The Recap: Indian Innovator Awards 2016 A host of established and upcoming Indian business leaders in the Gulf were honored at the third edition of Entrepreneur Middle East's Indian Innovator Awards, Entrepreneur of the Year, presented by du, which took place in the UAE on December 13, 2016 at the St. Regis Dubai.

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A host of established and upcoming Indian business leaders in the Gulf were honored at the third edition of Entrepreneur Middle East's Indian Innovator Awards, Entrepreneur of the Year, presented by du, which took place in the UAE on December 13, 2016 at the St. Regis Dubai. The award winners this year have established themselves as clear industry innovators who have made significant contributions to the Middle East business arena, and have thus set the benchmark for corporations operating across the region.

A total of 19 awards were presented on the night, with all of the winners having set themselves apart from their peers in the region by showcasing a commitment to excellence, and thereby raising the bar of their respective industries. Speaking on behalf of Entrepreneur Middle East, Wissam Younane, CEO, BNC Publishing, kicked off the event with his welcome address, in which he felicitated the winners of the night, and reiterated Entrepreneur's commitment to facilitating the growth of enterprise in the region. This was followed by a keynote speech by H. H. Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Al Maktoum, President of Al Fajer Properties, where he commended the visionary outlook of the Indian business leaders in the Gulf, as well as their inspiring attitudes towards entrepreneurship and innovation.

Organized by Entrepreneur MENA, the 2016 Indian Innovator Awards recognized and honored enterprise leaders and individuals who have distinguished themselves and shown sector significance and outstanding business conduct across a variety of industries that are key drivers of respective Middle East's economies. The Indian Innovator Awards, Entrepreneur of the Year, seeks to acknowledge agility across a variety of industries including luxury, healthcare, construction, hospitality, education, banking, and communications, amongst other key drivers of the Middle East's economy.

"For an event that's especially catered towards recognizing the achievements of the Indian business community in the Gulf, the people in this room are a reflection of the entrepreneurial drive, the sheer perseverance, and the spirit of innovation that we need to see more of in this region," said Younane. "The men and women that we celebrate here are setting the standards for how business needs to be done in the Middle East, which makes all of you not just excellent examples for others to follow and take inspiration from, but also great ambassadors of India as well."

Entrepreneur Middle East's 2016 Indian Innovator Awards, Entrepreneur of the Year, was a BNC Publishing production, presented by du, with the support of Platinum Ally AJSM Investments and Luxury Partner Cadillac.

The Winners

  • Responsible Leadership L.K. Pagarani
  • Hospitality Innovation Adeeb Ahamed
  • Healthcare Innovation Dr. Azad Moopen
  • Retail Innovation Mushtaq Vakil
  • Real Estate Innovation Kabir Mulchandani
  • Education Innovation Kamal Puri
  • Talent Solutions Innovation Mahesh Shahdadpuri
  • Manufacturing Innovation Asif Sayeed Khan
  • Construction Innovation M. Razzaqi
  • Diversified Portfolio Raj Sahni
  • Brand Penetration Nicole Rodrigues
  • Homegrown Brand Of The Year Harmeek Singh
  • Fastest Growth Purple Honey Food Chain Group (Akshay and Shalini Gangaramani Dosaj)
  • Startup Of The Year HolidayME (Geet Bhalla and Digvijay Pratap)
  • Ecosystem Influencer P. K. Gulati
  • Business Visionary Of The Year Sunil Vaswani
  • Contribution To Business Mohan Nambiar
  • Lifetime Achievement Paras Shahdadpuri

Related: The Recap: Indian Innovator Awards 2015

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