Walid Karanouh, Managing Director of PR Arabia Auto Award; Faisal Abou Shousha (left), Chairman of the National Auto Dealers Committee, and Waleed J. Kattan, Director General, Okaz Organization for Press and Publication, honor Prince Sultan Bin Bandar Al Faisal (second from right), head of Saudi Arabian Motor Federation, during the PR Arabia Auto Award 2015 ceremony Saleh Fareed Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH — PR Arabia revealed its annual winners of the top automotive industry awards in the Kingdom and Middle East at the gala ceremony last Wednesday attended by a large number of guests from businessmen, top executives of local auto dealers, regional automotive managers, as well as a gathering of automotive enthusiasts and media men. The event was graced by Prince Sultan Bin Bandar Al-Faisal, Head of Saudi Arabian Motor Federation, who crowned the winners and attended by a host of businessmen, led by Engineer Mazen bin Mohammed Battarjee, Vice Chairman of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Waleed J. Kattan, Director General, Okaz Organization for Press and Publication and Faisal Abou Shousha, Chairman of the National Auto Dealers Committee. Nissan Saudi Arabia won the Best Motorsports Development Program award for its Nissan GT academy. Saudi driver Khaled Bin Mohammed won the aforementioned championship, which soon became a leading event in the both the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. Moreover, media professional Hasan Kutbi, who runs a distinctive website on the social media network, won the Best Automotive Media Professional award, in appreciation of his skills in preparing and presenting his YouTube channel program, which attracted a large number of followers exceeding 100,000 automotive enthusiasts. The Best Automotive Financing Program award went to the National Commercial Bank for the third time in a row, for greatly simplifying the process of owning a car. That achievement represents a major accomplishment for the bank, which controls more than 45% of the automotive leasing sector in KSA. On the other hand, Al Ghassan Motors won the Best Automotive Dealership award, after amassing a large number of distinguished accolades from leading automobile factories, and because it has the largest portfolio of luxurious automotive brands, such as Bentley & McLaren. Recently, the company added Infiniti to its portfolio, which represents another milestone for Al Ghassan Motors and the Saudi automotive sector. As for Aljomaih Automotive, it won the Best Road Safety and Social Service Program award, in appreciation of the services they provided to the injured in road accidents, which are part of its diverse social services' program. On the other hand, the Best Cars of 2015 Awards were handed in three categories, each one split into luxurious and mainstream models. In the category of Sedan cars, Nissan Sentra won as a mainstream model, while Maserati Ghibli as a luxurious one. As for Sports Cars, Ford Mustang (mainstream) and Aston Martin Vanquish S (luxurious) emerged victorious, while Toyota Prado and Mercedes ML snatched the top spots in the mainstream and luxurious SUV categories respectively. Moreover, Aljabr Automotive, dealer of Kia Saudi Arabia, was honored for the Best Promotional Campaign launched during 2015. In addition, the Middle East champion Mamdouh Khayyat was honored for his achievements and contributions during a career spanning 30 years in Motorsports. Walid Karanouh, General Manager of PR Arabia agency, expressed his delight at this year's awards, due to the success it achieved and the increase in public participation: “That success reflects the great trust our Awards have garnered in the Saudi automotive industry. Also, I'd like to thank HRH Prince Sultan Bin Bander for attending the ceremony and presenting the awards.” In addition, Karanouh thanked the sponsors, led by Total, and everyone who supported PR Arabia Awards, from automobile dealers to colleagues in different media outlets. He also acknowledged the efforts of the jury, and expressed his hope for their return in the coming years. Moreover, he reiterated PR Arabia's utmost determination in holding the Awards event on a yearly basis, while working fervently to develop it, expand its footprint and increase its popularity: “We are determined to develop our Awards event further, and are confident of our ability to reach our goals. After all, ideas start as a vision that grows gradually till it reaches perfection, provided we face obstacles defiantly.” Waleed J. Kattan expressed his delight in heading the jury for the first two editions of PR Arabia Awards, and commended the success it achieved and the status it has garnered as one of the most respected and prestigious awards in the automotive industry. He also thanked PR Arabia for launching the Awards as it instills an honest competitive spirit in the Saudi automotive industry and enhances the quality of services presented to consumers. Mamdouh Khayyat was honored for his vital role in launching professional motorsports in the Kingdom 30 years ago.
