Gulf Business

Meet the leaders shaping the future of business in the Gulf! Behind every successful business is exceptional leadership, and this year’s Gulf Business Awards recognised the individuals who are driving innovation, building successful organisations and helping to shape the region’s economic future. From AI and banking to tourism, healthcare, technology and entrepreneurship, our 2026 winners reflect the depth of leadership talent across the Gulf. More than 400 guests joined us at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai, JBR, on September 23 to celebrate their achievements at the 14th edition of the Gulf Business Awards, held in a particularly special year as Gulf Business marks its 30th anniversary. A huge congratulations to our individual award winners! 👏 🏆 BUSINESS LEADER AWARDS • AI Leader of the Year: Saeed Al Ahbabi — Chief Shared Services & Technical Officer at ADNOC Distribution • Banking Leader of the Year: Raheel Ahmed — CEO of Rakbank • Tourism Leader of the Year: Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi — Group CEO of Miral • Hospitality Leader of the Year: Bani Haddad — Founder & Co-CEO of Aleph Hospitality • Retail Leader of the Year: Michael Chalhoub — Chalhoub Group • Transport Leader of the Year: Mohamed Al Ali — CEO of Parkin • Healthcare Leader of the Year: Hein van Eck — CEO of Mediclinic Middle East • Energy Leader of the Year: Ali Alshimmari — Managing Director & CEO, Global South Utilities (GSU) • Technology Leader of the Year: Tariq Bin Hendi, PhD — CEO, botim, CEO & Board Member, Astra Tech • Investment Leader of the Year: Prateek Suri — Founder & CEO, MDR Investments • Logistics Leader of the Year: Tarek Sultan — Chairman of Agility • Resilient Business Leader of the Year: Mazen Nahawi — CARMA and RAIYN • Sustainability Leader of the Year: Salmeen Al Ameri — MD and CEO Agthia Group PJSC • Conglomerate Leader of the Year: Capt Pradeep Singh — Karma Group 🌟 EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARDS • Financial Leader of the Year: Naser Taher — Founder and Chairman of MultiBank Group • Young Entrepreneur in the Middle East 2026: Ali Musalam — NAVA Group • Excellence in AI Innovation of the Year: Andreas Hassellöf — Ombori 🏅 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD A particularly special moment was recognising Azad Moopen Dr, Chairman and Founder of Aster DM Healthcare, with our Lifetime Achievement Award for his extraordinary contribution to healthcare in the region. His daughter, Alisha Moopen, Managing Director and Group CEO of Aster DM Healthcare, GCC, accepted the award on his behalf. Access the full winners list here: https://lnkd.in/dqbjrXyb

What if one guest’s bad experience could change the way an entire hospitality business operates? For Ali Musalam, founder and CEO of NAVA Group, hospitality started long before restaurants, expansion plans and spreadsheets. Family travels later broadened his perspective, exposing him to different cuisines, cultures and approaches to hospitality. Together, those experiences helped shape NAVA’s philosophy, combining local authenticity with global exposure, while keeping the guest experience at the centre. And at the heart of it all is what Musalam calls the “one-guest rule”: because in hospitality, one poor experience can be enough to change how a guest sees a brand. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/d8dpXnJb #Hospitality #NAVAGroup #AliMusalam #UAE #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #RestaurantIndustry #CustomerExperience #HospitalityIndustry #GulfBusiness

A boardroom rupture at India’s Tata Sons, where the controlling charity arm says it is unable to assert its rights, is rippling across India Inc, with founders and investors studying the fine print of their shareholder pacts to avoid the same fate. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dSXRcZ_m

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan will hold an urgent, high-level meeting under a joint defence pact to discuss ways to support the kingdom amid attacks by Yemen’s Houthis, while Saudi’s top religious authority told troops to be ready to lay down their lives. The Houthis have launched strikes on the Saudi-backed government in Yemen and repeatedly fired into Saudi Arabia, disrupting oil flows from the world’s largest energy exporter, as part of a wider Middle East war that began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February. The Houthis said they had fired dozens of missiles and drones at Saudi targets on Thursday, while authorities in Saudi Arabia said they had intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by Houthi fighters. Saudi Arabia earlier had issued emergency alerts for areas including the holy city of Mecca, Jeddah and Yanbu, the main Saudi Red Sea oil port. Read more: https://lnkd.in/d-c3Ff3v

The UAE’s next phase of growth will be driven by innovation, entrepreneurship and the private sector. HE Abdulla Alsaleh, Undersecretary at the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism, delivered the opening address at the Gulf Business Awards 2026, reflecting on the nation’s remarkable economic transformation over the past three decades. He highlighted the opportunities emerging across AI, advanced technology and sustainable industries, as well as the UAE’s ambitions to strengthen its position as a global hub for business, investment and talent. His address marked a special evening for Gulf Business as we celebrated our 30th anniversary and recognised the companies and business leaders shaping the region’s future. Watch his address below.

The Gulf Business Awards 2026 celebrated the region’s leading companies and executives on September 23 at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai, JBR, bringing together senior business leaders, entrepreneurs and decision-makers from across the Gulf. The ceremony opened with a welcome address from Ian Fairservice, Managing Partner and Group Editor-in-Chief, Motivate Media Group followed by an address by HE Abdulla Ahmed Al Saleh, Under Secretary of the UAE Ministry of Economy. Saeed Al Ahbabi ADNOC Distribution Raheel Ahmed Michael Chalhoub Hein van Eck Ali Abdulla Alshimmari Tarek Sultan Capt Pradeep Singh Read more: https://lnkd.in/dTf_PTUE

And that’s a wrap on the Gulf Business Awards 2026! An unforgettable evening celebrating the companies, entrepreneurs and business leaders making an impact across the region. Congratulations to all our winners and honourees, and thank you to our judges, partners, guests and everyone who joined us for this special celebration. Until next year! #GulfBusinessAwards

Raheel Ahmed, Group CEO of RAKBANK, has been named Business Leader of the Year, recognising his leadership and contribution to the region’s banking sector. Congratulations to Raheel Ahmed on this outstanding achievement. #GulfBusinessAwards

Alshaya Group has been named Overall Company of the Year, recognising the company’s achievements and impact across the region. Congratulations to the Alshaya Group team on taking home one of the evening’s top honours. #GulfBusinessAwards