Global banker Aftab Ahmed was recently awarded Outstanding Entrepreneur for the Financial Services Industry at the 2016 Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards held at Dusit Thani Manila.
Now in its third year, APEA recognizes and honors business leaders who have shown outstanding performance and tenacity in developing successful businesses within the Asia Pacific region.
Over 250 business and community leaders graced the affair, including deputy speaker of the 17th Congress and Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia and Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr.
APEA is organized by Enterprise Asia, the region’s leading association for entrepreneurship. Each year, awards are presented to a handful of entrepreneurs across Asia Pacific, with ceremonies held in over fourteen countries.
Nominations to the APEA are only by invitation, either through past or current awardees, a supporting trade association or the executive committee of Enterprise Asia. Nominees are then subjected to a series of rigorous interviews, which include financial verification by an appointed audit firm and a compulsory physical site audit, culminating with a confidential balloting process by an independent judging panel.
Awardees are expected to be torchbearers of entrepreneurship and business leaders in their respective countries, while adhering to strict standards of personal and business ethics.
In awarding Ahmed, Enterprise Asia president William Ng said: “Being an APEA winner is a testament to your leadership and determination. We hope that this award plays a part in your business as a beacon of excellence in the industry as you stride forward in all your endeavors.”
Ahmed is currently the chief executive of Citi in the Philippines. As CEO for the largest foreign bank in the country, Ahmed is responsible for one of the very successful Citi Franchises in Asia. He leads a team of nearly 8,000 banking professionals, and is the envy of the industry that continues to look to Citi for quality talent.
Ahmed has worked in 11 countries including the US, Pakistan, Greece, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Germany, Taiwan, Singapore, Egypt, Hungary and now the Philippines.
He has built his whole career at Citi, starting as an executive trainee. With his energy and drive, business acumen, and most importantly his passion to learn and contribute, he progressively was given challenging assignments.
“Leaders need to be versatile, agile, and flexible to be able to effectively address different business requirements and situations,” said Ahmed.