Stevie-winner OTTO Motors by Rockwell Automation, headquartered in Ontario, Canada, is a prominent player in the field of autonomous mobile robotics (AMR) solutions. Established in 2009, the company specializes in developing and deploying autonomous mobile robots tailored for material handling tasks in industrial settings.

Equipped with sophisticated sensors and software, OTTO Motors' autonomous robots navigate factory floors, warehouses, and distribution centers, efficiently transporting goods while avoiding obstacles and ensuring operational safety.

Focusing on optimizing productivity and logistics efficiency, OTTO Motors' technology automates material transport processes traditionally reliant on manual labor or conventional equipment such as forklifts. By embracing automation, businesses can streamline workflows, reduce operational expenses, and enhance overall efficiency.

OTTO Lifter Autonomous Solution to a Growing Challenge
Due to an aging workforce and migration from industrial towns to cities, one of the biggest challenges for manufacturers is finding enough qualified people to fill their open roles. Thus, the workers that facilities can hire should be focused on high value-added, fulfilling tasks instead of dull, repetitive manual material handling.

Manual forklifts can also be unsafe. According to OSHA, of all physical injuries in a workspace, 10% of them involve forklifts. The report also cites that, for a given manual forklift, there's a 90% chance of it contributing to a serious accident during its 8-year average lifespan.

The "OTTO Lifter" AMR solution fills this industry need. Built on OTTO Motors’ 15 years of industry-leading robotics expertise and over 5 million production hours, OTTO Lifter nimbly drives in crowded and dynamic environments safely and efficiently.

The robot’s core skill is autonomously picking up and dropping off pallets from the floor to other equipment like a conveyor of heights up to 30 inches. The durable, robust AMR is easy to install and is up and running from day one. With advanced safety sensors, class-leading autonomous driving capabilities, and a maximum payload capacity of 2,650 pounds, OTTO Lifter works alongside people, other vehicles, and existing infrastructure for as low as $9/hour.

Through dynamic path planning, lane tending, intelligent pallet detection, and stretch wrap piercing, OTTO Lifter seamlessly navigates traffic and obstacles to deliver materials predictably and precisely to the right place at the right time. Moreover, OTTO Lifter uses AI capabilities to intuitively pick up and drop off off-centered pallets up to 15 degrees and safely pierce stretch-wrapped pallets with up to four wraps of clear ply.

The company's commitment to innovation and reliability has positioned it as a trusted partner for businesses seeking to leverage autonomous technology for material handling operations.

OTTO Motors won a Gold Stevie Award for Best Manufacturing Solution in The International Business Awards^®.

Interested in entering the 2024 edition?

The Stevie® Awards, organizer of the world's premier business awards programs, announced that they have revised the schedule for the 2024 (11th annual) Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

Entrants now have until March 22 to submit nominations in the 2024 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards. The original final entry deadline was February 28. The judging process will extend through March 28. The Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners will be announced on April 10. Winners will be celebrated during an awards banquet on May 24 at Shangri-La The Fort Hotel in Manila, Philippines.

The Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards is the only business awards program to recognize innovation throughout the entire Asia-Pacific region. The competition is open to all organizations across 29 markets of the Asia-Pacific region: large and small, for-profit and non-profit, public and private.

The awards focus on recognizing innovation in all its forms, wherever it is achieved in the workplace. Entries will be accepted in English in the following awards category groups:

• Achievement
• Company/Organization Awards
• Corporate Communications & Public Relations Awards
• Customer Service Awards
• Human Resources Awards
• Management Awards
• Marketing Awards
• New Product & Product Management Awards
• Publications Awards
• Social Media Awards
• Technology Awards
• Video Awards
• Website Awards and App Awards
  …and more

There are many new and revised features of the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards for 2024:

• Two entirely new category groups have been added this year to recognize Individual Professionals who have demonstrated exceptional innovation in their respective industries, and to recognize innovative achievements in both resource and environmental Sustainability.
  
  
• Other new categories include the Award for Most Innovative Customer Service Department/Team of the Year, Award for Most Innovative Contact Center of the Year, and Award for Most Innovative HR Department/Team of the Year.
  
  
• There is a new ability for entrants to create sub-accounts in their entry accounts so that multiple colleagues can collaborate on the creation of nominations, or review them before submission.

The public voting component that was added to the program in 2023, the People’s Choice Stevie® Awards for Favorite Companies, will return in 2024. All organizations that are honored with Gold, Silver, or Bronze Stevie Award trophies in the Company/Organization categories will automatically be included in People's Choice voting. People's Choice winners will receive a special People's Choice Stevie Award trophy allowing for honorees in the Company/Organization categories to have the opportunity to receive a second award, as voted by the general public worldwide. Voting for the People's Choice Stevie Awards for Favorite Companies will open on April 10 and go through April 30.

Juries featuring more than 150 professionals throughout the region will participate in the judging process to determine the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie winners.

Some of the Asia-Pacific region’s most innovative organizations have won Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards in the past five years including A.S. Watson Group, AIA Group Limited, ABS-CBN Corporation, Alpine Group, Ambiq, Ayala Land Inc., Cisco Systems, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, COMCO Southeast Asia, DHL Asia Pacific Shared Services, DHL Japan, EventsAIR, Freelancer.com, Fuji Television Network, Inc., FPT Corporation, Globe Telecom Inc., Google, Hana Financial Group, Hong Kong Tourism Board, HP Inc., IBM, Indian Oil Corporation, Ltd, KB Kookmin Card, KT, Megaworld Corporation, Meralco, Metro Pacific Health Tech (mWell), Metro Pacific Water, Newport World Resorts (Travellers International Hotel Group, Inc.), Ooredoo, PT Petrokimia Gresik, PT Pupuk Indonesia, Seegene Medical Foundation, Shell companies in the Philippines, Shanghai Disney Resort, Singtel, SM Supermalls, Tata Consultancy Services, Telkom Indonesia, TNG Holdings Vietnam, Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank), VNPT Vinaphone Corporation, Viettel, Wharf China Estates Limited, and Wolters Kluwer Asia Pacific.

The name Stevie is taken from the name Stephen, which is derived from the Greek for "crowned".

adobo magazine is the official Creative Media Partner of the 2024 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

PR Newswire Asia is the official news release distribution partner of the 2024 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

A sellout crowd of more than 270 Stevie Award winners, their guests, sponsors, and judges will attend the 5th annual Middle East & North Africa Stevie® Awards this Saturday evening, March 2 in Ras Al Khaiman, the United Arab Emirates.  Sponsored by the RAK Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the MENA Stevies are the region's only awards recognizing innovation in the workplace throughout 18 nations in the region.

Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie winners in the 2024 program were announced in January.  Earlier this month two Grand ("best of show") Stevie winners were announced, and a third will be revealed at the end of Saturday's proceedings.  The presentations will be broadcast live from 8:00 pm / 20:00 UAE standard time.

Here is the list of organizations that will be represented at Saturday's event.

Abdul Latif Jameel
Abu Dhabi Customs, Building and Maintenance Section
Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council
Abu Dhabi Sports Council
Acceligize
Ajman Transport Authority
Al Dhafra Region Municipality
Al Ghurair Investment
Almarai Company
AXS - TECOM Group
Azentio Software
Bagcilar Municipality
Big Data Minds MENA
Blacklion IT Marketing Agency
Capital 360 Event Experiences
Commercial Bank International
DAMAC Properties
Deputy of Legal Affairs and Regulations of Ministry of Culture, Saudi Arabia
DHL Express UAE
Dsquares
Dubai Courts - Case Preparation Department
Dubai Land Department
Ekol Logistics
Elaf Al TaqwaHotel - Elaf Hotel Company
EZONE Business Setup
Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, United Arab Emirates
INFLOW Network
Invita Company W.L.L.
KAFALAH Loan Guarantee Program
Masafi Hospital
Megamind IT Solutions
Melodica Music Academy
MEPCO
Ministry of HR and Social Development, Saudi Arabia
Ministry of Justice, United Arab Emirates
Mobile Communications Company of Iran
Now Health International
Numesys İleri Mühendislik
Parkville Pharmaceuticals
Petromin Express
Public Prosecution of Dubai
Public Works Authority, Qatar
Qatar Vision Production Company - Qvision
RAK Ceramics
RAK Digital Assets Oasis
RAK POLICE General Headquarters
RAKEZ - Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone
Riyadh Airports Company
Roads and Transport Authority
Royal Commission for Jubail & Yanbu
Ruwad – Sharjah SME
Sakan Foundation
Saudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco - Northern Area Production Engineering Department
Saudi Aramco - Office Services Department
SOCAR Turkiye
SOCAR Türkiye Enerji AŞ
Society of Autism Families
stc - Saudi Telecom Company
Streit Group FZ LLC
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)
The Academy for Developing Administrative Leaders
The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, United Arab Emirates
The Institute of Consulting and Business Solutions
The Ministry of Interior, Bahrain
ZIGMA8 | 360º CREATIVE COMMUNICATIONS

Entries for the 2025 edition of the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards will be accepted starting this September.  Learn more at https://MENA.StevieAwards.com. 

Stevie-winner Itransition is a global software development company providing engineering and consulting services in a range of industries.

Founded in 1998 by 10 engineers, they now serve customers in 40+ countries and employ 3000+ specialists working daily to deliver business value through technology. Itransition has successfully completed 1530+ projects for 800+ customers from non-profit organizations to large enterprises that own hundreds of brands, differing in business models in various domains.

Building strategic technology partnership is their key priority. The team meticulously adjusts engagement scenarios and partnership schemes to efficiently and transparently deliver solutions tailored to each customer’s goals. They are a recognized partner of the industry leaders such as Microsoft, UiPath, Atlassian, Amazon Web Services, among others.

Best Technical Support Solution and Achievement in Customer Satisfaction
As an Atlassian Gold Solution Partner, Itransition helps its customers improve their IT service management (ITSM) processes. They carry out ITSM process optimizations aiming to create significant cost savings for hundreds of their customers, including IATA, Railsr, Reapit, and many more.

For example, Itransition helped Railsr, a UK-based fintech company delivering the global embedded finance platform, transform and improve ITSM processes. They configured the customer's JSM according to ITIL best practices, setting up additional workflows and automation rules, conforming issue types, introducing new roles and security levels, while optimizing workload distribution and improving SLA success rate. Thanks to improved processes and introduced automations, the customer achieved 20% faster ticket resolution and 15% faster first response to request.

Itransition analyzed ITSM processes of their customer Reapit, a technology provider that serves residential estate agencies, and delivered recommendations on how to improve them based on Atlassian best practices. Their team customized and simplified Reapit's client portal, added new automation rules, and improved reporting. As a result, first-response time for high-priority incidents was reduced by 50% and the client portal usage increased by 15%.

To stay ahead of the curve and harness new tech, their company-wide Atlassian Centre of Excellence monitors and pilots emerging technologies and develops prototypes and proofs of concept. After testing techniques within the Centre of Excellence, they integrate them into customer solutions.

Given some limitations of JSM and other Atlassian tools, Itransition is regularly developing new approaches and workarounds and employing third-party plugins, thus extending out-of-the-box functionality. To further enrich their in-house ITSM expertise, they have been continuously expanding their employee certification program, with 30% more Atlassian and ITIL certifications each year passed by Itransition’s employees.

Aiming to build mutually beneficial relationships with customers, they have launched Feedback Management (FMP) and Customer Success (CSP) programs with a dedicated team of senior executives and representatives from all the departments. Within the FMP, they hold in-process and follow-up interviews, generating action items for improvement. Within the CSP, they measure Customer Satisfaction, Customer Effort, and Net Promoter scores, as well as help clients calculate business benefits, for instance, ROI boost or productivity increase. Their clients’ success stories with projects for such industry-leading companies as Terumo, JATO, etc. contributed to the prominent positions in such rankings as Zinnov Zones, Forrester's Modern Application Development Services, Everest Group’s Digital Product Engineering Services PEAK Matrix, IT Europa Channel Awards, and many more.

Itransition won two Silver Stevie^® Awards for Achievement in Customer Satisfaction and for Best Technical Support Solution in Computer Services in The 2023 International Business Awards^®.

Interested in entering the 2024 edition?

 

Stevie-winner Porotech specializes in developing microLED displays using global gallium nitride (GaN) material technology, with a proprietary approach to GaN-based red, green, and blue (RGB) microLEDs.

Porotech announced the world’s first demonstration of an "all-in-one" full-color display of microLED pixels in October 2022, driven by Porotech’s proprietary DynamicPixelTuning^® (DPT^®) technology that allows a single pixel to display the full-color spectrum.

Porotech’s disruptive DPT technology aims to revolutionize the display industry. While traditional microLED displays are made up of separate RGB sub-pixels to display full color, DPT technology allows a single microLED pixel to display any color in the visible spectrum, including bright white.

In traditional microLED displays, red sub-pixels are currently made with a different material to green and blue, creating a complicated supply chain, with high levels of waste and inefficiencies. However, Porotech has harnessed a new proprietary material, PoroGaN^®, which can display any color on the spectrum. This simplifies and improves the design of the display and optical system and removes major manufacturing roadblocks.

With a monolithic pixel, colors are no longer constrained by the three primary colors, which significantly expands the available range. In addition, by replacing the traditional four sub-pixel format with a single microLED, this technology can increase pixel density of any given display four-fold. This creates substantial improvements in resolution and screen brightness, which is particularly important on small form factor displays, such as wearables and augmented reality (AR)/virtual reality (VR) headsets.

Similarly, a monolithic pixel can also lower costs and produce higher yields for large area displays such as video walls and automotive applications, as it eliminates two mass transfer steps in the manufacturing process.

Greater flexibility, simplicity, and lower power consumption of the whole optical design can be achieved when DPT is used as the basis for the technology, supporting the production of more sustainable displays. Furthermore, DPT removes the need for mass transfer, reducing the costly waste involved in microLED production and making DPT a supply chain-ready solution, massively simplifying display manufacture.

Described in 2023 as "the most impressive technology at CES" by display technology expert Karl Guttag, the improvements in resolution, color, brightness, and efficiency can revolutionize consumer technologies like wearables, AR, and VR.

The manufacturing benefits afforded by DPT requiring only one material to produce will solve expensive challenges that major corporate R&D teams have struggled with for years, with companies like Apple, Meta, and Samsung investing considerable resources into achieving a monolithic pixel.

Porotech is currently working with major original equipment manufacturer channel partners that will build DPT technology into their products to sell to consumers. Initial proof of principle projects will then develop into nonrecurring engineering co-developments and eventually IP licensing or manufacturing supply relationships to proliferate the technology across multiple applications and worldwide.

Since winning their Stevie^® Award, Porotech has announced the world's first 0.26-inch monolithic full-color microdisplay, a significant milestone for both Porotech and the entire microLED industry, as only DPT pixels can meet the specification, performance, reliability, and cost required for AR glasses.

Porotech won a Gold Stevie Award for Emerging Technology Business Technology Solution in The International Business Awards^®. 

Interested in entering the 2024 edition?

New Technology Solution Awards Categories for Artificial Intelligence  

The Stevie^® Awards are now accepting nominations for The 21st annual International Business Awards^®, the world's premier business awards competition, attracting nominations from organizations in over 70 nations and territories each year.

All individuals and organizations worldwide—public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small—may submit nominations to The International Business Awards. The early-bird entry deadline, with reduced entry fees, is 10 April. The final entry deadline is 8 May, but late entries will be accepted through 12 June with payment of a late fee. Entry details are available at www.StevieAwards.com/IBA. 

Juries featuring more than 150 executives worldwide will determine the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners. Winners will be announced on 14 August and celebrated at a gala banquet in Europe this October (date and location to be confirmed). 

The International Business Awards recognize achievement in every facet of the workplace. Categories include:

• Management Awards 
• Sustainability Awards 
• Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 
• Company of the Year Awards 
• Customer Service Awards  
• Human Resources Awards  
• Marketing Awards  
• New Product Awards  
• Corporate Communications and Public Relations Awards  
• Website, App, Event, Video, and other Media Awards
• Social Media Awards
• Technology Awards
• Thought Leadership Awards
  

There are many new and revised features of The International Business Awards for 2024:

• There are a variety of new Technology Solution Categories for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Solutions, split into subcategories for Financial, Generative (audio, graphics, text, video), Healthcare, and other solutions. There are additional new technology categories for Cybersecurity, Digital Asset Management, Digital Employee Experience, and Knowledge Center/Help Sites. 

• There are many new Event Categories for Cause & Green Events including CSR Experience, Employee Giving & Volunteerism, Inclusive Events, and other Brand Experiences/Events by type including Gamified Experience, Pop-Up Experience, and Immersive Experience. 

• There are new categories sprinkled throughout the category groups for New Product & Product Management Awards, Mobile Site & App Awards, and Website Awards.
  

Stevie Award winners in the 2023 IBAs included Ayala Land Inc. (Philippines), Anexa BPO (Mexico), Empire Eagle Food (Taiwan), EY Global Services Limited (USA), IBM Corporation (Worldwide), LLYC (Spain), Ooredoo Group (Qatar), Saudi Aramco (Saudi Arabia), TalkLife (United Kingdom), Turkish Aerospace (Turkey), HALKBANK (Turkey), The Dubai Digital Authority (United Arab Emirates), Viettel Group (Vietnam), and many more. 

The early-bird entry deadline for The 21st International Business Awards is 10 April. Entry fees are discounted through this date.

Wenn es zu Ihren Zielen für 2024 gehört, Ihr persönliches und berufliches Netzwerk zu erweitern, bessere Geschäftsergebnisse zu erzielen und sich für unerwartete geschäftliche Veränderungen zu rüsten, dann sollten Sie die Women|Future Conference 2024 nicht verpassen!

Die Mission der 7. jährlichen Women|Future Conference, die von den Stevie Awards veranstaltet wird, ist es, durch aufschlussreiche Vorträge, Workshops und Networking Kontakte zu knüpfen und die berufliche und persönliche Entwicklung zu fördern. 

Die diesjährige Konferenz findet virtuell am 23. Juli 2024 statt. Frühbucher sparen über 50 % bei nur 10 $ pro Ticket. Besuchen Sie unsere Anmeldeseite, um bis zum 26. März zum günstigsten Preis teilzunehmen.

Die Sitzungen und Aktivitäten sind auf ehrgeizige Fachleute zugeschnitten, die lernen und sich darüber austauschen möchten, was in ihren Unternehmen funktioniert, die Herausforderungen lösen, denen sie gemeinsam gegenüberstehen, und sinnvolle Kontakte knüpfen möchten.

Egal, ob Sie Unternehmerin, Inhaberin eines Kleinunternehmens, Führungskraft oder Angestellte sind, diese Veranstaltung richtet sich an Frauen in jedem Karrierestadium und bietet Einblicke und Anregungen, die Sie auf Ihrem Weg voranbringen.

Lernen Sie von und vernetzen Sie sich mit führenden weiblichen Geschäfts- und Fachleuten
Im Jahr 2018 wurde die erste jährliche Women|Future-Konferenz von den Stevie Awards präsentiert, um das äußerst erfolgreiche  Stevie® Awards for Women in Business Programm zu ergänzen. Die Konferenz wurde ins Leben gerufen, um leistungsstarken weiblichen Fachkräften, Führungskräften, Unternehmerinnen und Kleinunternehmerinnen einen Ort zu bieten, an dem sie zusammenkommen, Ideen austauschen und sich vernetzen können.

Zu den Rednerinnen gehören in der Regel Changemaker in Fortune-500-Unternehmen sowie (Klein-)Unternehmerinnen. Zu den vorherigen Rednerinnen gehören weibliche Führungskräfte und Manager von Facebook, IBM, Microsoft, John Hancock, Pinterest, Macy's Inc., SAP North America, Talkspace und anderen.

Warum Sie teilnehmen sollten
Sie können sich auf Diskussionen zu zahlreichen Themen freuen, z. B. darüber, wie man Mentorenschaft als Weg zur beruflichen und persönlichen Entwicklung nutzen kann, wie man durch Öffentlichkeitsarbeit Aufmerksamkeit erregt und wie Technologie das menschliche Verhalten beeinflusst.

Das Programm für 2024 wird zwar erst im nächsten Monat veröffentlicht, aber im Folgenden finden Sie einen Überblick über das, was die Teilnehmer erwarten können. Sie können auch die Agenda 2023 erkunden und die wichtigsten Highlights des Programms lesen, um zu sehen, welche Themen und Rednerinnen im letzten Jahr im Mittelpunkt standen.

➡️ Interaktive Sitzungen — Zu den Themen vergangener Sitzungen gehören:

• Markenbildung, PR und Marketing für kleine, von Frauen geführte Unternehmen
• Wie Sie Stevie®-Auszeichnungen nutzen können, um Glaubwürdigkeit zu schaffen und den Ruf Ihres Unternehmens zu verbessern
• Wie man Networking und Mentorenschaft als Weg zu beruflichem Wachstum nutzen kann
• Verwandeln Sie Ihre Leidenschaft oder Ihren Nebenerwerb in Profit
• Tipps zur Gründung und Führung eines Unternehmens
• Frauen in Führungspositionen und berufliche Entwicklung
• Frauen in der Technik - Wie die Technik das menschliche Verhalten beeinflusst

➡️ Bedeutungsvolle Beziehungen — Frauen aus der ganzen Welt nehmen Jahr für Jahr an der Konferenz teil, um zusammenzuarbeiten, Beziehungen zu knüpfen und neue Perspektiven zu gewinnen, wie sie ihr Unternehmen voranbringen können. Rednerinnen und Teilnehmerinnen knüpfen dauerhafte Verbindungen in Form von Geschäftspartnerinnen, Mentorinnen und sogar Freundinnen.

➡️ Vielfältige Perspektiven —  In jeder Sitzung können Sie sich in der Gesellschaft einer Online-Unternehmerin, der Gründerin einer gemeinnützigen Organisation, einer Anwältin, einer Ingenieurin, einer Publizistin und einer CEO wiederfinden.

 

The Stevie® Awards are delighted to announce the six distinguished professionals who chaired the judging committees of the 2024 (5th annual) Middle East & North Africa Stevie® Awards competition.

The Middle East & North Africa Stevie® Awards, sponsored by the Ras Al Khaimah Chamber of Commerce & Industry, are an international business awards competition that are open to all organizations in 18 nations in the Middle East and North Africa.  The focus of the awards is on recognizing innovation in all its forms.  

This year more than 1,000 nominations were considered in the judging process by more than 150 professionals, whose average ratings determined the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners announced earlier in January. For a complete list of the 2024 Stevie Award winners, visit https://MENA.StevieAwards.com.

Stevie winners will be presented their awards at a gala banquet at the Mövenpick Resort Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates on Saturday, 2 March.

The six committee chairs were invited to chair based on their professional experience and expertise. Judging chairs helped to form their committees, each of which is comprised of other professionals from around the globe. Learn more about the Stevie Awards judging process here. 

Meet this year's judging committee chairs:

Company/Organization & Achievement Awards Judging Committee

Chair: Dr. Zaher Ali Al-Sai, CEO, Big Data Minds MENA, Amman, Jordan

Dr. Zaher Ali Al-Sai is serving as the CEO of Big Data Minds MENA, a pioneering initiative aimed at bridging the digital skills gap within the realms of Big Data and emerging technologies.  As an expert and assistant professor specializing in Big Data and Software Engineering, Dr. Zaher is renowned as a visionary leader, celebrated for her dynamic approach to technology and her dedication to nurturing the talents of individuals aspiring to excel in the digital landscape. Her leadership at Big Data Minds MENA has significantly contributed to empowering professionals, youth, and women, fostering digital transformation across diverse sectors.

Dr. Al-Sai has been recognized with several prestigious accolades, including the 2023 Gold Stevie Award for Big Data Minds MENA. Additionally, she has been honored with two distinguished Bronze Stevie Awards in The 2023 International Business. 

Driven by an unwavering commitment to innovation, education, and empowering others, Dr. Zaher continues to spearhead technological advancements, creating opportunities for the aspiring minds of tomorrow.

Corporate Communications/Public Relations & Publications Awards Judging Committee

Chair: Leonie Matta, CEO & Founder of Digital Coach MENA, Niscemi, Sicily, Italy

 

Leonie Matta, CEO and Founder of Digital Coach MENA, is a passionate digital entrepreneur and marketing and business coach with over three decades of experience. She is committed to helping professionals and SMEs succeed in the digital age while prioritizing their well-being.

Leonie is an expert in leveraging digital technologies to drive exponential growth and profitability for her clients. She is also a certified Project Manager and Change Intelligence practitioner, which enables her to help her clients manage complex projects and lead change within their organizations. Leonie is fluent in English, Arabic, Italian, and French, which allows her to communicate effectively with clients and partners from all over the world.

On being invited to be this year’s Chair, Leonie told us, “The Stevie Awards are the world’s most prestigious awards for business development and professionals. They recognize the outstanding achievements of organizations and individuals who are raising the bar for excellence in corporate communications and public relations.”

Human Resources & Individual Awards Judging Committee

Chair: Kifaya Abu-Thallam, HR Executive Advisor – HR Transformation & Organization Design, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

 

 

 

Kifaya Abu-Thallam is a trusted Executive HR Advisor to business leaders and boards of directors in HR Transformation & Organization Design in the United Arab Emirates. With 20+ years of experience in government, semi-government and private sectors, she has served in some of the most significant industries including defense, telecommunications, banking, energy, and infrastructure development.

Kifaya is accredited by many recognized international Human Resources organizations such as the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development in the United Kingdom, a certified member of the Australian Human Resources Institute, CPHR Canada, a Certified Organization Development Professional (USA), and CINS.

Kifaya has focused experience in designing HR models that drive organizational and employee performance through digital transformation, building effective HR strategies, workforce capabilities building programs, human-centric organizational cultures (employees’ happiness, D&I strategies), and Agile performance management systems. Kifaya is also a regular speaker and moderator at HR Summits locally and internationally.

 

 

Management, Customer Service & Thought Leadership Awards Judging Committee

 

Chair: Dr. Kamal Eldin Salih, Managing Director of Suretrack Management Consultancy, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

 

 

Dr. Kamal Salih is the Managing Director of Suretrack Management Consultancy, a Dubai-based management consultancy firm specializing in Business Excellence, Quality, Strategy, and Performance Improvement services. Dr. Salih is an expert and qualified practitioner in Quality Engineering & Management, Business Excellence Models, Performance Improvement, International Standards of Management Systems (ISO), Strategic Planning, Business Process Reengineering, Organizational Development, and Enterprise Risk Management, and has 30+ years of experience.

He has held top and senior-level positions in charge of businesses and operations of Governmental, International, and Corporate organizations in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan. Recent positions included Senior Vice President/Strategy & Support Services, and Vice President/Performance, Quality & Risk for ETISALAT Group in the UAE. He has executed assignments around the world in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Between 1972 and 1993, Dr. Salih received a PhD in Quality Systems in the USA, a master’s degree in quality engineering in the UK, and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in Egypt.  In addition, he holds international memberships and professional qualifications from leading Business Schools and International Bodies. He is a Certified Team Leader in assessing submissions for the Excellence Awards in UAE, the Middle East, and globally, including the Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award, Dubai Quality Award, Egypt Government Excellence Award, Sheikh Saqr Government Excellence Program, Ideas Arabia Award, and Emirates Ideas Award.

 

 

Marketing, Media (Apps/Events/Video/Websites) & Social Media Awards Judging Committee

 

Chair: Dr. Mahmoud Mansi, Founder & Chairperson, Influencers Today Magazine, Alexandria, Saba Pasha, Egypt

 

 

 

Dr. Mahmoud Mansi (DBA|CIPD Level 7) is the Founder of four digital magazines: Influencers Today Magazine (the first Influencers’ magazine globally), HR Revolution Middle East Magazine, NGOs Today Magazine, and recently Women of Saudi Arabia, in addition to being an ambitious Business Innovator with a 360° experience in management consulting, auditing, research and education, and a Faculty Instructor at the Human Capital Institute.  Dr. Mahmoud is passionate about communicating new ideas and solutions to the community in various ways including writing, public speaking, and media. That’s why he is the author of 9 books, and a writer at Harvard Business Review, Stanford for Social Innovation, Fortune Arabia, and MIT Technology Review. In 2023 he participated in writing the “Entrepreneur’s Journey,” a book by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development. As a global public speaker, he has traveled and spoken at many conferences - including FIREX, SHRM TECH, HRSE, ATD ME, and NIES - in Nigeria, Egypt, UAE, India, KSA, Italy, Spain, Sudan, and the UK. Additionally, he has achieved a record by speaking 8 times at TEDx. Due to his expertise as a Judge at global business and sustainability awards, he has been featured on several blogs giving tips regarding judging and competing:  The Stevie Awards Blog, Brilliance Awards Blog & GULF Sustainability Awards Blog.

Throughout his diverse career journey, he has received awards from different entities. Earlier in 2023 he was awarded by the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) in USA, funded and organized by the  US Department of State. In 2022, he was shortlisted as one of the top 5 CHROs in the Middle East at the Future Workplace Awards in Dubai. He has also received awards for his creative writing achievements: in 2010 he was one of the winners of Sea of Words Literary Award organized by the Anna Lindh Foundation with his short story “The Island”, and in 2012 he was selected to participate in the World Event Young Artists (WEYA) Festival in the UK with his short story “Revolution of Pirates”. As a Marketing & Branding innovator, Dr. Mahmoud has recently been working on delivering three new major solutions related to creating “in-house influencers”: (1) converting customers to advocates; (2) developing and promoting employees to become company social media influencers and brand ambassadors; (3) developing both employees and customers to volunteer in the organization’s corporate social responsibility and philanthropy initiatives.

On being invited to be a Chair, Dr. Mahmoud told us, “I have been judging for The Stevie Awards since 2019, and the effort and time I put into judging with each round impacts my experience, knowledge, and ambition. Yes, I get inspired by all the positivity and success stories, that contribute not only to my professional life, but to my passion as a human being. It is delightful to witness the continuous evolution of our limitless human race.”

 

 

New Product & Technology Awards Judging Committee

 

Chair: Balagopal Ramdurai, Vice President – Products & Technology, Vectramind Corporation, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

 

Balagopal Ramdurai is a digital innovator and product creator with over 15 years of management experience in building innovative digital products for FinTech, Health Tech, and Retail industries. Mr. Ramdurai has been instrumental in creating award-winning industry products covering Digital Banking platforms and payments, and to currently spearheading customer experience platforms for the Healthcare industry.

Mr. Ramdurai has been working as Vice President – Products & Technology with Vectramind Corporation, a technology company headquartered in Dubai, UAE, since 2019. He has been on the judging panels of various awards committees, including the Stevie Awards, for the past few years, and has also been a mentor to Tech startups across the globe.

With a keen interest in emerging technologies, Mr. Ramdurai has been a speaker at various technology conferences and has published research articles on the benefits of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Healthcare.

 

Çağatay Kayabaş, President of Business Awards Consulting is the New Representative

To reach organizations around the globe, the Stevie® Awards invites select individuals in several nations and territories to represent the Stevie Awards. Representatives play a large role in introducing the eight (soon to be nine) Stevie Awards competitions in their respective regions, as well as assisting potential entrants and Stevie winners with their nominations and answering any questions about the process.

Today, we are excited to spotlight the efforts of one of our long-time partners, Çağatay Kayabaş, President of Business Awards Consulting. Çağatay has just been announced as the official Stevie Awards representative in Turkey. 

Business Awards Consulting is a company providing end-to-end award consultancy, from setting up the strategy to all operational details for both corporate and individual clients. Operating for more than 10 years, Business Awards Consultancy is widely known in Turkey and is also operating in the Netherlands as a representative of Stevie Awards.

Kayabaş commented: "We have collaborated with Stevie Awards for many years and we’re so proud to be a member of the team as a representative in Turkey. With our experience, network, and reputation in Turkey, we will work harder than ever to increase the awareness of the great benefits of winning a Stevie Award." Each year the Stevie Awards recognizes hundreds of high achieving Turkish organizations. 

Stevie Awards President Maggie Miller said: "We are thrilled to have Çağatay on the Stevie Awards team to help reach outstanding organizations in Turkey. With his experience and extensive network, we know he will spread the message on what winning a Stevie Award can do for brand recognition, employee happiness, and company growth. We look forward to working together on international Stevie Award competitions."

Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 nominations each year from organizations in more than 70 nations, honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them. Stevie Awards representatives work across the globe to discover and help innovative companies and leaders enter the global arena and elevate their brand recognition.

This year in March, we will launch a ninth Stevie Awards program, the Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence. This international awards program will celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of individuals, teams, and organizations shaping the future of technology across all industry sectors. Organizations worldwide will be eligible to enter—public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small. Learn more and sign up to receive updates on the inaugural program.  

Contact Information: 
Mr. Cagatay Kayabas
Business Awards Consulting
+90 533 210 61 60
Email: awards@kuzeygelisim.com

If your 2024 goals include expanding your personal and professional network, achieving better business outcomes, and getting equipped for unexpected business changes ahead, you don’t want to miss the 2024 Women|Future Conference!

The mission of the 7th annual Women|Future Conference, hosted by the Stevie Awards, is to foster connections and professional and personal development through insightful sessions, workshops, and networking. 

This year’s conference will take place virtually on July 23, 2024. Early birds save over 50% at just $10 per ticket. Attend for our lowest price now through March 26 by visiting our registration page.

Sessions and activities are tailored to ambitious professionals looking to learn and share what’s working in their organizations, troubleshoot the challenges they collectively face, and make meaningful connections. 

Whether you're a female entrepreneur, small business owner, executive, or employee, this event caters to women at every career stage, offering insights and inspiration to fuel your journey forward.

Learn From and Network With Top Women Business Leaders and Professionals
In 2018, the first annual Women|Future Conference was presented by the Stevie Awards to complement the highly successful Stevie® Awards for Women in Business program. The conference was created to give high-achieving women professionals, executives, entrepreneurs, and small business owners a place to come together, share ideas, and network.

Speakers typically range from changemakers at Fortune 500 companies to small business owners and entrepreneurs. Previous speakers include female executives and leaders from Facebook, IBM, Microsoft, John Hancock, Pinterest, Macy’s Inc., SAP North America, Talkspace, and others.

Why You Should Attend
You can expect discussions about everything from how to utilize mentorship as a path to professional and personal development, gain traction through public relations, and how technology affects human behavior.

While the 2024 agenda will not be released until next month, below is a glance at what attendees can expect to see. You can also explore the 2023 agenda and read top highlights from the program to see what topics and speakers were featured last year.

➡️ Interactive Sessions — Past session topics include:

• Branding, PR, and Marketing for Small Woman-Owned Businesses
• How to Leverage Stevie® Awards to Establish Credibility and Boost Your Company's Reputation
• How to Utilize Networking and Mentorship as a Path to Professional Growth
• Turning Your Passion or Side Hustle into Profit
• Tips on Starting and Running a Business
• Women in Leadership and Professional Development
• Women in Tech - How Technology Affects Human Behavior

➡️ Meaningful Connections — Women around the world attend the conference year after year to collaborate, build relationships, and gain fresh perspectives on how to drive their businesses forward. Speakers and attendees make lasting connections in the form of business partners, mentors, and even friends. 

➡️ Diverse Perspectives —  In any given session, you may find yourself in the company of an online business owner, the founder of a non-profit, a lawyer, an engineer, a publicist, and a CEO.