Regions Top CEO's honored today
at the Middle East CEO of the Year Awards

Dubai UAE March 23, 2005

The winners of the 2nd Middle East CEO of the Year Awards, 2005 were announced today at an exclusive awards ceremony at the Burj Al Arab. The awards, organized by the Middle East Awards Institute, were presented by BMW and sponsored by Shell.

H.E. Sheikh Hasher bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, Director General, Department of Information, Dubai was the chief guest at the awards ceremony and presented the trophies to the award winners with Hon. Dennis Ross, Former Special Middle East Coordinator and Director of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

The award recognizes CEO Level Professionals from the Middle East who have made exceptional career achievements in taking their organization's goals to the greatest heights. The award winners were honored during an elegant ceremony with more than 150 VIP delegates, including Ambassadors, Diplomats, Top Designation Executives and Managers from regional government, business and IT organizations in attendance. The winners were presented with special trophies designed by Crystal Arc. Speaking about the awards, Ali Al Kamali, Managing Director of Datamatix said, "The awards recognize those leaders in government and private organizations who have gone that extra mile to achieve success. Instead of focusing on the size of the company, the awards assess the stature of the individual, the positive effect that person's leadership has had on the company and the impact this leader's decisions have made on the industry as a whole."

This year's winners were awarded in these categories:

Government CEO of the Year

The Government CEO of the Year Award attempts to honour individuals who have served with distinction in their leadership capacity at the head of a government or public sector organization. The award merits the achievements of Government Sector CEO's, which have succeeded in improving efficiency, reducing bureaucratic red tape and have encouraged partnerships between Middle East businesses and governments through the combination of best managerial practices and traditional wisdom. There were two winners in this category.
Mr. Qassim Sultan Al Banna, Director General, Dubai Municipality, UAE was presented the "Government CEO of the Year Award" for his role in city infrastructure development.
Brig. Saeed Mattar Bin Beleila, Director, Naturalization & Residency Administration, Dubai was awarded the "Government CEO of the Year Award" for his role in the service economy.

Industry CEO of the Year

This award merits the achievements of an individual who has led his organization to greater heights of excellence in a segment of Middle East industry like oil, cement, pharmaceuticals, foodstuff, etc. The award recognizes industry leaders who have translated their organizations commitment to quality into solid returns and have succeeded in streamlining business processes and improving efficiency.
Mohamed H. Al Mady, Vice Chairman & CEO, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia was awarded the "Industry CEO of the Year Award" for his active role in driving the growth of his particular sector of industry, thus contributing to the overall development of the regions economy.

Service Sector CEO of the Year

In a sector characterized by constant change, the "Service Sector CEO of the Year Award" recognizes the individual who has his finger on the pulse of the latest trends and demands in the Middle East service industries like Hotel, Airlines, Healthcare, Education, etc. The award honors the achievements of the CEO in raising the overall quality of services.
Dr. Khaled S. Al Sultan, Rector, King Fahd University Of Petroleum & Minerals, Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia was presented the "Service Sector CEO of the Year Award" for his innovative approach to leadership and for enabling the university with high standards of professionalism.

Banking & Finance CEO of the Year

The “Banking and Finance CEO of the Year� recognizes the individual who has steered his institution through all the ups and downs of the regional economy. The award considers not only the CEO's contribution to the organization's bottom line, but also his introduction of technology enabled services and best management practices.
The award was presented to Mr. Abdullah S. Bahamdan, Chairman & Managing Director, The National Commercial Bank, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for his unique contribution to the growth of the regional financial sector.

ICT CEO of the Year

In an economy where Information and Communication Technologies ('s) are influencing every aspect of our work environment and personal lives, the "ICT CEO of the Year Award" seeks to merit the individual who has been the driving force behind new, innovative services using ICT's.
Dr. Saad Al Barrak, Director General, MTC Group, Kuwait was honored as the "ICT CEO of the Year" for his vision and leadership in fostering an environment of acceptance of ICT's in the everyday life of the region.

Young CEO of the Year

The "Young CEO of the Year Award" has been instituted for the first time this year to recognize the achievements made by a CEO in a very short period of time. It seeks to honor those leaders who have shown tremendous potential for leadership at a very young age and are sure to contribute even further in their organization's success in the future.
Mr. Esam Yousif Janahi, CEO, Gulf Finance House B.S.C. and Chairman, Bahrain Financial Harbour, Bahrain received the "Young CEO of the Year Award" for his extraordinary achievements and leadership in being the driving force behind his organization.

For more information and media enquiries, please contact - Datamatix PR
Tel: +9714 3326688 | Fax: +9714 3328223
E-mail: info@meawards.com  | URL: www.meawards.com/ceo