Source: MEED

On Tuesday, MEED, a Dubai-based business intelligence provider, named the GCC’s best companies of the year after announcing the winners of the prestigious MEED Awards 2017.

The event was held at the Conrad Hotel in Dubai and MEED identified 25 regional and international companies as the best businesses in the GCC based on their contributions to the development of the region.

"It is incredibly important to MEED to recognize and celebrate the very best in the region," said MEED’s editorial director Richard Thompson in a statement.

"MEED’s objective is to help the region realize its ambitions by bringing together the best in business and government in the region. The MEED Awards aims to shine a bright spotlight on the very best companies in the region. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners," Thompson added.

Overall, the UAE had 20 winners including individual honorees...

  • Male Leader of the Year was awarded to Paddy Padmanathan, CEO of Acwa Power
  • Rising Star of the Year went to Lachlan Jackson, managing director of Ecocoast Contracting, which also received the Specialist Contractor of the Year honor

Corporate winners from the UAE whose impressive achievements contributed to a stronger GCC economy included...

  • Kohn Pedersen Fox (Design Practice of the Year)
  • Emirates National Oil Company (Business Innovation of the Year)
  • Parsons (Consultant of the Year)
  • Multiplex Constructions (Contractor of the Year)
  • Enviromena Power Systems (Energy Provider of the Year)
  • Dubai Islamic Bank (Financial Institution of the Year)
  • Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (Special Economic Zone Authority of the Year)
  • Child Early Intervention Medical Centre (Healthcare Company of the Year)
  • GE (Industrial Company of the Year)
  • Al-Tamimi & Company (Law Firm of the Year)
  • Agility (Abu Dhabi) PJSC (Logistics Company of the Year)
  • Dow Chemical IMEA GmbH (Manufacturer of the Year)
  • Engie (Water Company of the Year)
  • Acwa Power (Renewables Company of the Year)
  • Dulsco (Supplier of the Year)
  • Beeah (Sustainable Business of the Year)
  • Baker Hughes (Petrochemicals Company of the Year)

Winners from Saudi Arabia included...

  • KPMG in Saudi Arabia won Advisory Services Company of the Year
  • Dur Hospitality received the Hospitality Company of the Year award
  • National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) emerged victorious in the Transport Company of the Year category

Bahrain won an award too...

  • Bin Faqeeh Real Estate Investment Company was awarded Real Estate Developer of the Year

Kuwait also did well...

  • Donna Sultan, the CEO of KEO International Consultants took the spotlight when she won Female Leader of the Year