Maktoob.com, the world’s largest and most popular Arabic online community, with over 4 million registered users, has been honoured with the Information and Knowledge Portal of the Year Award at the 12th Middle East Information and Communication Technology Excellence Awards held at a glittering ceremony at the Burj Al Arab Hotel, Dubai, on May 27th 2007.
Recognized by the industry as a leading comprehensive provider of Arabic electronic community building tools in the region, Maktoob.com continuously aims to provide the Arab online community with innovative services and rich content whereby users will be able to actively engage in different social and professional communities, and gain more exposure and the ability to share information, interests and thoughts.
Speaking on this occasion, Maktoob Group CEO Samih Toukan said: “The achievement of this accolade constitutes a milestone for Maktoob.com and we owe this award to our users, whose overwhelming support has driven us to the next level in improving existing features and allowed us to introduce new ones over the course of past years.”
Ahmed Nassef, Vice President of the Maktoob Group and General Manager of Maktoob.com, received the award on behalf of the company at a gala dinner attended by eminent professionals recognized as the best in regional e-Government, e-Business and ICT.
Nassef, reacting to Maktoob.com’s win of the prestigious award, said “We are delighted and extremely honoured to receive this esteemed award from the Middle East Excellence Awards Institute. This award reaffirms our position as the clear leader in the Arabic online sector, the fastest growing media in the region, and will serve to further strengthen our resolve to come up with more unique services that will benefit our millions of users.”
“Maktoob.com’s outstanding growth in the last few years has caught the attention of the regional ICT industry,” said Ali Al Kamali, Chairman, Middle East Excellence Awards Institiute. “We commend them on their achievements and are confident that their excellent performance will boost other regional organizations in the Middle East to reach to greater heights.”
The Middle East ICT Excellence Awards, organized by the Middle East Excellence Awards Institute showcase the best examples of ICT planning and implementation by business and government organizations. It recognizes and rewards outstanding achievements within the ICT industry and identifies enterprises and organizations that develop and implement sophisticated solutions based on cutting edge technologies.
Successfully conducted for the past 11 years, the vision of the awards is to inspire the Middle East ICT industry to become a global hub for innovation and noteworthy solutions in the ICT sector and encourage regional players to compete on a global level.
About Maktoob.com:
Maktoob.com was founded in the year 2000 as the world’s first Arabic/English email service. In a few years, Maktoob has grown to become a full-service web portal, offering world-class communications and information tools that empower the Arab Internet user. More than just the best and most popular Arabic/English email service in the world, Maktoob.com offers everything from chat to discussion forums, from e-cards to mobile downloads, from news to the latest jokes and everything in between.
Maktoob's main mission is to maintain and grow its position as the world’s leading Arab Internet portal by constantly offering its users a unique experience and by providing them with new services and products that encourage open communications and community building.
For more information about Maktoob, please visit http://www.maktoobgroup.com/maktoob_en.html
About Maktoob Group:
Maktoob Group comprises a network of leading online media companies and websites. In addition to the Arab world’s leading portal, www.maktoob.com, the Maktoob Group network includes Souq.com (www.souq.com) auctions and marketplace, Araby.com (www.Araby.com) the first Arabic search engine, and cashU (www.cashu.com) the electronic payment solution, in addition to several other leading sites and services in the region. In 2005, Abraaj Capital, a leading regional private equity firm, acquired a stake in Maktoob.
