His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Department and Chairman of the Emirates Airlines Group, patron of Dubai Quality Group yesterday (Monday, May 7, 2007) presented the fifth Emirates Businesswomen Awards, to eight winners awarded in two categories - Business Owners and Professionals, at a gala ceremony held at the Grand Hyatt Dubai.
Aside from conferring the night's most coveted awards to Maryam Al Bannah (General Manager - Corporate Support Services-Dubai World Trade Centre), the EBWA Professional Category winner, and Lama Farsakh (Vice President & Resident Manager of Engineering Consultant Group (ECG), the Business Category winner, Shell also gave special recognition to Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qassimi, wife of the Ruler of Sharjah His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, for her selfless contribution to the development of the women sector.
Also recognized were the runners-up of the two top awards, Khawla Ahmad Khalifa Al Yousif Al Suwaidi (Principal -Al Maali Model School for Girls - Al Ain) in the Professional Category and Christina Chammas (CEO - Scenez group) in the Business Category.
The Criteria winners were Al Yazyeh Khalifa Ahmad Mohammed Bin Kherideh (General Manager - Womens Association) (Leadership criteria), Kate Dickens (Head of Service Quality - Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank) (Business, Professional & Career Achievement criteria), Dina Al Jaflah (Chief Operating Officer - International Humanitarian City) (Future Goals & Financial Performance criteria) and Dr. Zeinab Shalhoub (Professor - School of Business and Management - American University of Sharjah) (Innovation criteria).
During the ceremony Shell and Dubai Quality Group gave certificates of appreciation to the sponsors, the supporters, the Assessors and the Jury of Emirates Business Woman Award 2007. From the sponsors; Paris Gallery, Crystal gallery, Sharjah Ladies Club and International Business Women Group in Abu Dhabi were honoured. The members of Jury honoured were; Dr. Rawdha Al Moutawa - Chairperson of Emirates Business Women Council, Marwan Al Sawaleh - Chairman of Dubai Quality Group, Judith Barton - Chief Assessor of Emirates Business Women Award 2007 and Managing Director of the development Partnership, Marie-Claire Junge-schaapveld – Manager, Organization Effectiveness and Change Middle East, Caspian & South Asia, Shell.
The Assessors honoured were; Maggie Clifton – International Assessor, Nazek Al Sabagh (2006 winner) and Director of Civil Engineering Department (CFZC) Jafza, Nafisa Al Mulla (2006 winner), owner of Al Morooj School, Behjat Al Yousef (winner 2006), associate Director in Higher Colleges of Technology (DMC & DWC), and Hessa Tahlak, Quality Executive in Dubai Quality Group.
"We are happy and relieved with the culmination of a very demanding process of selecting the UAE's most accomplished women, but we are also looking forward to another exciting year of discovering new success stories. Shell is very honoured to contribute positively to the growth of the UAE's career women and it is always a pleasure to recognize the efforts of people like Sheikha Jawaher and the rest of the winners of the Emirates Businesswomen Award," said Omar Al Qurashi, Communications Manager at Shell.
Sheikha Jawaher, who is the owner of Sharjah Ladies Club, has been credited for being the patron of various welfare efforts that benefit children and mothers. A representative of Sheikha Jawaher received the Award on her behalf during the ceremony.
"Our two top awardees Professional Category winner Maryam Al Bannai and Business Category winner Lama Farsakh embody the characters and values espoused by the Emirates Businesswomen Award. We hope that their remarkable achievements will inspire more women to reach new heights in the pursuit of their careers," said Al Qurashi.
The EBWA was launched in 2003 by Shell in cooperation with Dubai Quality Group as an annual search of UAE National and expatriate women who have made their mark in business or in their respective professional careers.
