Bader Al-Darwish, chairman of Darwish Holding, a pioneering business conglomerate in Qatar, has been named the Businessman of the Year at the Arabian Business Achievements Awards ceremony held recently held in Doha.
 
The Arabian Business Award is a premier event in the regional business calendar, which consistently attracts and honours the biggest names in the Gulf business community, said a statement from Darwish Holding.

Each year, the awards celebrate the very best in business achievement, both on a corporate and individual level. The Arabian Business Achievement Awards have been hosted in Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Previous winners include Prince Al-Waleed, King Mohammed VI of Morocco, and King Abdullah of Jordan. In 2008 Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum won a special Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to global business over the past two decades.

Commenting on the win, Bader said, “This award is an honor for the entire Darwish Holding as it is a solid testament to the fact that Darwish has been a key partner for the development and recognition of our nation on the regional and international business map.'

'Our name has been closely linked to that of our country owing to a stellar track record with milestones that have helped raise the bar in the industry,' he remarked.

'We are now gearing up towards the launch of Qatar’s newest retail destination, Lagoona, which is really a labor of love for Darwish Holding and a culmination of the company's vision and belief over the past eight decades,' Bader added.

This award is one in a series of accolades that reflects Bader’s outstanding business achievements stemming, particularly, from the innovative retail concepts that he introduced to Qatar such as the newly opened Fifty One East - the largest multi-brand luxury store in the Middle East - which has also been recognized as the Best Retail Project of the Year, the company statement said.

In 2002, Bader was named 'Exemplary Citizen of Qatar' by Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar. He was also feted with 2000 'Gulf Successes Award' by Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and decorated twice by the former Lebanese President General Emile Lahoud with medals for the “National Order of the Cedars of Lebanon -Grade Commander” in 2005 and “The Golden First Grade Medallion of the Lebanese Order of Merit” in 2007, it added.

The other big winners at the Arabian Business Achievements Awards included Buthaina Al Ansari for Businesswoman of the Year; Qatar Foundation for a special CSR award; Hisham Al Mana for the Visionary of the Year; and Al Jazeera English for International Achievement.

A special award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Business’ was also given to the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup Bid Committee.

The Best Real Estate Investment Strategy award was given to Mazaya Qatar; Best Logistics Company award to Gulf Warehousing Company; Best Islamic Bank award to QIB; Bank of the Year to Doha Bank; Retail Bank of the Year to IBQ; Financial Services of the Year for QFC; Telecom Company of the Year to Qtel; Best Real Estate Company to Ezdan; Best Energy Company to RasGas and Hospitality Company of the Year award to Ritz Carlton, Doha.-TradeArabia News Service