Asian Business Awards Middle East Grand Jury announces 18 nominees

PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of world's leading business advisory services and the ABA ME event architects Indian Expressions - Axis International Group & Real Media- Zee Network collated all nomination details captured exclusively through the event's dedicated website across the vibrant four week campaign and presented them to the high profile ABA ME Grand Jury for their consideration.

The Grand Jury, after discussions, detailed background reviews, confidential notes on employee comments, corporate and public opinion notes on each of the nominees, selected three ABA ME 2007 finalists in the six public nomination categories

The ABA ME 2007 Finalists represent some of finest business talent & minds in the Middle East. The criteria and parameters for the ABA ME do not depend on commercial performance alone. With corporate social responsibility initiatives, sustainability development - social, economic and environmental, contributions to the new and emerging knowledge based corporate interface, being a catalyst of positive change and upholding traditional Asian values & honoring the Asian culture being key areas of focus in these considerations.

These finalists now enter the ABA ME polls that open on November 11th at 9am through Dec 1st at 9am.

The ABA ME 2007 Outstanding Asian Business Woman of the Year
Renuka Jagtiani - Director, Landmark Group
Reema Shetty - Executive Director, NMC Group
Ritu Bhandari - Green Gifts Concepts

The ABA ME 2007 Outstanding Asian Business Man of the Year
Joy Alukkas - Chairman, Joy Alukkas Jewellery LLC
Sunny Varkey - Senior Partner and Chairman, GEMS
Yusuf Ali - Managing Director, EMKE Group

The ABA ME 2007 Asian Rising Star of the Year
Abdulla Ajmal - Director, Ajmal Perfumes
Nilesh Ved - CEO, Apparel Group
Ramesh Prabhakar - CEO, Rivoli

The ABA ME 2007 Young Asian Achiever of the Year
Ashish Punjabi - CEO, Jacky's Electronics
Madhu Koneru - CEO and Managing Director, Trimex / RAK Minerals
Rihen Mehta - Director, Rosy Blue

The ABA ME 2007 Outstanding Asian Contribution to the ME Development
Abdul Razzak Yaqoub - CEO, ARY
B.R. Shetty - CEO and Managing Director, NMC Group
Syed M Salahuddin - Managing Director, ETA Ascon Star

The ABA ME 2007 Asian Business Leader of the Year
Micky Jagtiani - Chairman, Landmark Group
Syed M Salahuddin - Managing Director, ETA Ascon Star
Yusuf Ali - Managing Director, EMKE Group

The ABA ME polling module is designed to be 100% public vote based using both the online facility and SMS. Voters are requested to exercise their vote judiciously and responsibly.

The Global Asian of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement Awards have been decided on by the ABA ME Grand Jury to recognize international global Asian achievers who have dissolved national and regional boundaries with their spectacular achievements in the business world, their humanitarian contributions and their commitment to sustainability development, will be announced shortly.

The ABA ME Grand Jury was carefully created so as to provide a balanced and unbiased view on the nomination process. The Jury has eminent personalities from the professional and business community who have in-depth knowledge of the region and its commercial environment.

The members of The ABA ME Grand Jury members are of different nationalities representing a non- Asian profile so as to provide a wider perspective. These are people of integrity and reputation in their respective professional field, Michael J Stevenson, Senior Partner Middle East Region, PricewaterhouseCoopers; Abdulaziz Sager, Chairman, Gulf Research Centre, and President of Sager Group Holding in Saudi Arabia; Alexander John Andrakis, Executive Director, Sales & Marketing, Emaar Properties; Sultan Saoud Al Qassemi, Managing Director of the Al-Qassemi Group of companies and Chairman of Barjeel Securities, and Dr. Fatima Saeed Al-Shamsi, Secretary General , UAE University, Al Ain.

Commenting on the selection of the finalists, Nitin Khanna, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers, said: 'The jury selected the finalists after considerable discussion and debate, as the quality of the nominations was of the highest caliber. What set the finalists apart, were their outstanding contributions to business within the Middle East.'

Mr. Khanna, added, 'The initial evaluation criteria for each award category were based around core business performance levels, personal qualities and behaviours. Thereafter, the evaluation criteria were more subjective, as the jury assessed 'qualitative differentiators' of the nominees. Many of the nominees demonstrated one or more of these qualities in their respective fields, which helped the jury to conclude on the finalists accordingly.'

Al Barari, one of the UAE's leading luxury real estate developers and the prime sponsor of the ABA ME further supports the entire process of the nominations and applauds the 18 nominees and is aware that the awards will create greater awareness of the role of the Asian business people.

Indian Expressions and Real Media are ABA ME's chief event architects and property owners. Indian Expressions FZE of the Axis International Group is a leading and dynamic Event and Marketing Consultancy company that specializes in creating India-centric events and forums across the world. Real Media is the powerful regional arm of the $5bn Zee Network in the Middle East.