H.E. Sheikha Lubna honored with Brand Leadership Award at 16th Asia Brand Congress

The primary focus of this year's event was ensuring brand clarity and consistency in today's multi-channel world, with 70 speakers from 60 countries taking part.

Tejari's achievements in fostering awareness about the benefits of online procurement and the expansion of its brand into international markets are among the justifications for the honor. On hand to receive the Brand Leadership award at the Asia Brand Congress was Tejari's founding CEO and current board member, HE Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, as well as current CEO Omar Hijazi.

"Given that Tejari enables companies to do business internationally by delivering access to opportunities in new markets, it is a significant honor to be recognized by an international body within Asia. Our initial remit was to streamline business opportunities in the UAE, and this award highlights the international nature of Tejari's operations today," said Sheikha Lubna.

Under Sheikha Lubna's leadership, Tejari has been recognized with Superbrand status as well as awards by Gulf Marketing Review and other industry bodies. In 2004, only three years after its inception, Tejari first received Superbrand status, an honor usually bestowed upon companies with more than 10 years experience. However, according to a panel of leading independent business experts, the brand awareness of Tejari is so strong; it was only a matter of time before they were rewarded for their accomplishments. Tejari has been recognized with Superbrand status for an impressive three consecutive years, further reinforcing its position as one of the Middle East's leading brand names.

In selecting Tejari as a brand innovator at the Asia Brand Congress 2007, the selection committee considered the breadth of services offered by Tejari, from its online marketplace to its range of online communities, Manshoori online tender publishing service and ventures such as the Simsari real estate portal. Tejari's visibility and presence in markets outside the Middle East, including Asia and Africa, were also deciding factors.

"Throughout Tejari's seven years of operation, we have succeeded in integrating our innovation in e-procurement and creating new business opportunities online with our communications strategy, which has resulted in increased confidence in these business models, and the growth of Tejari's brand regionally and internationally," said Omar Hijazi, Tejari's CEO.
When accepting the Brand Leadership award, Sheikha Lubna highlighted for attendees Tejari's growth from the inception of the brand to its current 75,000 member community, evolving from a start up brand in 2000 to a full eCommerce provider and platform. Hijazi outlined how the company's brand strategy has contributed to the more than 70,000 online tenders that have been conducted on Tejari, with a combined worth of more than $4 billion.

A number of guest speakers attended the event, detailing their experiences in the turbulent business world. They spoke about what has worked well for them, and also how easily things can go wrong. Dr. Joseph Michelli, author of the "Starbucks Experience", Suresh Rangarajan, President, Times of Money, and Graham Hales, Chief Communications Officer, Interbrand, UK were just some of the speakers who addressed the audience throughout the two day event.

Last year the award for Brand Leadership went to kingfisher, Nokia, Lenovo, Morico, Mindshare and Hero Honda.

The Asia Brand Congress, an annual event, aims to bring together the brains behind some of the world's most successful and sought-after brands. In addition, it provides a platform for networking and experience sharing on the latest trends and best practices in marketing, and challenges in brand building.