Shell and DQG begin assessing applications for Emirates Businesswomen Award 2007

Shell has announced that an expert panel of judges has started examining the applications of the different candidates for the Emirates Businesswomen Award (EBWA) 2007, and will soon come out with a list of winners for the different categories, who will be honoured during a fitting awards ceremony in May. Shell also announced that it has extended the deadline for submission of applications for the Award to accommodate more UAE women professionals and entrepreneurs in the annual search.

"We are pleased to inform our candidates that the judges have started assessing their applications and have been very satisfied with what they have seen. The information we are getting from the documents submitted by the candidate's indicate the excellent achievements of the women in different enterprise initiatives and professions. I believe our judges will have a tough time in making their decision as all candidates have shown remarkable accomplishments in their respective fields of endeavour," said Omar Al Qurashi, Head of Communications at Shell.

The EBWA 2007, which is open to Nationals and expatriates, will continue to accept applications until March 28, giving other interested parties more time to complete the necessary documents for the deliberations. The previous deadline was earlier set on March 4.

"With over 10,000 businesswomen across the emirates and many of them holding high-profile positions in both government and private organizations, there is a huge pool of potential candidates for the EBWA. We are encouraging these women to submit themselves for consideration for the EBWA, and be recognized for their efforts that are helping drive the development of the country. We have purposely extended the deadline to accommodate more candidates; this is our way of showing our appreciation to the excellent performance of the women entrepreneurs and professionals in the UAE," said Marwan Swaleh, Chariman of Dubai Quality Group.

The EBWA, which was launched in 2003 by Shell in cooperation with Dubai Quality Group, will hand out awards in two categories – Business Owners and Professionals. To qualify for the Business Owners category, the applicant must own a business in the UAE that has been running for a minimum of three years, and must also be primarily responsible for the performance of the business. To qualify for the Professional category, the applicant may be employed in any professional sector in the UAE for a minimum of three years.

The criteria for the awards include leadership; future goals and financial performance; business, professional and career achievements; community contributions; and innovation.