Decision

Decision on International Imperial College Ltd

Published 1 April 2026

Order under the Companies Act 2006

In the matter of application No. 5607

For a change of company name of registration No. 16319638

Decision

The company name INTERNATIONAL IMPERIAL COLLEGE LTD has been registered since 17 March 2025 under number 16319638.

By an application filed on 30 September 2025, IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE applied for a change of name of this registration under the provisions of section 69(1) of the Companies Act 2006 (the Act).

A copy of this application was sent to the primary respondent’s registered office on 30 October 2025, in accordance with rule 3(2) of the Company Names Adjudicator Rules 2008. The copy of the application was sent by Royal Mail UK “Tracked 48 With Signature” service. On 30 October 2025, the Tribunal wrote to Dr Suhail Awwad to inform them that the applicant had requested that they be joined to the proceedings. On 16 December 2025, Dr Suhail Awwad was joined as a co-respondent. On 16 December 2025, the parties were advised that no defence had been received to the application and so the adjudicator may treat the application as not being opposed. The parties were granted a period of 14 days to request a hearing in relation to this matter, if they so wished. No request for a hearing was made.

The primary respondent did not file a defence within the one month period specified by the adjudicator under rule 3(3). Rule 3(4) states:

The primary respondent, before the end of that period, shall file a counter-statement on the appropriate form, otherwise the adjudicator may treat it as not opposing the application and may make an order under section 73(1).

Under the provisions of this rule, the adjudicator may exercise discretion so as to treat the respondent as opposing the application. In this case I can see no reason to exercise such discretion and, therefore, decline to do so.

As the primary respondent has not responded to the allegations made, it is treated as not opposing the application. Therefore, in accordance with section 73(1) of the Act I make the following order:

(a) INTERNATIONAL IMPERIAL COLLEGE LTD shall change its name within one month of the date of this order to one that is not an offending name

(b) INTERNATIONAL IMPERIAL COLLEGE LTD and Dr Suhail Awwad shall:

(i) take such steps as are within their power to make, or facilitate the making, of that change;

(ii) not cause or permit any steps to be taken calculated to result in another company being registered with a name that is an offending name.

An “offending name” means a name that, by reason of its similarity to the name associated with the applicant in which he claims goodwill, would be likely to be the subject of a direction under section 67 (power of Secretary of State to direct change of name), or to give rise to a further application under section 69.

In accordance with s.73(3) of the Act, this order may be enforced in the same way as an order of the High Court or, in Scotland, the Court of Session.

In any event, if no such change is made within one month of the date of this order, I will determine a new company name as per section 73(4) of the Act and will give notice of that change under section 73(5) of the Act.

All respondents, including individual co-respondents, have a legal duty under Section 73(1)(b)(ii) of the Companies Act 2006 not to cause or permit any steps to be taken calculated to result in another company being registered with an offending name; this includes the current company. Non-compliance may result in an action being brought for contempt of court and may result in a custodial sentence.

The applicant is requesting its costs. In response to question 7 on the Form CNA 1 (“Did you warn the company that if it did not change its name that you would start legal proceedings against it? If “yes” when did you warn the company?”), the applicant states:

Yes, on 3 July 2025.

Further, at paragraph 16 of its Form CNA1, (“Please provide any other information you may have that you consider relevant to this application”) the applicant states:

We note that this is not the first time the director of the respondent company, Dr Aawad, has incorporated a company which includes the words “Imperial College”. Dr Aawad was also a director and person with significant control of the dissolved company Imperial College London Ltd (company number 15104268) (First Company) which was incorporated on 30 August 2025.

………….On 22 November 2024, the Company Names Adjudicator issued an order (ref:0/1111/24) requiring the First company to change its registered company name …..Neither the First company not Dr Aawad responded to the CNT’s decision by the specified deadline, and instead the First company was dissolved on 4 February 2025. The First company and/or Dr Aawad have also failed to pay our client’s outstanding costs, as required by the Order.

The Order includes a provision prohibiting both the First company and Dr Aawad from taking steps which result in another company being registered with a name that is an “offending name”. An “offending name” is defined in the Order as a name that, by reason of its similarity to the name associated with the College in which it claims goodwill, would likely be the subject of a direction under section 67 or give rise to a further application under section 69.

Dr Aawad has therefore incorporated the respondent company under a name which breaches the terms of the Order. We would respectfully invite the Company Names Tribunal to consider this additional contextual information when reaching a decision in relation to costs.

On 6 February 2026, the Tribunal issued a preliminary view that the applicant is entitled to a contribution towards its costs. The preliminary view stated that the respondent had not filed a defence within the specified time period and therefore an Order under Section 73(1) of the Companies Act 2006 would be issued. The Tribunal noted the applicant’s comments made in support of its request for costs. Given the circumstances, particularly the fact that the application had not been defended, it was the Tribunal’s preliminary view that the applicant was entitled to a contribution towards its costs of £800. The parties were granted a period of 14 days to request a hearing in relation to this matter, if they so wished. No request for a hearing was made.

I order INTERNATIONAL IMPERIAL COLLEGE LTD and Dr Suhail Awwad, being jointly and severally liable, to pay IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE costs on the following basis:

Fee for application: £400
Statement of case: £400

Total: £800

This sum is to be paid within seven days of the expiry of the appeal period or within seven days of the final determination of this case if any appeal against this decision is unsuccessful.

Any notice of appeal against this decision to order a change of name must be given within one month of the date of this order. Appeal is to the High Court in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and to the Court of Session in Scotland.

The company adjudicator must be advised if an appeal is lodged, so that implementation of the order is suspended.

Dated 31 March 2026        

Susan Eaves
Company Names Adjudicator