Mo Iqbal, Chairman of TTA member Tile Mountain, is among ten individuals and organisations awarded the Honorary Freeman of the City of Stoke-on-Trent title in recognition of exceptional service to the city.
Since starting a Saturday job with Topps Tiles aged 17, Mo has been firmly entrenched in the tiling industry. He progressed through the ranks at Topps to become Managing Director of Tile Clearing House. In 2003, Mo went on to establish Tile Giant, which expanded rapidly to become a major high street retailer and was sold in 2007 to Travis Perkins where Mo remained until 2012. In 2013, Mo was enticed back into the tiling industry by Jeremy Harris and, along with Nick Ounstead, Tile Mountain was formed. Mo has played a key role in Tile Mountain’s expansion strategy as its Executive Chairman. The Company was originally formed as an online retailer but nowadays boasts 13 stores with plans for further growth. The acquisition of Kettering-based TTA member Walls and Floors in 2019 and the introduction of Bathroom Mountain in 2020 were other key strategic gains along the way.
One of the highest civic honours, the Honorary Freeman of the City title was awarded to Mo at the time of Stoke-on-Trent’s centenary and first-ever Stoke-on-Trent Day on Thursday 5th June 2025. Tile Mountain’s headquarters is locally based in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent. As the city cites, Mo Iqbal has been awarded “for exceptional entrepreneurism as the founder of Tile Mountain, demonstrating outstanding pride in the city through investment driven by a deep sense of responsibility to give back and support his local community.”
Mo Iqbal was honoured alongside other Stoke-on-Trent business leaders such as Denise and Peter Coates of bet365 and Stoke City Football Club fame, former Goodwin plc Chairman John Goodwin, Port Vale Football Club chair and co-owner Carol Shanahan OBE and music promoter Mike Lloyd.
Not only does Mo support his local community, he also supports the tiling sector. Tile Mountain is an active member of The Tile Association, the not-for-profit trade association which aims to help raise skills and standards of tiling in the UK. The Tile Association congratulate Mo on receiving his honour.
