Prime Minister of Bahrain, H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa to present Gulf Excellence Awards

Gulf Excellence Awards is an integral component of the Gulf Excellence Forum, widely acclaimed as a one-of-its-kind platform for the regional business community to come together to discuss and exchange views on a wide range of issues including on how to make GCC businesses competitive in an increasingly globalised world.

Commenting on the Gulf Excellence Awards 2005, Mr. Esam Janahi, Chairman of Bahrain Financial Harbour, said: "It is important that regional companies that have performed well and have set a benchmark for others to follow in an age of fierce competition should be honoured. These companies are pioneering global excellence in the GCC business arena, and are indeed valued assets to the region as a whole."

Six companies from the GCC have already been selected to receive the 2005 Gulf Excellence awards this year by an awards committee chaired by Dr. Nasser Al Sane. These companies will receive the awards on the inaugural day of the Gulf Excellence Forum. The award winners will also speak at the Forum, sharing their experience with the regional business community attending the event.

Thanking H. H. the Prime Minister of Bahrain, under whose patronage the Gulf Excellence Forum is being held, Mr. Janahi said: "We as co-organisers are grateful to the Prime Minister and the Government of Bahrain for extending us whole-hearted support in this endeavour of ours. We are confident that the Gulf Excellence Forum will contribute to sharpening the competitive edge of regional businesses in line with global benchmarks of business performance, best practices and corporate governance."

Apart from BFH, the fourth edition of the Gulf Excellence Forum which will be held in Manama during February 21-23, is also co-organised by the Kuwait-based Gulf Excellence Consultancy Company.

The Gulf Excellence Forum will see global experts specializing in management and human resources development making presentations targeted at the GCC business community. The experts include Dr. Thomas Addington, Advisor to many US-based international companies, Prof. Jeremy Cripps, professor at the management faculty in American University of Kuwait, Prof. John Quelch from Harvard University and Mr. Dr. David Silverstein, President of the US-based Breakthrough Management Group, among others.