Banking News

• What inspired you to launch the Business Culture Awards in the MENA region, and why did you choose Dubai as the platform?

Business culture awards MENA play a crucial role in recognising and celebrating culture transformation accomplishments for several reasons.

Firstly, they highlight the importance of organisational culture in driving employee engagement, satisfaction, and overall performance. Acknowledging companies that have successfully transformed their cultures encourages others to prioritise this vital aspect, fostering a ripple effect of positive change across industries.

Secondly, these awards serve as a benchmark for best practices, showcasing innovative approaches to culture transformation that can inspire others. They create a platform for sharing success stories, lessons learned, and strategies that lead to effective cultural shifts, ultimately contributing to the development of healthier, more inclusive workplaces.

As for Dubai being the right location for such awards, it has emerged as a global business hub known for its diversity, innovation, and forward-thinking approach. The city’s unique blend of cultures and its strategic position as a gateway between East and West make it an ideal setting for celebrating business culture achievements. Additionally, Dubai’s commitment to fostering a dynamic business environment aligns with the values of recognizing and promoting culture transformation, making it a fitting backdrop for these awards. The city’s rapid growth and emphasis on excellence provide a compelling narrative that underscores the significance of evolving business cultures in today’s competitive landscape.

• How do these awards turn the often “intangible” concept of company culture into something measurable and impactful for organizations?

The Awards set the stage to recognise exactly that, the intangible impacts of culture transformation and change management. Often these important efforts and initiatives go unnoticed in organisations and across the industry, but culture change stems from strong leadership and vision. Companies who focus on culture in order to grow deserve to be rewarded  because a strong culture which drives employee engagement and development delivers tangible, measurable results such as sales, productivity and profit.

• From your global career experience, what cultural strengths or challenges stand out in the MENA region compared to other markets?

The MENA region has a rich history and heritage and has a deep historical significance with contributions to innovation, business, art, science and philosophy which fosters a sense of prode and identity.

The region also has a strong support networks that enhance business and community resilience and loyalty to local businesses.

The region has a rich culture of hospitality which is deeply ingrained and often leads to strong interpersonal relationships and business networks. The diverse region is home to ethnic groups which can drive innovation and creativity through understanding diverse perspectives.

The challenges span across economic disparities between countries in the region which affects market dynamics and investment opportunities. Traditional gender roles can also limit women’s participation in the workforce, but this is slowly changing for the better to balance the workplace organisation with more female leadership. Regulatory and bureaucratic barriers mean there are often complex legal structures which pose major challenges for businesses. Finally, navigating cultural norms and values is crucial for international businesses and often misunderstandings can lead to organisation and growth issues.

• Credibility is key for any award. How do you ensure the Business Culture Awards remain trusted and respected?

Business Culture Awards are now in the 10^th year in UK and have attracted over 780 companies participating. This type of Awards event does not attract some of the more valuable global brands without a credible system to assess award submissions. We attract senior figure award judges who will score the submissions in a robust scoring model, and we expect at least 20 judges for the MENA Awards in 2026. The judges will be a diverse community from international and local businesses with recognised figures who are authentic and trusted.

• Beyond recognition, what long-term value do these awards bring to individuals and organizations?

The long-term value is simple, the awards will instil a focus on organisation culture, its importance to strategy and ultimately business growth. Culture drives performance and improves operational excellence and this is essential for long-term sustained business success. The MENA Awards will recognise local male, female and team culture leadership, this will be a first for the region.

Our aim is to bring culture to the forefront of executive leadership thinking, it’s an important consideration to drive and manage change especially in a digital-age era.

• How can winning or being associated with a Business Culture Award influence a professional’s career in this region?

Winning an award usually means you have performed over and above your normal duty, however winning the Business Culture Award means you have been recognised for your leadership and ability to execute strategy into action. Culture change requires immense courage and strategic leadership and when you win a Business Culture Award MENA you are poised for long-term professional success. When I was previously leading a marketing agency in the UK my team won an award for Best Culture Transformation for small business and I was soon sitting in our global leadership team so, I talk from first-hand experience.

• In what ways do the awards contribute to developing leadership, teamwork, and future-ready organizations in MENA?

Culture change must be modelled by leadership and co-created by employees. This means:

Ensuring leaders embody and reinforce desired behaviours

Co-designing new norms, rituals, and ways of working with teams

Creating psychological safety so people can contribute ideas, take risks, and speak openly

Culture isn’t dictated. It’s demonstrated

When culture is deliberately optimised for your business imperatives, it stops

being a source of friction and becomes your competitive edge. People work with

clarity, collaboration improves, and the organization becomes more resilient and

responsive to change.

• What do you see as the essential elements of a high-performing company culture today? What about the BFIS Sector ?

High performing organisations turn culture into a measurable, manageable asset. By connecting purpose, people, and performance, you can build the kind of culture that doesn’t just support your strategy it propels it. Culture isn’t an intangible concept. When properly measured, it provides valuable insight into:

1. How well leadership is aligned with organizational goals
2. The strength of cultural elements like trust, collaboration, and accountability
3. Employee engagement, empowerment, and retention rates
4. How well the organization is equipped to adapt to change and innovation
5. The connection between cultural shifts and key business outcomes

The BFIS is like every other sector when it comes to culture impact. All the benefits of a strong organisational culture will apply to businesses within BFIS. However, within BFIS there is an increasing need for:

1. Collaboration: You must ask,How often do teams collaborate across departments? How do they feel about the effectiveness of those collaborations?
2. Trust: Creating levels of trust between leader
3. Accountability: Are employees meeting performance expectations? Are roles and responsibilities clearly defined and adhered to?

• Where do you envision the Business Culture Awards in the next five years within MENA and globally?

UAE is the first international market for Business Culture Awards which started in the UK in 2015. In the next 5years we would like to create an organisation culture revolution where culture is a top priority at Board level, this will then help us extend Business Culture Awards to other markets across MENA and beyond. Who knows, we could see the Global Business Culture Awards one day!

1. Finally, what is the one message you want participants and audiences to take away from the awards in Dubai?

By tracking culture continuously and aligning it with business imperatives, you turn culture from a static concept into a dynamic, ongoing process. This ensures that cultural changes aren’t just implemented they’re embedded, measured, and optimised for sustained business success. Business Culture Awards MENA will help organisations recognise their cultural evolution so that culture becomes a key driver of business performance, not just a side project. With the right tools, culture becomes the most powerful lever for achieving strategic goals, and ultimately growth.