At the 15th Bangladesh Business Awards 2014, Walton, the leading electrical, electronics and automobile manufacturing and marketing company of the country has been awarded with the `Enterprise of the Year-2014` award for its extraordinary performance in business, specially its contribution in development of human resources.
SM Mahbubul Alam, director of Walton Hi-tech Industries, received the award from Finance Minister AMA Muhith at a glittering gala event at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka on Friday night.
DHL Express, the world`s leading logistics company, and The Daily Star, the leading English-language newspaper in Bangladesh, hosted the awards night, which has been recognising and celebrating excellence in business leadership in Bangladesh since 2000.
Muhammed Aziz Khan, chairman of Summit Industrial and Mercantile Corporation, won the coveted award as the Business Person of the Year while Mutual Trust Bank was honoured as the Best Financial Institution and Rubana Huq, managing director of Mohammadi Group, was awarded as the Outstanding Woman in Business.
At the ceremony all speakers extolled the winners who made the cut for their outstanding contributions.
The pursuit of excellence itself is a reward, said Chief Guest of the event Finance Minister AMA Muhith. “Nothing can be more pleasant than pursuing excellence. If you have that excellence, you will be rewarded one day,” Muhith said.
In his speech, Muhith also said Bangladesh had done pretty well in the last 40 years although 16 years of the four decades ruled by military adventurism left the country`s growth stunted and took the country backward.
He said the country was able to offset the losses thanks to the contribution of all citizens. The government and the private sector also played a key role.
Receiving the prestigious award, SM Mahbubul Alam, director of Walton said: “The award will encourage us in our journey to the future.”
Walton was honoured for its quiet journey towards becoming local manufacturer and exporter of electronic goods, automobiles and home appliances from an importer.
Established in 2006, the company is in manufacturing, retailing, designing and exporting of its products and appliances including air conditioner, freezer, multi-stage freezer and automobile.
It has about 80 percent of the local refrigerator market in terms of unit sales and around 30 percent market share in the local television industry. The firm`s annual production capacity is 1.4 million refrigerators and freezers, 300,000 motorcycles, 300,000 air conditioners and 1 million television sets.
Yasmin Aladad Khan, senior vice president for DHL Express for Southeast Asia and South Asia, Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of The Daily Star, Anjan Chowdhury, director of Square Group, Rubana Huq, managing director of Mohammadi Group, Muhammed Aziz Khan, chairman of Summit Group and Anis A Khan, managing director and CEO of Mutual Trust Bank also spoke on the occasion.
Anisul Hauqe, mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation, SM Zahid Hasan, Executive Director of Walton (Policy, HRM & Admin), Humayun Kabir, Executive Director of Walton (PR & Media), Firoj Alam, Sr. Deputy Director of Walton (PR & Media), Mahbubur Rahman, president of International Chamber of Commerce Bangladesh, Latifur Rahman, chairman of Transcom Group, M Matiul Islam, the first finance secretary of the country, M Anis Ud Dowla, chairman of ACI Ltd, and Geeteara Safiya Choudhury, former adviser to a caretaker government, were present among others.
The ceremony was attended by nearly 300 guests, including diplomats, politicians, industrialists, corporate heads, economists, civil society members and celebrities.
