Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman of the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (‘DMCC’), a Government of Dubai authority, has won the inaugural Howarth Mak ‘Government Personality of the Year’ Award. Horwath Mak, part of the Crowe Horwarth Group, is a global network of over 150 independent accounting and advisory services firms with 15 offices in Dubai. The Dubai awards ceremony recognises the outstanding work by individuals across the UAE’s public and private sectors. The ‘Government Personality of the Year’ award was presented to Ahmed Bin Sulayem for his role in the expansion of the global commodities sector; his commitment towards establishing Dubai as the global gateway to trade; DMCC’s contribution to Dubai’s economy through the over 6,700 companies operating from its free zone; his efforts in developing Dubai’s Islamic Finance sector through pioneering products and services; and his social and philanthropic work focused on society, culture and heritage. Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman of DMCC, said: “It’s an honour to be recognised for DMCC’s success and accomplishments over the past decade. It is a tribute to the commitment and efforts we have made to establish Dubai as the global gateway for trade. Of course, none of these achievements would have been possible without the vision and foresight of our leader, HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, who realised that Dubai had the right ingredients and strength to transform into a world-class trading hub at an unrivalled pace. The commodity sector has huge potential for innovation and we will continue to drive new initiatives to ensure that DMCC and Dubai remains one of the world’s most significant commodity centres.” To date, there are over 6,700 companies operating from DMCC, 90% of which are new to Dubai. Furthermore, Dubai saw a record-breaking US$ 70 billion in gold traded during 2012 and together, as a result of DMCC’s efforts, gold and diamonds make up the top two imported and exported non-oil commodities in Dubai. In addition, Dubai is one of the world’s top three diamond trading centres.