu is quick to credit those who came before him; the pioneers whose quiet labour paved the way for others. “They didn’t seek recognition,” he says. “They just got on with it — building businesses, contributing to medicine, media, law, academia, civic service. They did it without asking for applause, or recognition. It’s time we said: well done.”
For him, celebrating that generation is long overdue. “This week’s event is a chance to give them the recognition they never asked for but truly deserve.”
Matharu hosted a celebration for more than 200 guests in his award-winning venue, The Skyline London, part of Blue Orchid Hospitality, to honour the pioneering Asians who paved the way for future success. He is also set to release a commemorative brochure and an economic impact report later this year, highlighting the significant economic impact this community has had on the capital.
Resilience, Reimagined
London’s story, like Tony’s own, is one of re-invention. “Every time the city faces adversity, it comes back stronger. It’s a metaphor for life,” he says. “That refusal to be moved, or to capitulate to external or internal threats — that’s London.”
Matharu himself embodies that spirit. Whether breaking new ground in business, championing London’s recovery, or even setting world records in sports like padel and pickleball, he does so with humility and purpose. “If you’re confident in your ability, you’ll give it a try. You’ll find a way to succeed.”
And perhaps that’s the lesson at the heart of Made in London — that the city doesn’t just shape people; people like Tony Matharu, in turn, help shape the city.
“London has given me everything,” he concludes. “The least I can do is try to give something back.”