GULF BUSINESS AWARDS 2025 CELEBRATES REGION’S TRAILBLAZERS AT GLITTERING GALA IN DUBAI
November 13, 2025
The 13th annual Gulf Business Awards, hosted on 24 September at The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina, honoured the Gulf’s most visionary companies and leaders before an audience of more than 350 C-suite executives, entrepreneurs and decision-makers.
In a night that blended red-carpet glamour with substantive dialogue, the awards reaffirmed their status as the region’s benchmark for excellence across banking, real estate, healthcare, technology, tourism, energy and beyond.
Lifetime Achievement Honour Gerald Lawless, former CEO of Jumeirah Group, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his pivotal role in establishing Dubai as a global hospitality powerhouse. Accepting the honour, Lawless dedicated it to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, stating: “I have had the privilege to work directly for His Highness in the creation of Jumeirah Group in 1997. I am immensely proud of what it has achieved and continues to achieve.”
Top Honours
- Business Leader of the Year: Rola Abu Manneh, CEO – UAE, Middle East & Pakistan, Standard Chartered
- Company of the Year: Miral Group, creator of Yas Island and SeaWorld Abu Dhabi
Judging Panel An independent panel comprising Ian Fairservice (Motivate Media Group), Mishal Kanoo (The Kanoo Group), Jawad Jalal Abbassi (GSMA), Reenita Das (Frost & Sullivan) and Gareth van Zyl (Gulf Business) evaluated entries on impact, innovation and regional relevance.
Ian Fairservice remarked: “These awards have become the gold standard for recognising the visionaries shaping the Gulf’s future.”
Full List of Winners
Company Awards:
Banking Company of the Year – RAKBANK
Energy Company of the Year – GE Vernova
Healthcare Company of the Year – Aster DM Healthcare
Hospitality Company of the Year – FIVE Hotels and Resorts
Investment Company of the Year – AIX Investment Group
Logistics Company of the Year – AD Ports Group
Real Estate Company of the Year – Refad Real Estate Investment and Development Company
Retail Company of the Year – Dubai Duty Free
Tourism Company of the Year – Miral Group
Transport Company of the Year – Thrifty Car Rental
Technology Company of the Year – Crowe Mak
Leader Awards:
Banking Leader – Rola Abu Manneh, Standard Chartered
Energy Leader – Rasso Bartenschlager, Al Masaood Power
Healthcare Leader – Dr. Craig R. Cook, The Brain & Performance Centre (DP World)
Hospitality Leader – Joe Nassoura, Fairmont Dubai
Technology Leader – Andreas Hassellöf, Ombori
Real Estate Leader – Yousuf Fakhruddin, Fakhruddin Properties Group
Investment Leader – Bal Krishen Rathore, Century Financial (accepted on behalf)
Retail Leader – John Hadden, Alshaya Group (accepted on behalf)
Tourism Leader – Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, Miral Group (accepted on behalf)
Transport Leader – Adel Mardini, Jetex (accepted on behalf)
Logistics Leader – Tarek Sultan, Agility Global (accepted on behalf)
Editor’s Choice Awards:
Disruptive Company – Ultima Chain
Family Business – Al Khayyat Investments (AKI)
Digital Transformation – Etihad Salam Telecom Company
Fintech Provider – OKX
MICE Provider – Tahaluf
Legacy in Leadership – Masih Imtiaz, Imtiaz Developments
Cross-Border Icon – Capt. Pradeep Singh, Karma Realty Developers
Disruptive Leader – Dr Ali Asgar Fakhruddin, Sterling Group
Visionary Leader – Ankur Aggarwal, BNW
Woman Leader – Mila Semeshkina, WE Convention
Closing the evening, Gulf Business Group Editor Gareth van Zyl said:
“Tonight we celebrated not only remarkable achievements but the boundless potential that lies ahead for the Gulf’s business ecosystem.”
About Gulf Business Awards, Now in its 13th year, the Gulf Business Awards is the region’s most prestigious platform for recognising corporate and individual excellence. Organised by Gulf Business, the awards are judged independently and celebrate innovation, resilience and leadership across the GCC.
