The UK Trade & Investment India Business Awards 2008 were announced on 9th September 2008 at a glittering ceremony in Mumbai, attended by senior business leaders from India Inc and UK Plc. The Awards uniquely celebrate India-UK business partnerships in terms of inward investment, collaborations, entrepreneurship and innovation, which is the theme of the Awards this year. DIRK India was nominated as one of three runners up for the Innovation Award. Georg Dirk, chairman of DIRK GROUP congratulated Hindustan Unilever who won the award.
Mr K V Kamath Managing Director & CEO of ICICI Bank was awarded the UK Trade & Investment Special Recognition Award, which pays tribute to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the India-UK relationship. Mr Habil Khorakiwala, Chairman, Wockhardt was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year for steering Wockhardt through a successful internationalisation programme and Mr Naresh Goyal, Chairman of Jet Airways, was awarded Business Person of the Year for making the UK a strategic and pivotal destination in Jet Airway’s international expansion plans.
Reacting to news of the Award, Mr Kamath said: "I am honoured and delighted to receive the UK Trade & Investment Special Recognition Award. The UK was one of the first countries we went to when we decided to expand outside India. Over the last five years, we have been able to achieve robust growth in the UK due in large measure to its open and transparent business and regulatory environment. We look forward to working with the UK government and industry to grow UK-India business ties."
Mr K V Kamath was awarded UKTI’s Special Recognition Award in acknowledgement of ICICI Bank’s pioneering investment in the UK under his visionary leadership, and his commitment to UK-India relations. ICICI Bank’s largest overseas operation is in the UK. ICICI Bank is one of the most innovative financial services firms operating in the UK and Mr Kamath’s strategic vision has demonstrated how Indian banks can compete with international banks in competitive foreign markets. Mr Kamath has played a significant role in furthering India-UK business ties as a member of the City of London Advisory Council and of the UK India Financial Services Joint Economic & Trade Committee.