CAIRO/DUBAI: From a competitive pool of 17 finalists across the Middle East, Samih Darwazah, founder and chairman of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC, Jordan, was named as the 2007 Ernst & Young Middle East Entrepreneur Of The Year at a gala ceremony held at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai Feb. 23. "This award has an important symbolic value because it confirms both my personal success and the result of the full commitment of the company's employees. I hope to win the global contest since the prize will not only be recognition for my work, but also an inspiration to others who aspire to be great entrepreneurs, Darwazah said. Darwazah, a pharmacist, worked for Eli Lilly from 1964 to 1976, before establishing Hikma Pharmaceuticals Ltd. in 1977. Between 1995 and 1996 he served as Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources in Jordan. He also founded the Jordan Trade Association and was a member of the Advisory Economic Council to His Majesty the King of Jordan. He holds a masters degree from the St. Louis College of Pharmacy in Missouri, US. The finalists presented their success stories to a panel of independent judges. They were then assessed based on the criteria of entrepreneurial spirit, financial performance, strategic direction, global impact, innovation and personal integrity and influence, Ernst and Young said in a statement. "Samih Darwazah's tremendous success through the setup of what is now a multi-national company demonstrates that the contributions of entrepreneurs truly matter and make a difference in our world, said Fouad Alaeddin, Managing Partner of E&Y Middle East. "Ernst & Young are proud to make these entrepreneurs' successes globally recognized as a testament to their hard work and vision. Samih Darwazah will join the 2007 Entrepreneur Of The Year country winners from over 50 countries around the world at a black-tie awards gala in Monte Carlo, to be held between May 29 and June 1. He will be inducted into the World Entrepreneur Of The Year Academy and will compete for the title of Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Of The Year. The awards program, created and produced by professional services firm Ernst & Young, celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2006. It honors entrepreneurs through regional, national and global award programs in over 125 cities and 40 countries. It aims to recognize and encourage entrepreneurship around the world, and build a forum for the exchange of ideas between entrepreneurs of the world. The Ernst & Young Middle East Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2007 was sponsored by Lloyds TSB, international private banking.
