Revealed: Winners of the Gulf Business Awards 2022
The awards celebrated stalwarts and companies from across the region’s business landscape
Gulf Business held a dazzling ceremony for the 10th edition of the Gulf Business Awards on November 23, with the region’s business leaders and trailblazers in close attendance.
The prestigious awards, which completed a decade this year, were held at the Central Park Towers DIFC in Dubai, to laud stalwarts and pioneers who not only helmed their companies, but also steered them to greater heights and visibility during the year.
A total of 35 awards were presented to eminent business leaders and companies across multiple industrial verticals, including tourism, hospitality, transport and logistics, real estate, banking, finance and investment, healthcare and retail. The real estate and construction category was expanded this year to include coveted awards for subcategories, such as developer, innovative project, real estate agency and proptech of the year.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) form an integral part of a country’s economy. This year, Gulf Business, in collaboration with Century Financial, also unveiled the Golden Frame Awards, to recognise the rainmakers and leaders across SMEs that championed innovation, business strategy, product delivery, sustainability and customer service, among other factors.
As is tradition, Gulf Business presented the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award. This year, it was awarded to the very eloquent Isobel Abulhoul, CEO and trustee – Emirates Literature Foundation, and co-founder of Magrudy’s, for her tenacious efforts on fostering literacy, ingraining a culture of reading and proliferating the spoken and written word.
The award winners were chosen by a judging panel of esteemed industry leaders, which included George Hojeige, CEO – VirtuGroup; Helen Barrett, deputy chair – British Business Group Dubai and Northern Emirates, and partner – CBD Corporate Services; Ian Fairservice, managing partner and group editor-in-chief of Motivate Media Group; and Andrew Wingrove, group director, Motivate Media Group.
The award ceremony was hosted by Motivate Media Group and sponsored by Century Financial. Event partners included Fogo De Chao for F&B, Central Park Towers at DIFC for venue, Matrix Public Relations for PR as well as Jacobsons Direct Marketing.
LIST OF WINNERS 2022
Lifetime Achievement Award: Isobel Abulhoul, CEO and trustee – Emirates Literature Foundation, and co-founder of Magrudy’s
BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Gulf Business Company of the Year: Ghassan Aboud Group
Gulf Business Leader of the Year: Yogesh Mehta, CEO – Petrochem Middle East
Business Disruptor of the Year: Atif Rahman, founder and chairman – ORO24 Developments
Female Leader of the Year: Hana Al Rostamani, Group CEO – First Abu Dhabi Bank
Marketer of the Year: Faisal Zaidi, co-founder and CMO – Crypto Oasis
Sustainability Company of the Year: Fakhruddin Properties
SME of the Year: Falcon Global Capital
COMPANIES OF THE YEAR
Banking: Emirates NBD
Healthcare: PureHealth
Hospitality: Palazzo Hospitality
Investment: Mubadala Investment Company
Online Trading Company of the Year: EFG Hermes One
Real Estate and Construction
- Real Estate Agency: Driven Properties
- Developer: National Housing Company
- Most Innovative Project: Torino by ORO24
- Project: Samana Waves (Samana Developers)
- Contractor: Al Habtoor Group
- Proptech: Stella Stays
Retail: Dubai Duty Free
Transport and Logistics: DP World
Tourism: Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing
BUSINESS LEADERS OF THE YEAR
Healthcare: Dr Jamil Ahmed, managing director – Prime Healthcare Group
Hospitality: Guy Hutchinson, president and CEO – Rotana Hotel Management Corporation
Investment: Harish Prithivi, COO – AIX Investment Group
Online Trading: Mark Chahwan, CEO – Sarwa
Real estate and construction: Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Aboudi, CEO – Thakher Development Company
Retail: Faraz Khalid, CEO – noon.com
Transport and Logistics: Othman Aljeda, CEO – Aramex
Tourism and Hospitality: Issam Kazim, CEO – Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing
GOLDEN FRAME AWARDS
Disruptive SME of the Year: City Tower Properties
Emerging Female Leader of the Year: Basma Ashry, general manager – Business Incorporation Zone
Innovative SME of the Year: Panworld Education
SME Accelerator of the Year: 4IRme
SME Leader of the Year: Dr Nabil Alyousuf, CEO – International Advisory Group
