Ernst and Young receives 3 awards for 2004

Internationally, Ernst & Young was acknowledged with the prestigious "Lawrence B. Sawyer Award" in recognition of professional excellence in promoting the Certified Internal Auditor Program.

"Ernst & Young has set an excellent example for other organizations with internal auditing staff," says Urton Anderson, Chairman of Institute of Internal Auditors' Board of Regents, on presenting the international "Lawrence B. Sawyer Award."

The award is a tribute to the continuous contributions and efforts of Ernst & Young's global Business Risk Services (BRS) professionals. Named after the 'Father of Modern Internal Auditing,' the award was presented by the Institute of Internal Auditors at the institute's recent international conference in Sydney, Australia.

On a regional level, Ernst & Young's Middle East BRS team earned the internal "Emerging Practice of the Year Award," while BRS Kuwait received the "Quality People Award-2004."

"The Middle East practice continues to shape our BRS market through hard work, strategic thinking, and the desire to instill quality in all our services and processes," stated Edward Quinlan, Ernst & Young UAE Country Partner.

Encouraged to work as a team, not only in the region but also together with the global BRS network, reports suggest that growth plans in the Middle East region rival any practice in the world.

"We are very proud to be on the receiving end of this award. It reinforces our Middle East BRS team as an emerging force in the global scene," noted Ali Al Shabibi, Ernst & Young Business Risk Services practice leader in Dubai.

In Kuwait, the lack of interruption in services during the war in neighboring Iraq gave clients increased confidence in the ability of Ernst & Young's BRS team to deliver quality services. "Our Gulf-based professionals have demonstrated, over the past year, an unrivalled level of devotion to continue working for our clients, even during the most challenging circumstances," added Mr. Quinlan.