Younus Sheikh, a founding director of Bestway Group and a towering figure in the UK wholesale sector, has passed away on Tuesday (27 January), aged 79.
Sheikh was instrumental in building Bestway into one of the UK’s leading cash & carry and wholesale operators, dedicating more than five decades to the independent wholesale sector. At the time of his death, he served as a director of Bestway Group, chairman of Bestway Wholesale, and a director of Bestway Cement Limited in Pakistan. He was also a trustee of both the Bestway Foundation UK and Bestway Foundation Pakistan.
A science graduate with a diploma in leather manufacturing, Sheikh joined Bestway in the early 1970s and was a key member of the team that established the company’s original cash & carry business. In 1985, he was appointed trading director, where he played a pivotal role in setting up Bestway’s central buying office – a move widely credited with strengthening the group’s commercial foundations.
Following a board reshuffle in 2004, Sheikh became managing director of Bestway Wholesale when founder Sir Anwar Pervez stepped back from day-to-day operations to assume the role of chairman of Bestway Group. During his leadership, Bestway completed the landmark £100m acquisition of rival Batley’s plc, giving the group national coverage and significantly accelerating its growth.
Younus Sheikh, founding director of BestwayMedia handout
In 2018, Sheikh moved into a non-executive position as chairman of Bestway Wholesale, continuing to provide strategic oversight while remaining closely involved in the business.
Widely respected across the grocery and wholesale industries, Sheikh was recognised for his contribution to the sector with the Federation of Wholesale Distributors’ Outstanding Achievement Award in 2015.
His son Salih Sheikh held senior roles within Bestway, where he is credited with modernising the company’s marketing and digital capabilities. Salih left the business in 2019 and currently serves as chief marketing officer of Meals on Me, a UAE-based meal subscription brand.
His other son, Atif Sheikh, is chief executive of business consultancy businessfourzero and an angel investor.
Sheikh’s daughter, Rabia, was appointed company secretary of Bestway Group in 2018.
