Revealed: Gulf's most admired companies

by Arabian Business Staff on Sunday, 15 April 2007

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The Four Seasons Hotel, one of KHC's most lucrative businesses.

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Sheikh Ahmed, chairman, Emirates Airline.

Across the Gulf, the business community is in rude health. Billions of dollars are flowing through the region, as governments diversify their nations' interests by ploughing oil revenues into developing economies, and Arab companies ride the crest of a wave, recording record profits and expanding at an unprecedented rate.

This week, Arabian Business takes a look at some of those companies driving the economic rise of the region. In compiling our list of the ‘50 Most Admired', we looked for those companies demonstrating a set of distinctive values: Dynamic innovation, effective leadership, strong growth - both financially and geographically - and a firm commitment to breaking new ground in the Middle East and beyond.

We have examined in detail each sector, looking at both public and private companies. As you will see from the list, this has resulted in wide variety among our top 50. Some companies, such as second-placed Emirates Airline, make the list on the back of record growth and profits, year after year. Others, such as relatively small retailer The One, have impressed us with their forward-thinking management style and social responsibility.

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We have had to restrict our choices exclusively to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Otherwise, our list would have run into the hundreds - another encouraging sign for the Middle East.

Not everyone will agree with our choices, and not everyone will agree with our rankings. The companies listed are our choice - they are the companies that make us proud to bear witness to the astonishing growth of the modern Middle East. Let the debate begin.

See the complete list of the 50 most admired companies in the GCC

Page 1 of 11

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USER COMMENTS (20 COMMENTS)
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Hilarious ! ! hast to be the moon
Posted by Jack Spratt, Dubai, Uae on 16 October 2007 at 20:00 UAE time

Absolutely Hilarious,

On what subjective criteria ?
Please your insulting our business intelligence

Yet no advertising agencies in the middle east -
you have to be joking....

Yet you place The One - ( have you ever visited ? )

Come on your supposed to be a business news link
Arabian Business or Arabian Comedy

List of funnies
Posted by Enas, Bahrain on 19 August 2007 at 14:00 UAE time

This should be called the list of companies that spend most of their operational budgets on advertising. False Advertising at that.

WE all know how it works
Posted by yusuf on 21 July 2007 at 01:00 UAE time

After reading a survey recently done by a leading Kuwaiti Newspaper which asked 3 top CEOs of Kuwaiti Companies (only 3 agreed to participate because of the “sensitivity of the issue “) how they viewed the way business magazines rated companies and issued awards, the basic consensus was, if you advertise, or contribute to the economic advancement of the publication, then your company be rated favorably. This was recently published in the Alqabas News paper.

what's the criteria?
Posted by mark aquino, dubai, united arab emirates on 9 July 2007 at 17:00 UAE time

THE ONE? is it bigger than companies like majid al futtaim and al futtaim group?

Hilarious.
Posted by national, Dubai, UAE on 5 July 2007 at 02:00 UAE time

I just cant stop laughing after going through this list!! who compiled this?? I assume the metrics were TV & Radio advt's. :-)

SGH Group
Posted by mohand, jeddah on 26 April 2007 at 14:42 UAE time

Actually, I'm doubt of this choice. As we are working in the medical field since 25 years, the SGH was not an advance Group in providing state-of-art in medical field. Also the medical care are very low especially if you look to the level of handling the medical disposable items which are using twice.

They are "SGH Group opens at least one hospital every year and now has over 3000 employees rising at a rate of 16% a year". It seems to open hospital is very easy like a barber shop. You need stuff, educated stuff, devices, ….
But I doubt.

SHOW ALL COMMENTS

Importance of
Posted by Omair Zahid, Karachi, Pakistan on 19 April 2007 at 12:33 UAE time

In our economy i. e. Pakistan in particular and Sub-Continent in general, most of the money coming in is from private equity of GCC nationals which is then converted into creating opportunities for businesses like automobiles manufacturing, micro-chip manufacturing, financial institutions and real estate. The achievements of these companies are then supported by bringing in the institutional investors and/or raising IPOs. The criteria for selecting the most admired companies should be based on the ones who survived through bad times and made it to the top, not the once who were born with the silver spoon in their mouths. I think ITP has contributed towards the importance of "Ignorance", is it a bliss? I hope not, and would like to support it by taking my hats off for someone to begin the evolution, no matter how silly it might be.

Hmmmmmmm...
Posted by Anonomous, Dubai on 19 April 2007 at 09:40 UAE time

Maybe you should make a list of the worst dept paying companies next and see what companies come up then, that would be amusing also.

your list of top 50
Posted by anil on 18 April 2007 at 17:16 UAE time

Landmark group .. one of the biggest retailers of the GCC not on your list.(not related to me )

Gulf's most admired companies
Posted by Kashi Nath, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on 18 April 2007 at 16:58 UAE time

The article is an eye opener, and also provides a perspective of the contribution of the companies involved in the growth and developement of the Region's economy. May be the assessment parameters could be enhanced in mapping the companies in accordance with key international criteria and norms, thereby opening the umbrella, and this should be next time around cover the best 100 companies. Surprisingly though some of the well known companies do not surface. Why ?

happenning region??
Posted by ASR on 17 April 2007 at 15:38 UAE time

Well Mr Naidu,your comment of nothing happenning anywhere in the world is testamony to your ignorance as most economies elswhere are REAL economies which manufacture and sell and technology and innovation are key drivers.The only driver of the "boom" economies in the gulf are oil and gas which the "happenning New world" as you put it thrives on.Of the GCC only KSA has a stable industrial output.So pls get ur facts right!

In Whose Opinion
Posted by Gloria, Sharjah, UAE on 17 April 2007 at 08:49 UAE time

It would be interesting to know how this was surveyed to get this list. Totally agree there are big names left off here like Adnoc Aramco and Dolphin to name but a few of a lot more important companies than those listed here

Most admired companies list is very good
Posted by hiro bachani, dubai, uae on 17 April 2007 at 03:10 UAE time

but please compile this list next time with 100 companies- because i am sure you will agree that you have been forced to miss some really good companies. Like where are the famous al futtaim companies- where are the al ghurair companies, and many such admirable behemoths. Keep up the good work- i would like to see a list of the top 500 Arab companies, akin to the fortune and forbes 500 companies. This way you will make many more c ompanies happier by including them in your advertiser"s data bank. regards- hiro bachani

Nice to know that UAE companies are in the big league
Posted by Vijay Naidu, Sharjah, UAE on 16 April 2007 at 21:39 UAE time

It is an excellent article in capsule form. One quickly goes through the fifty most admired companies in this 'most happening region' in the world. The world should take notice of the most positive things happening in the Gulf. These days we do not hear anything great happening in the US or Europe. Gulf is where the 'New World is'

Dont' Over Do It ITP!!!!
Posted by Said Fahad, Khobar, Saudi Arabia on 16 April 2007 at 18:35 UAE time

In my opinion, I am afraid you will lose credibility after this wish-wash ranking. Far better performing companies with solid brand equity have not been listed, to name a few: Saudi Aramco, Tabreed, Hadeed, Zamil, LG, HP, AME Info, Al Arabiya channel, CNBC Arabia... the list goes on. Don't over do it ITP!!!

Admired Companies
Posted by Khalid Barghouti, Amman, Jordan on 16 April 2007 at 18:05 UAE time

The next big statistic should be a secret survey of the employees of these companies asking them if they share your views on their company. Also, asking them which company they percieve as the best GCC firm to work with.

Where is Oil and Gas
Posted by AR on 16 April 2007 at 14:57 UAE time

I think some key companies are missing over here from major industries like Oil and Gas!!! Hello guys, we are in the Middle East - which is OIL AND GAS 90%!!!!!

Top 50 Companies
Posted by Ian Francis, Bahrain on 16 April 2007 at 12:23 UAE time

I notice an interesting omission - where is Gulf Air ? Does this mean that Gulf Air whilst vital to the economy of Bahrain it is not held in esteem within the GCC ?

admired by who?
Posted by donald duck on 16 April 2007 at 11:39 UAE time

Totally agree.Most research/findings in this part of the world is not based on credible or factual information and any half decent professional can easily see through this banality

This is Non Sense
Posted by Riz on 16 April 2007 at 00:51 UAE time

What creteria did you use for these ratings? some of the best compaies in terms of Business Model , Growth , HRD , Work Environment , Creativity were at the end of the list and other that are not that great up at the top , you put Air Arabia RAK Ceramics and Al Mazaya Ahead of the Alshaya Group ???

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