-prestigious awards honours remarkable women across different industries -
18th November 2012, Dubai, UAE - L'Officiel Middle East, the region's leading luxury fashion title for Arab women, today announced its annual Arab Woman Awards Dubai 2012, to pay tribute to the extraordinary achievements of women across diverse industry sectors. Established in 2009, the Arab Woman Awards is one of the most prestigious awards and honours women who have demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities and exceptional commitment in business, the arts, fashion, education, medicine, sport, media and charity work.
A private panel of esteemed Arab women who are all previous Arab Woman Award winners will be judging this year's awards. The panel is led by L'Officiel Editor Nadine El Chaer and includes Dr. Manahel Thabet, President of Smart Tips Consulting, Dr. Amina Al Rustamani, CEO of TECOM Business Parks, Amna BinHendi, CEO, BinHendi Enterprises and Muna Bin Kalli, Executive Director of Dubai Ladies Club. Highly influential members of the community, the judges have demonstrated achievements and success in their own fields and based on their merits were specially selected to chair as the official judges of this year's panel.
'The overarching aim of the Arab Woman Awards is to highlight and recognise the outstanding contribution by women and identify those who are actively promoting and encouraging the progress of women above and beyond their everyday role. The Awards identify excellence and celebrates achievements" said Dr. Manahel Thabet, President, World Intelligence Network and Smart Tips Consulting.
The award recipients exemplify the mission of celebrating women and acknowledging their success and accomplishments. The event is presented in association with luxury jeweler Maximillion, with the winners being announced at a glamorous ceremony, taking place on 27th November at the Zabeel Saray Hotel, Palm Jumeirah hosted by TV presenter, Dalia Makki.
Previous recipients of the Arab Woman Awards include Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, H.E. Hoda Kanoo, Reem & Hind Beljafla, Fatima Al Jaber and H.E. Najla Al Awadhi.
-Ends-
Arab Woman Awards - Panel of Judges
DR. MANAHEL THABET - Genius mathematician (WINNER: 2010, Dubai; Inspirational Woman of the Year)
Mathematician with a genius-level IQ, Dr Manahel Thabet is an inspiration to every woman. Her achievements are spectacular: She is the president of IQuestion - a high IQ society; WIN, the World Intelligence Network and Smart Tips Consulting, a UAE-based strategic planning consultancy. She is an active member of Mensa, Young Arab Leaders and International Association of Financial Engineers, a columnist and economic researcher. With an IQ of 168, Dr. Manahel created a formula that has attracted the attention of NASA, French Space Agency and various other space entities. Her breakthrough formula may help scientists and space researchers measure distances in space in the absence of light. Dr. Manahel's research on Quantum Mathematics has been adopted by several US universities and her many honours include The Smithsonian's Award (1994) and Hamdan Bin Rashid Award (2012).
AMINA AL RUSTAMANI - CEO, TECOM Business Parks (WINNER: 2011, Dubai; Businesswoman of the Year)
As CEO of TECOM Business Parks, Dr Amina Al Rustamani is a dynamic executive whose vital role includes defining and executing the strategy of key entities including Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Dubai Knowledge Village, Dubai Studio City, International Media Production Zone, DuBiotech, Dubai Outsource Zone, Dubai International Academic City, Enpark and Dubai Healthcare City & Dubai Industrial City. This pioneering businesswoman sits on the board of Dubai Media Incorporated and TECOM Investments. An authority on wireless technologies, Dr Amina has Bachelor's, Master's and Doctorate degrees in electrical engineering from The George Washington University, US, and has published extensively in technical journals. She is ranked ninth in Arabian Business' 100 Most Powerful Arab Women (2011) list.
AMNA BINHENDI -CEO, BinHendi Enterprises (WINNER: 2010, Dubai; Businesswoman of the Year)
At 27, Amna BinHendi took over as Chief Executive Officer of BinHendi Enterprises, the fashion conglomerate founded by her billionaire father, MohiDin BinHendi. She spearheads the company of over 3,000 employees into new markets and businesses, making it as one of the fastest-growing trading and distribution companies in the UAE.
With operations across the GCC and India, BinHendi Enterprises currently runs around 30 top-end fashion, jewellery and accessory stores and popular food outlets, while its trading division reaches over 1,000 retailers. With a Bachelor's in information systems and business administration from Zayed University, Amna is a regular on the region's power lists. In 2008, she became the youngest to have entered Forbes Arabia's list of the 50 most powerful Arab businesswomen.
MUNA BIN KALLI - Executive Director, Dubai Ladies Club (WINNER: 2009, Dubai; Most Stylish Woman of the Year)
Muna Bin Kalli holds a Bachelor's Degree in Applied Media Sciences with a major in Communications Technology from the Higher Colleges of Technology. She also graduated from The Elite Program in March 2009, a specialized program initiated by the Executive Office of Dubai and managed by Mohammed bin Rashid programme for leadership development (MBRPLD) that has been established to identify and prepare promising young UAE nationals to be the next future leaders. From intern to Executive Director in less than seven years, Muna bin Kalli, has proven intelligence, hard work and initiative combine to shape the key to success. She joined Dubai Ladies Club as an intern in 2003 and grew up the ladder as an Executive Director in 2009. Today, she supervises all management functions of the club, apart from planning its strategy and helping it develop relations with other such international associations.
NADINE EL CHAER - Group Editor L'Officiel & Ahlan! Arabia
Nadine has a diverse background spanning a variety of roles in the fields of journalism, public relation and communication. She achieved her Bachelor degree in journalism, radio/television at the Lebanese University in Beirut. Furthermore, Nadine studied a Course in Psychology. Nadine is a member of Women Journalists Without Borders, where she meets journalists from all over the world.
About L'Officiel Middle East
Written in Arabic, L'Officiel Middle East targets affluent, educated and cultured women aged 25 - 45 years old. This premium publication offers a window into Parisian chic for the fashion conscious Arab female and includes the latest in luxury in fashion, design, art and beauty. Published monthly L'Officiel Middle East has a distribution of 17,000 across the Gulf.
L'Officiel Woman of the Year Awards, Dubai 2011
1. Business woman of the Year: Dr Amina Al Rustamani
2. Artist: Khawla Al Marri
3. Sports: Zena Habi
4. Writer: Rima Jbara
5. Fashion Designer: Maryam Selaich
6. Medical: Dr Manal Taryam
7. Entrepreneur: Yasmine & Nivine Albanna
8. Young Designer: Khulood Bin Arab
9. Humanitarian: Nadia Khalil Al Sayegh
10. Media: Maryam Bin Fahad
11. Most Stylish: Nayri Estepanian
12. Young Talent: Fatma Al Ghaith & Meera Al Siri
13. Inspirational woman of the year: Osha Bint Khalifa Al Suwaidi
About ITP
ITP publishes more magazines serving the Middle East's business and consumer markets than any other company. The group's activities include magazine publishing, Internet ventures and online publishing, contract and corporate publishing, event management and digital printing services. www.itp.com Please do not copy the content on this page
Part of the ITP Group, ITP Consumer is publisher of the largest number of women's magazines in the Middle East. Titles include Harper's Bazaar Arabia, Ahlan!, Grazia, Masala, Shape, VIVA and L'Officiel Middle East.
For press enquiries including interviews with the judging panel please contact:
Grace & Garbo PR (G&G)
Rahma Himid
Mobile: +971 (0)50 6254251
Email: rahma.himid@graceandgarbo.com
www.graceandgarbo.com
© Press Release 2012
