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BBF Holds 13th British Excellence AwardsIan Williams Receives Top Honor
The British Business Forum (BBF), a non-profit association of British business people in Kuwait held its 13th Annual British Excellence Awards evening at the Atrium of the British Embassy Friday. The event is the highlight of the BBF Business Year to recognize and reward business people in the private and public sector. The top honor and Award of British Excellence for 2009 was presented to Ian Williams La’ala Al Kuwait Real Estate Company. This was in recognition of his excellence as Project Director of the impressive Sabah Al-Ahmad Maritime City, a massive 6,500 hectare development project, larger than Manhattan, located approximately 100 kms south of Kuwait City, eventually to provide a marine city for up to 100,000 people. The achievement of Ian Williams and La’ala Al-Kuwait Real-Estate Co is a bright spot on the urban development process of Kuwait. It is an example of how future mega projects should be conducted in Kuwait to support His Highness the Amir’s ambitions to reinforce the national economy.
The BBF made a Special Award in recognition of years of support to British business and the wider community to Emiranda Winter, Head of External Communication for the Gulf Bank. She has successfully managed to market eight Britain in Kuwait Trade Shows, the last in 2006 under the patronage of His Highness the Prime Minister of Kuwait, Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah, and opened by Prince Andrew. She has also been a member of the Kuwait British Friendship Society for the past 14 years which fosters cultural and political ties with Board members both in Kuwait and UK under the patronage of Prince Charles. She was bestowed with a life honorary membership of the BBF.
A Certificate of Excellence was awarded to Jonathan Simons for his contribution as a corporate and commercial team member of Denton Wilde Sapte. In association with the Law Offices of Dr Ahmad Al-Samdan, the Law firm established an office in Kuwait adding to its Middle East network of offices in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Oman and Egypt. He helped to enhance the Firm’s reputation as the leading international firm in the region. The firm received global recognition in 2009 with the award of Best Legal firm in the Middle East by EMEA finance. It was also independently recognised as one of Britain’s Top Employers by the Corporate Research Foundation.
A second Certificate of Excellence was awarded to Simon Biggs, owner and director of Wessex International Solutions in recognition of his excellence in entrepreneurialism and providing new business opportunities for British companies. In the last year, he managed the introduction of hovercraft for the Kuwait Coast guard, oversaw the introduction of Sinai Training Solutions which has managed the accreditation of a Senior Prison Management Course, helped AT Solutions win a contract for supply of medical spares to the Ministry of health and set up introductions which has led to UK companies being accepted by the Ministry of Interior with tenders for 2010 including negotiations which has led to British Companies being successfully accepted in the pre-qualification process.
A third Certificate of Excellence was awarded to Hanan Al Mutawa, Executive Director British School of Kuwait (BSK) in recognition of her excellence in promoting education development in Kuwait and leading BSK to academic excellence in 2009. She also worked on Government and Municipality political campaigns as a key member of steering committees including a key member of political election campaigns. She was also involved in the establishment of a new company ‘British International’ which has grown as a viable business venture. It encompasses the British School of Kuwait, the Sunshine Kindergarten, the British Institute of Vocational Training, and the British Academy of International Arts, Top Class and the British Academy of Sport.
A fourth Certificate of Excellence was awarded to Ashraf Issak, General manager Mouchel Kuwait in recognition of his excellence in the development of the Bubiyan Island Project into a commercial transshipment seaport and tourism island. Mouchel is the consulting and business services group appointed as the main consultant for the design and services of port infrastructure works including: dredging and reclamation of the port and approaches, navigation systems, ground improvement, design of port expansion from 9 berths to 60 berths, geotechnical, environment and back of port services which will make Boubiyan one of the largest sea ports in the world. Mouchel is also the main consultant for the concept, preliminary and detail design and supervision of 135 kms of the southern part of a linking highway.
The Award of Merit was presented to Mike Blinkhorn, General Manager Lynceus Kuwait in recognition of his excellence in negotiating, developing, executing and managing a contract to equip and man an offshore Coastal Protection Force let by the Security Decisions Follow on Committee, empowered by the Council of Ministers to secure the coastal region of the Shuaiba Industrial Area. In 2009, the Company completed the recruitment of a strong Kuwaiti Coastal Protection Force to internationally recognised standards and delivered the final tranche of coastal protection craft.
The presentations were made by Tim Stew MBE, Chargé d’Affaires, British Embassy Kuwait, and Chris Simpson, Chairman of the BBF. The evening was a great success and was rounded up by a speech from Tim Stew. This high profile promotion of the Award winners, together with an opportunity to promote British business success confirms the BBF Excellence Awards as the premier business awards ceremony of the year in Kuwait.
The gala dinner and Awards evening was hosted by Paul KcKay, Vice-Chairman of the BBF and head of the Awards committee.
Speaking on the occasion he said, “This year the Awards committee received more nominations than in previous years. The task of selecting the winners was not an easy one. The British business community can be proud of the exceptional ability and performance of its businessmen and women.”
The Excellence Awards were launched in 1997 to celebrate individual successes of men and women in business not just from Britain but the wider Kuwaiti community for their achievements in British business excellence. It is open to organizations of any size and entries are received from those who feel they have made a discernible difference to create a business edge.
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