Eagle Chauffeuring’ s boss reflects on a great first year
FEATURE
ONE YEAR AND FLYING
Trusted- Eagle Chauffeuring’ s Babar Malik.
Eagle Chauffeuring’ s boss reflects on a great first year
PICTURE: TOM BANKS WORDS: DAVE ROBSON
As he looks back on his executive chauffeuring firm’ s first year, Babar Malik does so with huge satisfaction.
Eagle Chauffeuring was set up in August 2025 to give a new dimension to the wellknown Eagle Taxis brand.
Established in Thornaby by Babar’ s dad Malik but known throughout Teesside, Eagle Taxis was a high-flying, trusted taxi service.
But now, Babar believes its successor, Eagle Chauffeuring, is poised to soar even higher in the executive travel market.
And, as we sit in one of his smart Mercedes S-Class cars, Babar admits the firm’ s first year has gone even better than he thought it would.
He told Tees Business:“ It’ s unbelievable, really. I didn’ t expect to have 15 % of what we’ ve managed, which is the absolute truth. But we just approached things head on and it’ s gone really well so far.”
One new recent client, Babar says, is the Bannatyne Group, with its CEO, entrepreneur and philanthropist Duncan Bannatyne OBE, having taken a ride in one of Eagle’ s plush motors.
Babar smiled:“ I’ d never met him before – apart from seeing him shopping in Morrisons! But he was really nice and rode with me for a couple of hours.
“ We got on really well, talking about what’ s happening in the area and how AI is changing things. He also spoke about his retirement and how he’ s loving passing the reins on to his kids, and how he’ s liking what I’ ve done after I took the reins over from my dad.”
Another aspect of Eagle’ s service that met the former Dragon’ s Den star’ s approval was the attention to detail Babar insists upon.
He said:“ He was shocked when he got into my car because of all the little extras- water, sparkling water, apple juice, three different flavours of nuts, chewing gum, mints, tissues, hand wipes, everything. But little things like that can mean a lot.”
Other recent clients have included Alt Labs, Teesworks electricity distribution network Steel River Power, project management specialists Logic-I – the Small Business of the Year at the Tees Business Awards 2026 – and Wathnan Racing, the thoroughbred racing group of Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar.
Babar said:“ Wathnan has 165 horses, 40 of which are stabled in the North Yorkshire area, so we have the honour of moving a lot of the Emir’ s jockeys from A to B. And they come regularly, once or twice a week – I’ ve transported his favourite jockey, James Doyle, a few times.”
With branded plates and vehicles immaculately presented inside and out, Eagle’ s 12-strong fleet of Mercs and BMWs scream class and style.
And whatever the weather, an Eagle chauffeur will be smartly suited and booted, with three-piece suits the order of the day.
That’ s not to say all Eagle’ s business is“ executive” travel, with weddings and prom runs proving unexpectedly popular.
But for Babar, whether it’ s transporting a bride or groom to their big day or ferrying American businessmen around the local sights, he’ s determined not to compromise on quality or that attention to detail some other operators neglect.
He said:“ From before the journey even starts until after it’ s finished, we take every possible step to make sure that they chose us for every possible reason.”
And one year on from his first ever Eagle Chauffeuring job –“ it was picking up Double Eleven’ s Mark South for an Uber executive,” he recalls – Babar is now eagerly anticipating his firm’ s second year.
He said:“ I’ ll be honest, I didn’ t think it would be this straightforward to attract the business we have, but I’ m delighted it’ s happened.
“ I’ d probably say now the next step might be harder because we’ ve had so much so fast. In Year 2, I’ d like to have, say, about 30 % more than what I have now. I’ m just going to keep striving for more and not rest on any laurels.”
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