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The Awards in Middle East and Africa

The CEO Magazine’s Executive of the Year Awards is one of the most prestigious business awards programs, and now it is launching in the Middle East and Africa. The awards celebrate the individual excellence of senior executives with an online announcement of winners. These coveted accolades recognize top leaders who are driving success and making an impact across industries.

Prestigious Awards categories

  • CEO of the Year Award
  • Leaders’ Choice Award (publicly voted)
  • Lifetime Achievement Award (chosen by The CEO Team)

Key Dates:

  • Applications Open: 8 August, 2025
  • Applications Close: 16 January, 2026
  • Finalists Announced: 2 March, 2026
  • Winners Announced: 24 April, 2026

Eligibility Criteria

To recognize the most outstanding executives across the Middle East and Africa, all applicants must meet the following criteria. If you have any questions, please contact: [email protected].

To be eligible, applicants must:

  • Submit a completed application before the stated deadline
  • Be employed by a private, public, not-for-profit organization, government body or registered charity operating within the Middle East or Africa
  • Represent an organization with an annual turnover of more than US$25 million
  • Oversee significant operations within the Middle East or Africa

What we’re looking for

CEO of the Year Award

    Our most prestigious accolade, the CEO of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding leader who has demonstrated exceptional vision, strategy and impact over the past 12 months. Applicants must hold the title of CEO, Chair, Managing Director or a similarly senior executive position. This category celebrates leadership excellence across all areas of business, including performance, innovation and purpose-driven growth.

Leaders’ Choice Award (Publicly Voted)

Lifetime Achievement Award (Chosen by The CEO Magazine Team)

Criteria for CEO of the Year

  • Visionary Leadership

    Exhibits a compelling vision driving sustainable growth, innovation or transformation.

  • Financial Performance and Growth

    Strong financial results, fiscal responsibility and sustainable practices.

  • Employee Engagement and Culture

    Positive, inclusive workplace culture with measurable employee satisfaction and retention.

  • Customer Impact

    Exceptional value and service fostering customer loyalty and satisfaction.

  • Community and Environmental Responsibility

    Positive societal impact and minimized environmental footprint.

  • Innovation and Problem-Solving

    Creative solutions with measurable impact on challenges, markets or value creation.

600+
Attendees
1st
Annual Awards
3
Exclusive Award Categories

NEWS

Latest news

2026 AWARDS EVENT

Meet the Judges: 2026 Executive of the Year Awards – Middle East & Africa

By The CEO Magazine
2026 AWARDS EVENT

Applications now open for the Executive of the Year Awards – Middle East and Africa

By The CEO Magazine
Read more Events

Events like The CEO Magazine’s Executive of the Year Awards are so important as they allow professionals across multiple industries to come together to network, share experiences and celebrate their hard work over the years. There are few platforms to do this and this is why the Executive of the Year Awards is so important and valued in the business community.

Gina Rinehart
Executive Chair at Hancock Prospecting

The association with The CEO Magazine allowed us to showcase our real competitive advantages. The unique ability and focused determination of our leaders, who with entrepreneurial stamina and commercial acumen drive bottom-line growth, inspire our teams to peak performance and cultivate profitable business relationships.

Shaun Bonett
CEO & Managing Director at Precision Group, and Chair & Co-Founder at Prezzee

PAST WINNERS

Award winner

Under the leadership of CEO James Thornton, Intrepid Travel has set a global benchmark for how businesses can successfully balance profitability with social responsibility. Thornton’s visionary approach earned him two prestigious accolades at The CEO Magazine’s 2024 Executive of the Year Awards, reinforcing his impact on the industry and beyond.

James Thornton, Intrepid Travel

2024 Winner - Overall CEO of the Year

PAST WINNERS

Award winner

When John Winning founded Appliances Online at the age of just 21, he displayed all the signs of being an industry pioneer who could successfully guide a fourth-generation family business through the era of ecommerce. Today, Winning Group has four separate business entities and employs a workforce of about 700 across Australia, thanks to Winning’s unwavering commitment to customer happiness.

John Winning, Winning Group

2023 Winner – The CEO Magazine’s CEO of the Year – $100M+

PAST WINNERS

Award winner

Nicky Sparshott’s commitment to being a force for good and ‘purpose-led’ underpins her daily work at the helm of Unilever ANZ. It has helped her to achieve professional recognition and she was awarded The CEO Magazine’s CEO of the Year – A$100m+ in 2022.

Nicky Sparshott, Unilever ANZ

2022 Winner – The CEO Magazine's CEO of the Year – $100M+

PAST WINNERS

Award winner

When Andrew Hume took on the role of CEO at Probe CX, he was determined that the Australian customer contact outsourcing company would grow to compete with the global players. His business acumen resulted in him taking out the prestigious honour of The CEO Magazine’s CEO of the Year – A$100m+ in 2021.

Andrew Hume, Probe Group

2021 Winner – The CEO Magazine's CEO of the Year – A$100M+

PAST WINNERS

Award winner

Paving the way for women in engineering, Louise Adams is living out her childhood dream of being a civil engineer, having been at Aurecon for the past 20 years. Now the company’s Group COO, she was awarded The CEO Magazine’s CEO of the Year A$20m-A$100m in 2020.

Louise Adams, Aurecon

2020 Winner – The CEO Magazine's CEO of the Year – A$20m-A$100m

HIGHLIGHTS
Celebrate your success and network with fellow leaders

It’s your time to applaud your hard work. Toast your company’s success during an evening of celebration complete with excellent wine, dancing and a gourmet three-course meal.

Become a sponsor

AUDIENCE

Who’s in the room?

POWER PLAYERS DECISION-MAKERS ULTRA-HIGH-NET-WORTH INDIVIDUALS

The Awards attract Australia’s top decision-makers, influencers and highest income earners. There will be many opportunities for your brand to connect with our database through a mix of online and social campaigns.

Become a sponsor
A$500k-1m+

AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME

25-65

YEARS OLD

42%

FEMALE

58%

MALE

20%

COMPANY
FOUNDERS

60%

C-SUITE

20%

DIRECTORS

JUDGES
This year’s judging panel

Faced with the difficult task of deciding on the final winner in their category, every judge is a well-respected expert within their industry and the wider business community.


Alaba Fagun
Group Managing Director – Berger Paints Nigeria


Fadle Saad
Managing Director – HP Saudi Arabi


Khalid Al-Khatib
CEO – National Fire Fighting Manufacturing Company (NAFFCO)


Lance Kawaguchi
Chair, Middle East & Australia and Group Sustainability – Breton Technology


Mishal Kanoo
Chair – The Kanoo Group


Mohammed H Al Qahtani
Chair & CEO – Saudi Arabia Holding Company


Phillip Khoury
Managing Director – Abu Dhabi Services Office (ADSO)


Tapan Vaidya
Group CEO – PJP Investments

SPONSORS

Current Sponsors

MAJOR SPONSORS

MEDIA

Brand Partners

Become a sponsor
LOCATION
About the Location

The Star Sydney welcomes you to a world of luxury, with five-star accommodation, the city’s finest restaurants, the coolest selection of bars, and a truly world-class spa and casino on offer.

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PAST AWARDS
Previous Executive of the Year Awards

Celebrating 13 years of The CEO Magazine’s Executive of the Year Awards, we take a walk down our glitzy award lane to discover what new ventures our previous winners have set their sights on.

November, 2024
Sydney, AUSTRALIA
In person
2024 Executive of the Year Awards

The CEO Magazine’s 13th annual Executive of the Year Awards was a night to remember, with Australia’s biggest names in business celebrating their successes and impact at The Star Sydney.

Learn more
16 NOV 2023
Sydney, AUSTRALIA
In person
2023 Executive of the Year Awards

The best in business gathered at The Star in Sydney for The CEO Magazine’s 12th annual Executive of the Year Awards in 2023, celebrating another outstanding year of achievement, connection and excellence in the Australian corporate community.

Learn more
See more events