(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) The Leaders Magazine International has honoured Middle East business leaders by recognising leadership skills which have led to the success of their business ventures.
The third Middle East Business Leaders Summit and Awards (Meblsa 2012), under the aegis of the publication, paid tribute to their varied industrial acumen and expertise and acknowledged their outstanding achievements and tangible contribution to the region's economic development in a grand event at the Armani Hotel in Dubai on May15.
The highlight of the evening was the conferment of the Lifetime Achievement Award to Abdulla Al Shaibani, Secretary-General of the Dubai Executive Council and Chairman of the well known and high profile Galadari Brothers Company, whose track record has kept it in the commercial forefront for the past 50 years.
A man who has spearheaded several innovative, high-profile projects and initiatives, Shaibani has risen in eminence through sheer commitment to excellence, bringing to bear the lessons of an exceptional academic career in which he was schooled in business management and civil engineering. He is seen as a man who has a passion for cutting edge technology with a very media savvy approach to the new world.
Known for his disciplined approach to challenges and a very analytical mind, he has earned the reputation of being 'hands on' when it comes to executing a project and does not accept anything less than perfection. Earlier, he was technical director of the Dubai Municipality, a tenure that taught him the advantage of paying attention to detail and handling highly complex logistics.
His business acumen has been instrumental in steering the Galadari group to greater success. Galadari is one of the largest and well-known business conglomerates in the UAE. It comprises companies which operate in diverse sectors that range from automobiles, industrial trading, media, retail, engineering, hospitality, real estate, travel and tourism.
Its media division publishes the UAE's first English newspaper, Khaleej Times (which for 34 years has been the benchmark for daily English language newspapers). The high-profile company is also the distributor for the popular Mazda automobiles and JCB and Komatsu heavy equipment, while operating regional franchises for Baskin Robbins, among others.
The awards have now been firmly established as a strategic platform for the region's top corporate leaders and officials to discuss and share important and essential breakthroughs in today's business world. The aim is to serve as a catalyst for the growth of new leaders and entrepreneurs to spur the industrial upswing, apply best practices and drive the region's economy to greater heights.
Prominent among the other awardees was Shaikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qassimi, Chairman of Sharjah Media Corporation (the umbrella organisation of Sharjah Media Centre). He was named the 'Media Personality of the Year' in the International Media and Communications Sector category. The distinction recognises his exemplary efforts and achievements in positioning Sharjah on the global map of culture and communication while leading institutions such as Sharjah Media Centre.
In his opening remarks, group chief executive officer of The Leaders Magazine Shahul Hameed Shaik Dawood said the idea behind these awards is to honour trustworthy and disciplined leaders for their contribution as a driving force behind their organisations.
Abdulrahim Hassan Naqi, secretary-general, Federation of GCC Chambers of Commerce and Industry, delivered the keynote address and underlined the need to explore investment opportunities in the emerging markets.
