The search for the UAE’s most outstanding businesses, entrepreneurs and business leaders has finally ended with the announcement of the winners of the inaugural Gulf Capital SMEinfo Awards. The winners represent a diverse range of businesses from different commercial sectors which last year posted a combined turnover of over Dhs100 million, highlighting a robust financial performance across the board. In addition, the winning SMEs recorded a 22 per cent average growth rate in the last two years, indicating consistent development and expansion even in the most challenging of business conditions. CIRTA Electro Mechanical Maintenance is this year’s best among Emirati-owned businesses, taking home the Emirati Business of the Year award for having successfully grown its business that is now recognised as a pioneer in the distribution and implementation of underground technology systems such as underground street lighting cabinets and polycarbonate manholes in the UAE and Qatar. Emirati business owner Abdulla Satam Al Traibeel Al Shammari of CIRTA received the Emirati Business of the Year Award from Marwan Mohamed Al-Suwaidi of the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development. Bayt.com, the leading recruitment website in the Mena, won the Gulf Capital Business of the Year, impressing the judges with its strong financial performance and consistent growth, highlights of which include registering its eight-millionth member this year.