Entering MENA Awards – Which awards in the Middle East could I win?
Entering MENA Awards – Which awards in the Middle East could I win?
Faye Renshaw
Head of International Accounts, Boost
Entering MENA Business Awards
Whether it is Arabian Business Awards, Gulf Business Awards or Middle East Business Awards, the regions, terminology and options for entering MENA Business Awards are numerous and perhaps sometimes confusing. But in a part of the world where the awards industry is maturing and expanding, the benefits and credibility of winning MENA Business awards are now clearer than ever.
We had Head of International Accounts, Faye Renshaw explore this emerging awards scene; here’s what she had to say.
Why enter awards in MENA?
Business in the Middle East revolves around trusting, personal relationships. In order to win new MENA alliances, you must not only adhere to the business etiquette specific to your region, but you must demonstrate honour and credibility in everything you do. And while a culture of wasta (or as we would say in the West, ‘it’s not what you know but who you know’) is common, excellence is also highly prized and respected. This is where business awards come in. Many Middle Eastern business award ceremonies boast an incredibly influential guest list including government officials, captains of industry and occasionally even royalty. To have your business recognised at such awards can be invaluable and create numerous opportunities.
Faye Renshaw
Head of International Accounts, Boost
Entering MENA Awards
Whether it is Arabian Business Awards, Gulf Business Awards or Middle East Business Awards, the regions, terminology and options for entering MENA Business Awards are numerous and perhaps sometimes confusing. But in a part of the world where the awards industry is maturing and expanding, the benefits and credibility of winning MENA Business Awards are now clearer than ever.
We had Head of International Accounts, Faye Renshaw explore this emerging awards scene; here’s what she had to say.
Why enter awards in MENA?
Business in the Middle East revolves around trusting, personal relationships. In order to win new MENA alliances, you must not only adhere to the business etiquette specific to your region, but you must demonstrate honour and credibility in everything you do. And while a culture of wasta (or as we would say in the West, ‘it’s not what you know but who you know’) is common, excellence is also highly prized and respected. This is where business awards come in. Many Middle Eastern business award ceremonies boast an incredibly influential guest list including government officials, captains of industry and occasionally even royalty. To have your business recognised at such awards can be invaluable and create numerous opportunities.
Types of business awards to enter
National vs international
It may sound obvious but it’s important to think about the geographical reach of the project (or team/ individual) that you would like to put forward for an award. There are often unclear geographical distinctions between awards labelled as MENA, UAE, Middle East, Arabian or Gulf specific; an entry that is eligible for one scheme may not be for another, despite having similar names. Equally, there are country specific business awards that you may be eligible to enter despite most of the project not having taken place in that area. It is crucial to thoroughly read any entry criteria or speak with award organisers or award consultants to clarify this before investing in an entry.
Industry specific
In addition to broader business awards, each of the Middle East’s key industries is represented by specific schemes. These typically fall into the following categories (though some more niche schemes can also be found):
- Oil, Gas and Petrochemicals
- Banking and Finance
- IT, Electronics and Communications
- Government / Civil services / Utilities
- Construction
- Education / Academia
“Many credible schemes, such as The International Business Awards (IBX) and The Gulf Customer Experience Awards, hold their ceremonies in Dubai, one of the region’s key business hubs.”
Leadership awards
Due to the very personal nature of business in this part of the world, individual accolades such as Leader of the Year or a Lifetime Achievement Award are a great way to boost your credibility amongst peers. The Asian Leadership Awards, Middle East Business Leader Awards, BURJ CEO Awards and Hamdan Bin Mohammad Awards all include categories for individuals.
Types of business awards to enter
National vs international
It may sound obvious but it’s important to think about the geographical reach of the project (or team/ individual) that you would like to put forward for an award. There are often unclear geographical distinctions between awards labelled as MENA, UAE, Middle East, Arabian or Gulf specific; an entry that is eligible for one scheme may not be for another, despite having similar names. Equally, there are country specific business awards that you may be eligible to enter despite most of the project not having taken place in that area. It is crucial to thoroughly read any entry criteria or speak with award organisers or award consultants to clarify this before investing in an entry.
Industry specific
In addition to broader business awards, each of the Middle East’s key industries is represented by specific schemes. These typically fall into the following categories (though some more niche schemes can also be found):
- Oil, Gas and Petrochemicals
- Banking and Finance
- IT, Electronics and Communications
- Government / Civil services / Utilities
- Construction
- Education / Academia
“Many credible schemes, such as The International Business Awards (IBX) and The Gulf Customer Experience Awards, hold their ceremonies in Dubai, one of the region’s key business hubs.”
Leadership awards
Due to the very personal nature of business in this part of the world, individual accolades such as Leader of the Year or a Lifetime Achievement Award are a great way to boost your credibility amongst peers. The Asian Leadership Awards, Middle East Business Leader Awards, BURJ CEO Awards and Hamdan Bin Mohammad Awards all include categories for individuals.
Hints and tips for entering MENA Business Awards
Deadlines
These are less likely to be set in stone than many Western Award schemes, for example The Middle East CEO Excellence Awards allow nominations to be made as close as two weeks before the award ceremony. Also, Arab Business Awards tend to have shorter deadlines than UK or US companies may be used to – while some UK awards will allow a window of four months or more to submit, schemes in the Middle East are often less generous. There are of course exceptions; schemes such as The Hamdan Bin Mohammed Awards require a great deal of information per entry and so the deadline window spans a number of months.
Entry fees
Many awards are free to enter as they are based on nominations. However, of those which do charge (including The MENA Digital Awards, CIPS Middle East Awards, MEED and International Business Excellence Awards) entry fees start at around $250 USD and can go up to $500 or more.
Format
As with awards in the UK and US, the required entry format will vary greatly from scheme to scheme. A number of MENA Business Awards have no entry process, as businesses will be selected by royalty, government or industry bodies including Chambers of Commerce (The Gulf Business Awards is an example of this). Some will require more formal written submissions however, or more commonly, the completion of online forms. Self-nomination is generally allowed. For individual entries, high resolution head shots will always be required, and often an accompanying CV.
Finalists
If your organisation or team members are shortlisted for an award, it’s imperative that you attend the ceremony. These are key events for networking and making business contacts, regardless of whether you win.
Hints and tips for entering MENA Business Awards
Deadlines
These are less likely to be set in stone than many Western Award schemes, for example The Middle East CEO Excellence Awards allow nominations to be made as close as two weeks before the award ceremony. Also, Arab Business Awards tend to have shorter deadlines than UK or US companies may be used to – while some UK awards will allow a window of four months or more to submit, schemes in the Middle East are often less generous. There are of course exceptions; schemes such as The Hamdan Bin Mohammed Awards require a great deal of information per entry and so the deadline window spans a number of months.
Entry fees
Many awards are free to enter as they are based on nominations. However, of those which do charge (including The MENA Digital Awards, CIPS Middle East Awards, MEED and International Business Excellence Awards) entry fees start at around $250 USD and can go up to $500 or more.
Format
As with awards in the UK and US, the required entry format will vary greatly from scheme to scheme. A number of MENA Business Awards have no entry process, as businesses will be selected by royalty, government or industry bodies including Chambers of Commerce (The Gulf Business Awards is an example of this). Some will require more formal written submissions however, or more commonly, the completion of online forms. Self-nomination is generally allowed. For individual entries, high resolution head shots will always be required, and often an accompanying CV.
Finalists
If your organisation or team members are shortlisted for an award, it’s imperative that you attend the ceremony. These are key events for networking and making business contacts, regardless of whether you win.
Important awards in the MENA region
There are hundreds of MENA Business Awards to choose from, below is a list of some of the most popular, ordered by deadline. For a full list check out our Middle East Awards database, the largest free list in the world.
Important awards in the MENA region
There are hundreds of MENA Business Awards to choose from, below is a list of some of the most popular, ordered by deadline. For a full list check out our Middle East Awards database, the largest free list in the world.
Deadlines in March/April
The Middle East Smart Government & Smart Cities Excellence Awards
The Middle East Excellence Awards Institute run a number of awards programs. The Smart Government & Smart Cities Awards recognise excellence in a variety of industries and specialisms from Bitcoin to Education. They are free to enter and require an online form to be filled out in either Arabic or English. The deadline for this year’s nominations is the end of March, with the ceremony taking place on 16th April 2020.
Deadlines in March/April
The Middle East Smart Government & Smart Cities Excellence Awards
The Middle East Excellence Awards Institute run a number of awards programs. The Smart Government & Smart Cities Awards recognise excellence in a variety of industries and specialisms from Bitcoin to Education. They are free to enter and require an online form to be filled out in either Arabic or English. The deadline for this year’s nominations is the end of March, with the ceremony taking place on 16th April 2020.
Business Traveller Middle East Awards
The Business Traveller Awards, which focus on airlines, airports and other elements of business travel are voted for by readers of Business Traveller Middle East magazine. Anyone can make nominations, and these can be submitted online or physically via voting slips included in the magazine. Companies are encouraged to stimulate voting via their own social media channels and through internal communications, making this scheme something of a popularity contest. Nominations open in January and conclude in April, providing a very generous deadline window for businesses to promote their participation and generate votes.
Business Traveller Middle East Awards
The Business Traveller Awards, which focus on airlines, airports and other elements of business travel are voted for by readers of Business Traveller Middle East magazine. Anyone can make nominations, and these can be submitted online or physically via voting slips included in the magazine. Companies are encouraged to stimulate voting via their own social media channels and through internal communications, making this scheme something of a popularity contest. Nominations open in January and conclude in April, providing a very generous deadline window for businesses to promote their participation and generate votes.
The BCI Middle East Awards – free nomination
The BCI Middle East Awards are one of seven regional awards that make up The BCI Global Awards for the business continuity and resilience sector. Nominations for 2020 opened in January and close on 7th April, with winners expected to be announced in June 2020. Winners of each region will attend the Global Awards ceremony in London in November.
The BCI Middle East Awards – free nomination
The BCI Middle East Awards are one of seven regional awards that make up The BCI Global Awards for the business continuity and resilience sector. Nominations for 2020 opened in January and close on 7th April, with winners expected to be announced in June 2020. Winners of each region will attend the Global Awards ceremony in London in November.
Deadlines in May/June
Hamdan Bin Mohammed Awards – free nomination with prize money for the winners.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the Crown Prince of Dubai and has a number of award schemes in his name. These include The Hamdan Bin Mohammed Award for Innovation in Project Management, The Smart Government Award and his International Photography Award. The purpose of each of these is to reward excellence with financial prizes. However, given the scale of the rewards (which can be up to $200,000), the entry process is extensive. For the Innovation in Project Management Awards for example, entrants are advised to read a 17-page entry manual before submission. Given this, the deadline is quite generously at the end of June, with both the form and manual currently available to download.
Deadlines in May/June
Hamdan Bin Mohammed Awards – free nomination with prize money for the winners.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the Crown Prince of Dubai and has a number of award schemes in his name. These include The Hamdan Bin Mohammed Award for Innovation in Project Management, The Smart Government Award and his International Photography Award. The purpose of each of these is to reward excellence with financial prizes. However, given the scale of the rewards (which can be up to $200,000), the entry process is extensive. For the Innovation in Project Management Awards for example, entrants are advised to read a 17-page entry manual before submission. Given this, the deadline is quite generously at the end of June, with both the form and manual currently available to download.
Deadlines in July/August
MEED Awards
The MEED Awards are a general business award scheme, with categories covering a range of industries. They open for entry in April and close on 1st July 2020. Judging occurs at the start of October and the ceremony is taking place on 25th November at The Ritz-Carlton, DIFC. These cost $300 to enter, however multiple entries receive a discount, up to five entries.
Deadlines in July/August
MEED Awards
The MEED Awards are a general business award scheme, with categories covering a range of industries. They open for entry in April and close on 1st July 2020. Judging occurs at the start of October and the ceremony is taking place on 25th November at The Ritz-Carlton, DIFC. These cost $300 to enter, however multiple entries receive a discount, up to five entries.
CEO Middle East Awards
The deadline for the 2020 CEO Middle East Awards is 1st August, with the Dubai ceremony being held on 22nd September. Categories are divided by industry with specific judging criteria for each. Nominations are free and must be no longer than 500 words. Not to be confused with the similarly named CEO Today Middle East Awards which usually has a November voting deadline.
The deadline for the 2020 CEO Middle East Awards is 1st August, with the Dubai ceremony being held on 22nd September. Categories are divided by industry with specific judging criteria for each. Nominations are free and must be no longer than 500 words. Not to be confused with the similarly named CEO Today Middle East Awards which usually has a November voting deadline.
Light Middle East Awards
These awards celebrate the best in architectural lighting and design. Awards are free to enter and fall into two categories; products and projects. For all entries, a submission of no more than 1,150 words must be made. The deadline for 2019 was 15th August, while the ceremony took place on 17th October at Atlantis The Palm, Dubai. They are biennial awards – the next cycle will return in 2021.
Light Middle East Awards
These awards celebrate the best in architectural lighting and design. Awards are free to enter and fall into two categories; products and projects. For all entries, a submission of no more than 1,150 words must be made. The deadline for 2019 was 15th August, while the ceremony took place on 17th October at Atlantis The Palm, Dubai. They are biennial awards – the next cycle will return in 2021.
Deadlines in September/December
International Business Excellence Awards (Dubai)
As the name of the awards suggests, The International Business Excellence Awards has a general business focus, with categories divided by discipline and sector. The deadline is in mid September each year and the ceremony takes place in Dubai at the end of November. Entry cost is between $395 and $475.
Deadlines in September/December
International Business Excellence Awards (Dubai)
As the name of the awards suggests, The International Business Excellence Awards has a general business focus, with categories divided by discipline and sector. The deadline is in mid September each year and the ceremony takes place in Dubai at the end of November. Entry cost is between $395 and $475.
Aviation Business Achievement Awards – free nomination
These airline awards focus on excellence in the Middle East aviation industry and the deadline for entries was mid September, with the ceremony taking place on 31st March 2020. They include the much-coveted categories ‘Middle East Airline of the Year’ and ‘Airport of the Year’. Submissions are free, can be no more than 500 words and can include a supporting document.
Aviation Business Awards – free nomination
These airline awards focus on excellence in the Middle East aviation industry and the deadline for entries is 7th August 2019, with the ceremony taking place on 9th October. They include the much-coveted categories ‘Middle East Airline of the Year’ and ‘Airport of the Year’. Submissions are free, can be no more than 500 words and can include a supporting document.
Gulf Business Awards
The Gulf Business Awards require a 500-word submission (deadline usually mid September) in order to be considered for shortlisting. Each year the scheme includes two ‘people’s choice’ categories, which are voted for by Gulf Business readers. These awards are very much focused on recognising individuals, though there is also a business of the year category.
Gulf Business Awards
The Gulf Business Awards require a 500-word submission (deadline usually mid September) in order to be considered for shortlisting. Each year the scheme includes two ‘people’s choice’ categories, which are voted for by Gulf Business readers. These awards are very much focused on recognising individuals, though there is also a business of the year category.
PRCA MENA Awards
The PRCA MENA Awards celebrate the best of the best PR and communications campaigns, teams and individuals across the Middle East and North Africa. The deadline usually falls in November, while the awards ceremony in 2020 was held on 5th February. Categories include awards for Best PR Campaigns, Consultancy of the Year and In-House Team of the Year.
PRCA MENA Awards
The PRCA MENA Awards celebrate the best of the best PR and communications campaigns, teams and individuals across the Middle East and North Africa. The deadline usually falls in November, while the awards ceremony in 2020 was held on 5th February. Categories include awards for Best PR Campaigns, Consultancy of the Year and In-House Team of the Year.
Deadlines at the start of each year
MENA Digital Awards
The MENA Digital Awards (MDA) promote digital innovation and media and claim to be the first awards show solely focusing on digital efforts in the region. Categories include ‘Best Use of Social Media’, ‘Best Mobile App’ and ‘Best Search Marketing Campaign’ amongst others. The 2020 ceremony will take place on the 4th March. Entry requirements for this scheme are very specific and include a showcase video or SlideShare, a case summary board and an online form. They cost between $350 and $450 per submission. The deadline was 31st December 2019, so expect a similar deadline at the end of each year.
Deadlines at the start of each year
MENA Digital Awards
The MENA Digital Awards (MDA) promote digital innovation and media and claim to be the first awards show solely focusing on digital efforts in the region. Categories include ‘Best Use of Social Media’, ‘Best Mobile App’ and ‘Best Search Marketing Campaign’ amongst others. The 2020 ceremony will take place on the 4th March. Entry requirements for this scheme are very specific and include a showcase video or SlideShare, a case summary board and an online form. They cost between $350 and $450 per submission. The deadline was 31st December 2019, so expect a similar deadline at the end of each year.
CIPS Middle East SM Awards
The CIPS Middle East Supply Management Awards will take place at the CIPS Middle East Conference on 30th June 2020 in Abu Dhabi, whilst the extended deadline was the 23rd January 2020 so keep an eye out for next year. Entry fees are listed in Emirati dirham and equate to between $68 and $136 USD per entry.
CIPS Middle East SM Awards
The CIPS Middle East Supply Management Awards will take place at the CIPS Middle East Conference on 30th June 2020 in Abu Dhabi, whilst the extended deadline was the 23rd January 2020 so keep an eye out for next year. Entry fees are listed in Emirati dirham and equate to between $68 and $136 USD per entry.
Boost – a helping hand entering awards
Hopefully you have found our guide to awards in the MENA region useful. If you need help entering the right awards for your company and increasing your chances of winning business awards in MENA contact Boost Awards today. Boost is the world’s first and largest award entry consultancy, having helped clients, from SMEs to Multinationals, win over 2,000 credible business awards including many in the Middle East. Increase your chances of success significantly – call Boost on +44(0)1273 258703 today for a no-obligation chat about awards.
(C) This article was written by Faye Renshaw and is the intellectual property of award entry consultants Boost Awards
Boost – a helping hand entering awards
Hopefully you have found our guide to awards in the MENA region useful. If you need help entering the right awards for your company and increasing your chances of winning business awards in MENA contact Boost Awards today. Boost is the world’s first and largest award entry consultancy, having helped clients, from SMEs to Multinationals, win over 2,000 credible business awards including many in the Middle East. Increase your chances of success significantly – call Boost on +44(0)1273 258703 today for a no-obligation chat about awards.
(C) This article was written by Faye Renshaw and is the intellectual property of award entry consultants Boost Awards
Looking for awards to enter?
Sign up for our free email deadline reminders to make sure you never miss an awards deadline. Every month you will receive a comprehensive list of upcoming awards deadlines (in the next two months) organised by industry sector.
