(1888PressRelease)
June 19, 2007 - Dubai, UAE: The MELA Management Office has initiated the nomination process for the Second Annual Middle East Logistics Awards (MELA) 2007, as part of its endeavour to benchmark performance excellence in the Middle East logistics industry and to recognise the top performers for their out-of-the-box achievements. MELA 2007 nominations are facilitated online as well as through Nomination Forms from June 10, 2007. MELA 2007 Awards ceremony – the prestigious event that will once again bring together key logistics industry players in the entire Middle East – is slated for November 6, 2007, in Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE. The last date for submitting the nominations is July 10, 2007, 6:00 PM.
MELA 2007 will give away 25 awards to the stellar performers in the Middle East logistics industry in air, sea and land categories. Out of the 25 awards, five are for individuals who have made outstanding contributions for the growth of the logistics industry in the region through leadership and innovations. These awards are Hall of Fame Award, Personality of the Year Award for Air Cargo Industry, Personality of the Year Award for Land Transport Industry, Personality of the Year Award for Maritime Industry and Young Achiever of the Year Award. Recognising the pivotal role of innovations in the dynamic role of the logistics industry, MELA Management Office has introduced a new recognition – Best Innovator of the Year Award. This award will be handed out to any individual or organisation, who/which has made major innovations in the Middle East logistics industry in the ensuing year.
In the air category, the awards are Best Airport (Air Cargo Terminal) Award, Best Express Operator Award, Best Air Cargo Carrier Award and Best Air Charter Operator Award. There are three awards in the sea category – Best Seaport Award, Best Container Terminal Award and Best Shipping Line Award. MELA 2007 will recognise best performers in land category through Best Road Hauler (Best Land Transport Company) Award and Best Rail Operator Award. While Best Exporter Award and Best Importer Award will recognise the shippers during MELA 2007, the key industry players supporting the logistics industry in the Middle East will be rewarded through Best Trade Finance Bank Award. Logistics service providers in the Middle East have four awards to compete for – Best Logistics Service Provider Award in 3PL, Best Logistics Service Provider Award in Air Freight, Best Logistics Service Provider Award in Perishable Logistics and Best Logistics Service Provider Award in Sea Freight. Finally, the three awards for logistics parks are Best Logistics Park Award for Air, Best Logistics Park Award for Sea and Best Emerging Free Zone Award.
During the First Annual Middle East Logistics Awards held at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE, on November 21, 2006, a total of 27 awards were handed out to individuals and organisations for performance excellence in the logistics industry in the Middle East. Eighteen companies and four individuals were recognised, fostering healthy competition among equals in the dynamic and competitive logistics industry in the region. More than 800 professionals from the entire Middle East logistics community converged for the MELA 2006 Awards function. The winners for the MELA 2006 Awards were determined by the Middle East logistics community in a never-before, decision-making two-stage process of nominating and voting for their choice of companies and individuals from the industry.
Well-known industry experts and distinguished policy makers covering the entire gamut of the logistics industry in the Middle East have extended support to MELA 2007 Awards by representing MELA on its Advisory Board – Manfred F Boes, President, International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA); Juan Torrents, President, World Federation of Free Zones (FEMOZA); General Mazen Nadim, President, Egyptian International Freight Forwarding Association (EIFFA); Samir Choueiri, President, Lebanese Forwarders’ Syndicate; Dr Mahmoud Abdallatt, Secretary General, Arab Union of Land Transport, Jordan; Fahad A Hammad, Vice President - Cargo Sales & Services, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Saudi Arabia; Ali Khalfan Al Jallaf, Vice President, Cargo, Department of Civil Aviation, Dubai, UAE; Captain Mansoor Yasin A Ghafoor, President, National Association of Freight Logistics (NAFL), and Vice President, FIATA, Switzerland; Shashi Shekhar, Founding President, Supply Chain and Logistics Group (SCLG), Dubai, UAE; Dr Khalid Maniar, Founder & Managing Partner, AGNMAK, Dubai, UAE; Dr Satish Mapara, Shipping and Legal Consultant, GlobeApex Management Consultants, Dubai, UAE; Dr Khalid Al Mehairi, Chairman, Emirates Advocates, Dubai, UAE; and Varun Sharma, Head of Logistics, Maritime and Mercantile International, Dubai, UAE.
Mike Lee, Immediate Past President, SCLG, is a member of MELA Consultative Committee. The MELA Executive Board includes Prakash Nair, Manager - Network, Cargo Sales Development, Emirates Airline, Dubai, UAE; Aleem Aziz, Vice President, Media One Group, and CEO, MELA Management Office, Dubai, UAE; and Martin Menachery, Editor, Media One Group, and Head - Press & Information, MELA Media Committee, MELA Management Office, Dubai, UAE.
MELA 2007 – the momentous event – is organised and managed by Eventis, a Media One Group company. Both the nomination and voting processes will be audited by AGNMAK, the Official Auditors for MELA 2007 Nomination and Voting processes. Casting of Votes will follow the Nomination Process. For this, a list of nominees for each award will be prepared by AGNMAK from the nominations after proper audit. Casting of Votes will be during July 25, 2007, to August 27, 2007.
NOTE TO EDITORS
Nominations are facilitated online at www.mela.ae. Nomination forms will be made available through various business publications and chosen newspapers in the Middle East. The nominations could be done online, OR, completed Nomination Form could be faxed at +971 4 297 6988, OR, completed Nomination Form could be posted to MELA Executive Office, PO Box 72247, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, OR, completed Nomination Form could couriered to MELA Executive Office, 401-402 Bu Haleeba Plaza, Al Muraqqabat Road, Deira, Dubai, UAE
Tel: +971 4 297 6987, OR, the complete information needed as per the MELA 2007 Nomination Form could be send by Email at nominate ( @ ) mela dot ae
