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General Insurance Company of the Year
GIG Jordan
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Gulf Insurance Group - Jordan CEO Ali Adel Wazaney (L) accepting the award from Marsh McLennan Middle East CEO Ayman El Hout
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“One of the most important lessons we learned is that ambition and capability are not determined by market size, but by the strength of the team behind the organisation. While we operate within a relatively small market compared to the broader region, our success was driven by a highly aligned team unified around a clear strategy, shared priorities, and a strong sense of ownership.
What truly set us apart was a collective mindset—one rooted in shared accountability, outcome-driven performance, and a deep understanding at every level of how individual contributions impact the organisation as a whole. By investing in our people, empowering them to take responsibility, and maintaining a relentless focus on customer value, we were able to compete with—and ultimately outperform—larger regional players. This experience reinforces our belief that when teams are aligned, trusted, and fully engaged, even smaller markets can deliver results that resonate across the region.
Our next frontier is further elevating our teams’ capabilities, ensuring they are equipped not only to respond to change, but to lead it. As technology and data continue to reshape the insurance landscape, our focus remains on empowering our people with the right skills, decision-making authority, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver faster, smarter, and more customer-centric outcomes. We believe that our strongest and most sustainable competitive advantage will continue to come from agile, accountable teams that remain deeply connected to the evolving needs of our customers.
Winning the “General Insurance Company of the Year” Award has significantly strengthened the collective confidence and ambition of our teams. It reaffirmed our ability to not only meet, but also exceed, the highest regional and international standards—even while operating within a smaller market. More importantly, it marked a shift in mindset: from asking “What is achievable?” to asking “What is next?”
Beyond external recognition, the impact has been deeply internal. Our people are now more empowered to take ownership, challenge conventional boundaries, and drive innovation across the business—from underwriting and claims to customer engagement and digital solutions. This success has reinforced a fundamental belief: that our true differentiators are the strength of our talent, the depth of our collaboration, and our relentless focus on outcomes. It has created momentum across the organisation, inspiring teams to continuously raise the bar and to view ambitious goals not as limitations, but as opportunities.”
- GIG Jordan
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Health Insurance Company of the Year
Cigna Healthcare Middle East and Africa (MEA)
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Cigna Healthcare Middle East and Africa (MEA) CEO Leah Cotterill (L) accepting the award from Nextcare Head of Business Development, Health Services & Utilities Jihad Francis
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“As governments, employers and individuals across the GCC place greater emphasis on long-term wellbeing, the role of health insurers is evolving. Preventive care, once treated as an add-on, is increasingly central to outcomes and productivity.
One lesson from this journey is that prevention cannot operate in isolation. Insights from our International Health Study show strong appetite for preventive support, but lasting impact only comes when employers, providers, policymakers and insurers move together. Employers increasingly recognise that early intervention supports performance, while insurers must design benefits that enable those outcomes, not simply reimburse treatment.
Looking ahead, the next frontier is further embedding wellbeing and prevention into offerings, supported by better navigation, simpler engagement, broader digital access and more meaningful insights. This achievement has broadened our sense of what is possible. It reinforces that insurers can be proactive partners in long-term health and vitality, supporting more sustainable health outcomes across the region.”
- Ms Leah Cotterill, CEO of
Cigna Healthcare Middle East & Africa
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Managing General Agent of the Year
Arma Underwriting Limited
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Arma Underwriting Limited SEO Prabhat Singh (L) accepting the award from Lloyd’s Regional Head of Middle East & Turkey Andrew Woodward
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“Over the years, the MGA universe has not only evolved but has rapidly expanded across the region. Having been part of this journey, one thing is clear: the MGA model is here to stay. It needs to be robust, with trusted and well-respected capacity and strive for achieving underwriting excellence through data-driven analytics, informed decision making and consistent outstanding results.
In today’s market, where rates are softening and competition is intensifying, evolution is essential. We are continuously adapting to meet market demands through data-driven analytics, informed decision-making, and proactive service delivery. The path forward lies in embracing change, leveraging data and its depth—and we are fortunate to have an abundance of it, having embedded a data-first mindset into our decision-making from the very beginning.
It’s truly motivating to know that the industry recognises we’re on the right path—and we remain committed to building, improving, and striving for excellence. Being appreciated for the second time is an honour from the industry peers and a powerful reminder that we’re not just keeping pace with the industry; we’re actively shaping its future.”
- Arma Underwriting Limited
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Broker of the Year
Howden Middle East & Africa
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Howden Middle East & Africa CEO Richard Mockett (L) accepting the award from Gulf Insurance Group (GIG) COO Farid J Saber
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“One lesson I’d share is that sustainable success in broking comes from building trust before transactions. The strongest outcomes we achieved weren’t driven by being the biggest or loudest, but by focusing on having the best specialists, providing the best service, and being genuinely aligned with our clients’ long-term goals. When you invest early in relationships, service, and people, momentum follows.
Looking ahead, the next frontier I’m most excited about is the convergence of specialty expertise, technology, and capital. As risks become more complex across regions like the Middle East and Africa, the opportunity is to design smarter, more flexible insurance and reinsurance solutions—using better analytics, alternative capacity, and deeper collaboration between brokers, carriers, and clients.
This achievement has reinforced our mindset that scale alone is not a prerequisite for impact, and that a clear strategy, empowered people, and a challenger mentality can deliver industry-leading results. Winning “Broker of the Year” has raised our collective ambition — not as a destination, but as proof of what’s possible when we push boundaries together.”
- Mr Richard Mockett, CEO of
Howden Middle East and Africa
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Reinsurance Broker of the Year
SHIELDS Reinsurance Brokers
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SHIELDS Reinsurance Brokers CEO Ahmed Rajab (L) accepting the award from Qatar Insurance Group - UAE CEO Prasad Aniyil
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“One does not need to be among the largest brokers in the world to be recognised for the exceptional quality of services delivered to clients and reinsurers. Clients are looking for trusted personalised services and advices. At Shields, we believe in early adoption of cutting-edge technology empowering a highly performing team to deliver higher quality services. At Shields, our moto is “Because we care”, therefore caring about our clients, our reinsurers and our people is and will remain the foundation of everything we do.
Opportunities to further improve and expand our services are endless—we do not see frontiers to tackle. Our approach is and will always be a constant evolution day by day and month after month. As our people evolve, Shields evolves. Hence it is key for us to help our people develop, gain new knowledge and exposure to further improve productivity and the quality of services we deliver to our clients and reinsurers. We constantly monitor and improve the efficiency of our processes.
This recognition is well deserved by all our team. It has taken us many years to reach this level. The Award has strengthened our belief that we are on the right path and that it takes time to see results and be recognised for our daily work. Being awarded “Reinsurance Broker of the Year” by a prestigious jury gives our team the will to further improve in everything we do.”
- SHIELDS Reinsurance Brokers
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Woman Leader of the Year
Ms Gracita Aoa De Gracia, Dubai International Financial Centre Authority
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Dubai International Financial Centre Authority Assistant Vice President Gracita Aoa De Gracia (L) accepting the award from Callidus Consulting (DIFC) Principal Johnson John
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“In the fast-paced world of daily responsibilities, I’ve learned the value of pausing to reflect and appreciate what has already been accomplished. It’s easy to focus solely on what’s next and feel overwhelmed by the demands coming from every direction.
But progress isn’t just about moving forward—it’s also about looking back. Recognising past achievements can spark new ideas and inspire us to aim higher.
Remember: your greatest competition is yourself. Take a moment to acknowledge how far you’ve come and imagine how much further you can go.
I’m committed to working more closely with the industry to nurture and develop talent across the region. Sustainable market growth is impossible without a strong talent pipeline and building that capability remains one of my top priorities.
When you approach anything with dedication, passion, and integrity, the possibilities are limitless. Advocating tirelessly for your clients and for what truly matters never goes unnoticed. It creates impact and inspires others to do the same.”
- Ms Gracita Aoa De Gracia
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