Gulf Business Awards

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Sep 2026, 6:00 PM

The Ritz-Carlton, JBR, Dubai

6:00 PM

300

Attendees

160

FINALISTS

WINNERS

INDUSTRIES

The Categories

Banking Company of the Year
AI Company of the Year
Tourism Company of the Year
Hospitality Company of the Year
Retail Company of the Year
Transport Company of the Year
Healthcare Company of the Year
Energy Company of the Year
Technology Company of the Year
Investment Company of the Year
Logistics Company of the Year
Resilient Company of the Year
Sustainability Company of the Year

What's Happening and When

Judging Criteria

Innovation

A company or business leader's innovative ideas or products that can create value and solve important problems, while also having the potential to be scaled up and sustained over the long term.

Financial Results

Companies that have achieved exceptional financial results and promote best practices in financial management.

Service Delivery

The ability to provide excellent service to all stakeholders including customers, partners and suppliers.

Corporate Social Responsibility

A company’s efforts to give something back to wider society in terms of mentorship, environmental concerns, charity and corporate social responsibility.

Growth/Expansion

Companies that have demonstrated significant growth and expansion in their business.

Product Quality

The ability to deliver exceptional, innovative, customer-oriented products of the highest quality

Meet the Judges

Gerald Lawless

Former CEO, Jumeirah Group, Gulf Business Lifetime Achievement Award recipient (2025)

Ian Fairservice

Managing Partner and Group Editor-In-Chief, Motivate Media Group

Michael Champion

CEO, Tahaluf

Katy Keenan

CEO, British Chamber of Commerce Dubai

Abhay Bhargava

Managing Director and Regional Leader – Middle East & Africa, Frost & Sullivan

Mahmoud Bartawi

Serial Entrepreneur and Founder

Gareth Van Zyl

Group Editor, Gulf Business

VIEW ALL DETAILS

Testimonials

I am incredibly honoured and humbled to receive this award and be recognised for my work. I would like to thank Motivate Media Group for being part of my journey over the years. It has been great to watch the company’s evolution and impact on the field of media and publishing in the country.

Isobel Abulhoul

CEO and Trustee, Emirates Literature Foundation, co-founder of Magrudy’s and winner of the Gulf Business Lifetime Achievement Award 2023

I am thrilled and delighted that I have been selected to receive this special award. I attribute it absolutely and totally to our team of staff and the effort they make in making our business successful and, of course, to our Chairman HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, who was also honoured with the same award in 2017.

Colm McLoughlin

executive vice chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free and winner of the Gulf Business Lifetime Achievement Award 2021