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MENA Chapter of Academy of International Business (AIB) honors Aramex's Founder and General Electric's MENAT division
Dubai - Two leading personalities from the world of MENA business were honored for encouraging a spirit of collaboration and development within the region at a ceremony organised by the MENA Chapter of the Academy of International Business (AIB MENA) - the leading community of international business scholars - in Dubai recently.
Fadi Ghandour, Founder and Vice Chairman of logistics giant Aramex, was recognized for championing tech start-ups, mentoring Arab youth and launching Corporate Entrepreneurship Responsibility, a collaborative movement which aims to encourage the private sector to contribute to the international development of regions by creating jobs and promoting entrepreneurship.
Receiving the 'AIB-MENA Windtower Award for Inspirational Leadership', Ghandour joins the likes of Ratan Tata, former chairman of Tata Sons and Her Excellency Sheikha Lubna bin Khalid bin Sultan Al Qassimi, UAE Minister of International Cooperation and Development, who were the past recipients of the award.
The MENAT division of General Electric was this year's recipient of AIB MENA'S Ghaf Tree Award for community development, in recognition of partnering with over 25 universities and educational centres in the region and its work in areas of healthcare, female empowerment and energy.
The Ghaf Tree Award recognises businesses that survive in hostile times, become leaders in their field and give back to the community whilst continuing to deliver on shareholder expectations. Past recipients of the award include Aramex, Americana Group and Abraaj Group.
Receiving the award on behalf of the GE- MENAT was President and CEO of GE Gulf, Dalya Almuthanna. Dalya joined GE in 2008 as the first UAE national to graduate from GE's Experience Commercial Leaderships Program.
Commenting on this year's recipients, Dr Melodena S. Balakrishnan, President of AIB MENA and Associate Professor at UOWD, said: "Through the awards, the AIB MENA community recognised the inspiring work of Fadi Ghandour and GE MENAT. Both are committed to the future growth and security of Middle East businesses and invest heavily in the people of this region. We place such individuals and businesses at the heart of our research and use their teachings to influence our own program of events."
The awards ceremony formed part of AIB MENA's fifth annual conference, which was held at the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) and attracted delegates from many leading universities and businesses from across the globe, including H.H. Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan.
During the conference, Sheikha Shamma presented a paper on the role of UAE nationals in the workforce, commenting: "I am passionate about the sustainable development of the UAE and its people, sharing the vision established by my beloved great-grandfather and the UAE's founding father, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan."
Other highlights of this year's conference were a panel discussion on the new breed of managers that embed a strong sense of purpose into their organizational culture. Delegates were also presented with a signed copy of Christopher Mathew Schroeder's Startup Rising, a book that chronicles the rise of entrepreneurship in MENA region.
AIB MENA has held five international conferences in three countries since 2010, bringing together over 300 participants from the world of business and academia, along with producing four books and numerous teaching cases and journal articles. Published through Emerald, the group's case studies collection has recorded over 10,100 downloads worldwide.
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About UOWD
The University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) is one of the UAE's oldest and most prestigious universities. Established in 1993 by the University of Wollongong in Australia - currently ranked amongst the leading universities in the world - UOW in Dubai represents a pioneering Australian initiative in the Gulf region.
About AIB MENA
The AIB is the leading global community of scholars for the creation and dissemination of knowledge about international business and policy issues. Established in 1959, AIB has 2,955 members in 73 different countries around the world. AIB members include international scholars, consultants and academics devoted to increased understanding of international business worldwide.
The Academy of International Business - Middle East North Africa Chapter has been incubated by the University of Wollongong in Dubai since 2009. AIB MENA has organized five international conferences in 3 countries, impacting on over 300 academics across the globe since 2010.
Media Contact:
Anthony D'Silva, Communicate Gulf (anthony@communicategulf.com)
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© Press Release 2015
