Iqbal Ahmed runs an international business supplying a variety of food and frozen seafood worldwide and employs around 4500 people. His clear vision for the business has led to a string of prestigious awards for Seamark. In 1998 excellence in the field was recognised in the UK with a Queen's Award for Export Achievement. In 2000 he made a significant investment in Bangladesh when he established Seamark BD, inaugurated by HRH the Princess Royal. The company has received a number of Gold trophy Awards from the Government of Bangladesh for achieving the highest exports of seafood. Establishing a financial institution in Bangladesh - NRB Bank Limited, is one of Iqbal's biggest achievements. He dreamt of unlocking a new horizon to the Bangladesh economy by facilitating NRB inward and outward investments and increasing the inflow of foreign investments/remittances.

Iqbal makes time for charity works despite his busy schedule.

He is Chairman of The Iqbal Bros Foundation, a charity registered in the UK and involved in many charitable works mainly in education and healthcare. The charity is a fundraiser for the Manchester Children's hospital. He also developed a secondary school and college for 1400 pupils in Sylhet, Bangladesh. He was awarded an OBE for services to International Trade in 2001 and has been a recipient of many awards and recognition from private and government organisations. Over the years Iqbal has played an active role in a number of government committees, ministries and advisory bodies in the UK.