Renuka Jagtiani won the Outstanding Asian Business Woman of the Year Award while Sunny Varkey took the corresponding title for men at the first Asian Business Awards Middle East (ABA ME).

Jagtiani is the CEO of Landmark International while Varkey is the chairman of Gems Education & Welcare World.

The event held at the Emirates Palace Hotel, Abu Dhabi and attended by leading dignitaries from the business community, government officials, and prominent personalities from Asia and the Middle East.

The ABA ME is instituted to recognise and award business excellence within the Asian community and nurture economic relations between the Middle East and the sub-continent. 

Presented by Al Barari, the premier property developer based in the capital, this ground-breaking event was put together with event architects Indian Expressions and Real Media.

The other award winners included: Asian Rising Star of the Year: Ramesh Prabhakar (managing director, Rivoli Group); Young Asian Achiever of the Year: Madhu Koneru (managing director, RAK Minerals & Metals Investments); Outstanding Asian Contribution to the ME Development: Syed M Salahuddin (managing director, ETA Ascon & Star Group); Asian Business Leader of the Year: Yusuf Ali (managing director, EMKE Group). Lifetime Achievement Award: N R Narayana Murthy (chairman of the Board and chief mentor, Infosys Technologies Limited); Global Asian Of the Year: Lakshmi N Mittal (president of the Board of Directors and CEO, Arcelor Mittal).

Through the decades, dynamic Arab business leaders have been instrumental in strengthening the traditional bonds between the two regions and the ABA ME has instituted The Arab Honour Awards to recognise individuals who stand for exemplary business enterprise, leadership and contribution to the business society.

The recipients of this years awards were:

ABA ME The Arab Rising Star Award: Salah Salem Al Shamsi (president - Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce); ABA ME The Arab Business Excellence Award: Mohammed Abdul Jalil Al Fahim (honorary chairman - Al Fahim Group); ABA ME The Arab Lifetime Achievement: Obaid Khalifa Jaber Al Marri (chairmam - Al Jaber Group). – TradeArabia News Service