Region’s best finance professionals recognised

Organised by ICAEW, and with the support of the British Embassy in the UAE, the annual gala event recognises and celebrates the achievements of individuals or organisations that have advanced the accountancy and finance profession within their chosen field.

Industry professionals from across the Middle East attended last week’s gala event, which included keynote addresses from Hilary Lindsay, ICAEW President; and Rt Hon Michael Portillo, former UK MP and Cabinet Minister.

Accolades were awarded in four honours categories. Winners of the 2016 awards were:

• Hamed Kazim, Partner at PwC for Advancing the Profession in Practice
• Sunil Talwar, Group CFO and Deputy CEO of Qatar Insurance Co. for Advancing the Profession in Business
• ADNOC for Advancing the Profession in the Public Sector
• Haifa Al Khaifi, Finance Director at Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) for Outstanding Contribution to the Profession by an Individual

Commenting on the awards, Michael Armstrong FCA, ICAEW Regional Director for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA), said: “We have seen the region’s accountancy and finance industry go from strength to strength in recent years so it was important that we recognise the individuals and corporations that have contributed to this growth.

“It gives us great pleasure to honour the region’s finest talent in accountancy and finance. The recipients of these awards embody ICAEW values to achieve progressive outcomes in practice, business and the public sector. Their commitment to their work is helping to develop a strong and sustainable accounting and finance profession across the region.

The ICAEW Middle East Annual Honours Ceremony is organised by ICAEW – a world leader in the accountancy and finance profession with over 145,000 members across the globe. The event is a key date in the annual calendar of regional business leaders.