Whether innovatively solving devastating carbon emissions and soaring waste or cleverly delighting us through films, the winners of Most Creative People in Business have crafted a compelling journey of achievements. The winners are the greatest minds spanning a wide range of industries. They delivered enthralling creativity and innovation that are worthy of our highest recognition.

The Most Creative People in Business list, the invite-only gala attended by industry leaders and VIPs, celebrates the achievements of people who are bridge-builders and role models for all in society.

They have a big impact on how people perceive success. The list is the lens through which success and individual impact are experienced and remembered.

They are chosen for their ability to connect us and provide visions of the world that can cut through the limitations of short-term or linear thinking.

Over the last few years, individuals featured on the Most Creative People in Business list had one goal – to bring innovation into their field that disrupts industries and impacts society at large. They made a difference and had a measurable effect within their sectors and beyond, and their efforts haven’t been unnoticed.

As the fabled awards head into the third year on May 30 in Dubai, let’s look at some winners who made it to our prestigious list.

Her Highness Sheikha Latifa Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority and Member of the Dubai Council, for being actively engaged in the culture and arts within the UAE since the inception of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority in 2008.

His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade, is a leading statesman who has achieved the UAE’s long-term economic vision while navigating the global economy with innovative thinking and international collaboration. 

Issam Kazim, CEO – Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, is the visionary behind Dubai’s rise as a global tourism hub. With his team at the DCTCM, Kazim built Dubai’s celebrated image as a destination.

His Excellency Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation, has created world-class innovation platforms for ideas to take shape and established strategic partnerships to encourage and recognize creative minds from around the globe. 

Her Excellency Huda Al Hashimi, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs, UAE, a key leader in the UAE, is responsible for setting an ambitious long-term strategy and steering the development of the national agenda for innovation.

Contemporary artist and philanthropist Sacha Jafri constantly pushes the limits of his artworks, creating for humanitarian causes. His most prominent work, The Journey of Humanity, has put him on the Guinness Record for being the largest canvas painting in the world. 

Muna Al Gurg of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group for her role in supporting the philanthropic sector while leading the region’s multidivisional conglomerate with 27 companies.

Joseph Bradley, CEO of NEOM Tech and Digital, for leading the vision and delivery of the technology and digital ecosystem for Saudi Arabia’s futuristic $500 billion giga-project NEOM.

Patrick Chalhoub, Group President of Chalhoub Group, has brought some of the biggest fashion brands, such as Louis Vuitton, Fendi, and Louboutin, to the Middle East and has excelled in the art of making Middle Eastern consumers desire luxury as a status symbol to make the most of their purchasing power.

Huda and Mona Kattan are the powerhouses behind the billion-dollar Huda Beauty, one of the fastest-growing beauty brands in the Middle East.

Ammar Al Malik, managing director of Dubai Internet City and Dubai Outsource City, is instrumental in shaping the MENA region’s largest and first tech-focused ecosystem. 

Her Excellency Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, President of the American University of Sharjah, is a leading public figure in the Middle East who promotes and supports youth education and employment, female entrepreneurship, and the development of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Becky Anderson, Managing Editor, CNN Abu Dhabi, has a distinctively regional perspective on some of today’s most important news stories, including the emerging politico-economic trends in the Middle East, and has interviewed some of the world’s leading politicians, decision-makers, and thought leaders. 

Serial entrepreneur Anas Bukhash, the founder of influencer and celebrity marketing agency Bukhash Brothers and the high-end luxury clothing line Buka, and host of the hit YouTube show #ABTalks that covers thought-provoking topics.

A veteran business leader and sustainability advocate, John Pagano,  the CEO of Red Sea Global, the multi-project developer behind pioneering regenerative tourism destinations, including the Red Sea Project and AMAALA. 

They all have wielded tremendous influence to change their industry and beyond and motivated countless individuals to contribute to causes that better their communities. They are the embodiment of this award.

The award also recognizes trailblazers in entertainment, media and sports industries – celebrated honorees include award-winning Emirati filmmaker Nayla Khaja, entrepreneur and film producer Butheina Kazim, who is also the founder of Cinema Akil; Arab actresses Aseel Omran and Hend Sabry, comedian Hamad Al Amari, Syrian swimmer Yusra Mardini, whose survival story has been turned into a Netflix film, Swimmers, inspiring millions; skin positivity influencer Logina Salah and many others.

The fundamental goal of the Most Creative People in Business is to encourage a broader swath of inspirational people — not just its creation but also its reach, giving them people’s attention — by celebrating their compelling work. 

Apart from that, the gala night is also a platform for business and tech leaders and artists to come together, exchange ideas, celebrate each other’s achievements, and network. 

To be included in the Most Creative People in Business list, with all its buzz going around, you realize this is not a standard award gala. It’s not an average award show. It’s more than recognizing and highlighting their work, what it means for society, and acknowledging the work that goes into their creation and innovation are paramount. 

The third edition of Fast Company Middle East’s Most Creative People in Business will be hosted at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai. Here, we will give credit where it’s due and celebrate creativity and impact.