Hussein Ali Yateem has won the lifetime achievement honour at the first Bahrain Award for Entrepreneurship.

Deputy Prime Minister and Supreme Committee for Information and Communication Technology chairman Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa and Tamkeen chairman and acting chief executive Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa presented the award to Ali Yateem for his father's pioneering contribution to Bahrain's economy and community, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

Held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander, First Deputy Premier and Economic Development Board (EDB) chairman, the awards ceremony took place at the ART Rotana Amwaj Islands, which also saw six other winners.

The People's Choice Award was won by Almoayyed Contracting Group. The winner was chosen on the basis of online public voting.

The Micro-Enterprise of the Year Award went to Namaste - a feng-shui style wellness centre offering yoga, reiki and meditation.

Obai and Hill was chosen the Startup of the Year. It is a public relations and design consultancy started by Wafa Al Obaidat in 2010.

Creative Style, a fit-out and furniture manufacturing company, won the Enterprise of the Year (Small and Medium Enterprises) Award.

The Enterprise of the Year (Large Companies) Award went to construction, industrial and commercial firm Abdulla Ahmed Nass and Sons.

BMMI, a diversified retail, distribution, contract services and supply company, won the Sustainable Business Award.

Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa said entrepreneurship is one of the core drivers of pivotal change, highlighting the role of creativity and innovation in developing the kingdom's economy.

“The growth of Bahrain's private sector is largely due to the advancement of entrepreneurship in the kingdom,” he said.

The Deputy Premier praised the award and its importance in recognising Bahrain's entrepreneurs.

Noting that the kingdom is committed to further encouraging the growth of the entrepreneurial sector on the basis of competitiveness, sustainability and justice, Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa added that the award winners and candidates reflect this commitment.

The winners were selected from amongst 100 applications submitted after the announcement of the Bahrain Award for Entrepreneurship in December last year. All applications were initially reviewed by the award's technical committee, followed by a round of evaluation which included interviews in early February to determine the semi-finalists.

“The award is a testament to the success of the different initiatives supporting entrepreneurship throughout the kingdom,” Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa said.

“It is also a proof that we are moving steadily forward with the mission that Tamkeen and the award partners set out to achieve, namely the development of Bahrain's private sector and positioning it as the key driver of economic growth.

“The success of this award further cements Bahrain's position as a regional hub for entrepreneurship, and we are particularly proud of the advanced levels that have been achieved by the entrepreneurs across all stages of the award,” he said.

Besides a trophy, each of the category winners will receive a chance to further develop their business and grow for the future as some of the prize packages from the award's partners include enrolment in development programmes, startup capital funding, business coaching, space incubators and accelerators, growth plan development as well as certification and training.

The award has been launched with the partnership of Tamkeen, EDB, BDB, and knowledge advisers '“ the Industry and Commerce Ministry, BCCI, Unido and EY Bahrain. - TradeArabia News Service