• 33 companies honoured for business, innovation and customer excellence at prestigious awards ceremony hosted by Dubai Chamber at Expo 2020 Dubai.

• H.E. Al Ghurair: We celebrate the achievements of outstanding companies from UAE and other GCC countries that continue to strive for excellence, innovate and inspire others to follow in their footsteps.

Dubai, UAE: His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, and Chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, honoured 33 companies that were named winners of the 11th cycle of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (MRM) Business Award, the 3rd cycle of the MRM Business Innovation Award, and the 1st cycle of the MRM Customer Excellence Award at a prestigious ceremony held at Expo 2020 Dubai today (Thursday, December 9th).

Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the ceremony was hosted by Dubai Chamber and attended by heads of government departments and officials, and prominent business leaders from the UAE and GCC.

Winners of the MRM Business Award in the trade category included the Arabian Automobiles Company, Lulu Hypermarket – Al Qusais Branch, and aswaaq Retail LLC. China State Construction Engineering Corporation Middle East LLC and ALEC Engineering and Contracting LLC received the award in the construction category.

Jindal Shadeed Iron and Steel LLC from Oman, Gulf Petrochemicals Industries Co. (GPIC) from Bahrain, Unilever (Lipton Jebel Ali Factory), Gulf Rubber Industries LLC, Emirates Global Aluminium and Gulf Extrusions LLC were named as the winners of the MRM Business Award in the manufacturing category.

Tri Star Transport LLC was recognised in the transport and logistics category, while Zulekha Hospital LLC, Global Village Dubai LLC, and Transguard Cash LLC were honoured in the service category. Zulekha Hospital LLC was also named as the Outstanding Winner of the MRM Business Award, an award recognising exceptional business performance.

Huawei Tech (UAE) and Transguard Cash received the MRM Business Innovation Award in the services category. ALEC Engineering and Contracting LLC won the same award in the construction category, while Gulf Petrochemical Industries Co. (GPIC) and Jindal Iron and Steel LLC took home the award in the manufacturing category. Arabian Automobiles Company received the award in the trade category.

For the first time ever, the MRM Customer Excellence Award was presented to nine winning companies, namely: DP World UAE (transport and logistics category), Riyad Bank (finance category) from Saudi Arabia, Al Ansari Exchange LLC (finance category), Etisalat – Retail (services category), Transguard Cash LLC (services category), Barakat Quality Plus LLC (manufacturing category), Arabian Automobiles Company (trade category) Apparel Group (trade category), and LuLu Hypermarket – Al Qusais (trade category).

In addition, Riyad Bank received the Outstanding Winner Award for Customer Excellence, and Huawei Tech (UAE) was named Outstanding Winner for Business Innovation.

The companies applying for the various awards went through a rigorous evaluation process in the main areas of corporate performance such as leadership, strategy, employment, competency management, innovation, and providing exceptional experiences to customers based on the criteria outlined in the award’s business performance model, as well as best international practices.

His Excellency Abdulaziz Al Ghurair, Chairman of Dubai Chambers, said the MRM Business Award, which is a member of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, forms an essential part of the culture of institutional excellence that the UAE’s wise leadership is keen foster within business communities across the region. He described the MRM Business Awards ceremony as a celebration of business excellence and innovation coinciding with a pivotal moment for the UAE as it welcomes the world at Expo 2020 Dubai, celebrates its Golden Jubilee and maps out a new bold vision for the post-Covid era.

HE Al Ghurair added: “Today we celebrate the achievements of outstanding companies from UAE and other GCC countries that continue to strive for excellence, innovate and inspire other companies to follow in their footsteps and raise standards within their respective industries and business communities.”

HE Hamad Buamim, President & CEO of Dubai Chamber and Chairman of the MRM Business Award Steering Committee said: “Since Dubai Chamber launched the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Business Award in the year 2005, it has endeavoured to foster a culture of excellence within business communities, enhance economic competitiveness, and raise industry standards. Over the years, the prestigious awards have evolved into a comprehensive and integrated programme designed to help companies adopt best international practices and 205 companies have been awarded to date, while over than 1,950 applications have been submitted.”

H.E. Buamim noted that interest and participation in the MRM Business Awards has grown significantly in recent years in line with Dubai’s economy and business community. He noted that this is also a result of the far-reaching benefits seen by participating and winning companies, which go far beyond recognition. He added that a majority of participating companies in the last awards cycle came from the UAE. A total of 88 companies from other GCC countries, accounting for 13% of all participants, applied to the programme.

— END —