Middle East business intelligence provider MEED has named the GCC’s best companies of the year, after announcing the winners of the prestigious MEED Awards 2017.

MEED identified 25 regional and international companies as the best businesses in the GCC based on their contributions to the development of the region.

“It is incredibly important to MEED to recognise and celebrate the very best in the region,” says MEED's editorial director Richard Thompson. “MEED’s objective is to help the region realise its ambitions by bringing together the best in business and government in the region. The MEED Awards aims to shine a bright spotlight on the very best companies in the region. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners.”

The UAE had 20 winners including individual honorees such as Male Leader of the Year Paddy Padmanathan, president and CEO of Acwa Power; and Rising Star of the Year Lachlan Jackson, managing director of Ecocoast Contracting, which also received the Specialist Contractor of the Year honour.

Corporate winners from the UAE whose impressive achievements contributed to a stronger GCC economy include Kohn Pedersen Fox (Architectural/Design Practice of the Year), Emirates National Oil Company (Enoc; Business Innovation of the Year), Parsons (Consultant of the Year – Construction & Engineering), Multiplex Constructions (Contractor of the Year), Enviromena Power Systems (Energy Provider of the Year), Dubai Islamic Bank (Financial Institution of the Year), Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (Freezone/Special Economic Zone Authority of the Year), Child Early Intervention Medical Centre (Healthcare Company of the Year), GE (Industrial Company of the Year), Al-Tamimi & Company (Law Firm of the Year), Agility (Abu Dhabi) PJSC (Logistics Company of the Year), Dow Chemical IMEA GmbH (Manufacturer of the Year), Engie (Power/Water Company of the Year), Acwa Power (Renewables Company of the Year), Dulsco (Supplier of the Year), Bee’ah (Sustainable Business of the Year); and Baker Hughes, a GE company (Oil & Gas/Petrochemicals Company of the Year).

Saudi Arabia took centre stage three times, with KPMG in the kingdom winning Advisory Services Company of the Year, Dur Hospitality receiving the Hospitality Company of the Year award and National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) emerging victorious in the Transport Company of the Year category.

Bahrain’s shining moment came when Bin Faqeeh Real Estate Investment Company was awarded Real Estate Developer of the Year, while Kuwait’s Donna Sultan, CEO and president of KEO International Consultants took the spotlight when she won Female Leader of the Year.

The winners were announced in ceremonies held at The Conrad Hotel, Dubai, UAE.

For information on this year’s honourees, visit www.meedawards.meed.com.