Filsan Abdulla appears to be slim, modest, and well-dressed in an unassuming way;  he speaks well, but the faint trace of a mixed Brummie / Somali accent lends an air of cosmopolitan grit to his words.

His is, according to his PR people, a model of the modern Britain, a pillar of the community, and "living" proof that brains, guts, and determination can take advantage of the opportunities available in the UK today.  Somali-born, he came to Birmingham as a 12-year old refugee; he has by all accounts, put some early troubles with the law behind him, and now is a visible presence in the Somali community, and a driving force behind the reinvigoration of the Handsworth neighborhood.  His slim, still-youthful appearance belies several decades of work building up a range of investments across the region. Despite his quiet manner, he has a reputation for ruthless action in pursuit of his goals, and quietly, darker rumors circulate that he has not entirely left behind his troubled past.