MEED launches 3rd edition of awards to boost business excellence in the private sector across the GCC market
With the shift in regional economies starting to move away from oil dependency, the private sector has emerged as the key economic growth driver across the GCC, as governments continuously define clear guidelines and procedures for private investors. As a result, Middle East Economic Digest, MEED, has today announced the third edition of MEED Awards which aims to recognise and encourage business excellence among private organisations contributing to the diversification of the non-oil sector in the GCC market, which is projected to grow by 3.1% this year. Entries are now open for organisations to submit their nominations by the 26 September, 2019.
Regional governments continue to focus on driving excellence in the business landscape by introducing highly productive future economic models primarily fuelled by trends including the industrial revolution 4.0, Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Private sector companies adopting these trends are forming the foundations of the region’s business landscape as they collectively work towards boosting GDP across GCC countries. With more than 338,000 companies operating in the private sector in the UAE alone, the private sector’s contribution to the UAE GDP grew 5 per cent to 70.5% in 2018.**
The MEED Awards 2019 recognise organisations that implement corporate strategies that include regional disruptive trends in order to contribute towards the diversification of the GCC economies. Businesses in the private sector are encouraged to invest in their people, diversification, society outreach that maximises social impact to introduce further sustainable initiatives.
“The MEED Awards celebrate companies who are riding the wave of the current economic landscape by embracing global and regional trends. With regional governments now in the implementation phase of their strategic visions to diversify economies, businesses boosting the private sector are key in encouraging economic growth. For the third edition of The MEED Awards, we have the opportunity to identify innovative businesses that introduce fundamental principles in line with global trends today. We encourage companies across a range of sectors to participate in the submission process and gain recognition for their efforts,” says MEED Group Commercial Director, Sonia Kerrigan.
The awards aim to celebrate business leaders contributing to the growth of the economy. This can be through the prioritisation of the wellbeing and continuous professional development of an organisation’s people; a robust diversification plan to support the economy; implementation of strategies to achieve operational efficiency in line with regional sustainability goals; as well as those who are working towards maximising social impact for the overall improvement of the society.
The MEED Awards 2019 provides a professional platform that facilitates dialogue between business leaders to achieve their goals and ambitions in line with regional governmental policies. Firms can now apply in the following categories: Architectural/Design Firm of the Year, Bank/Financial Institution of the Year, Business Innovation of the Year, Consultant of the Year, Contractor of the Year, Developer of the Year, Energy Company of the Year, Female Leader of the Year, Healthcare Company of the Year, Hospitality Company of the Year, Law Firm of the Year, Logistics/Transport Company of the Year, Male Leader of the Year, Manufacturer/Supplier of the Year, Oil and Gas/Petrochemicals Company of the Year, Renewables Company of the Year, Rising Star of the Year, Sustainability Initiative of the Year and Technology Company of the Year.
Winners will be awarded in a gala event dinner and ceremony, hosted on the 27th of November 2019 at Ritz Carlton, DIFC, Dubai.
