Arif Naqvi, Founder and Group Chief Executive of The Abraaj Group, has received the 2013 Oslo Business for Peace Award at a ceremony at the Oslo City Hall, Norway. Naqvi is the first Pakistani national and the first chief executive from the global private equity industry to receive this award. The award was presented to Naqvi by the Governing Mayor of Oslo Stian Berger Røsland, and the Business for Peace Foundation Chairman Per L Saxegaard.
The Oslo Business for Peace Award is one of the highest forms of recognition given to global business leaders for fostering peace and stability through creating shared values between business and society.
The search for honorees is a joint effort undertaken between the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Oslo-based Business for Peace Foundation. The 2013 Award Committee consists of Nobel Peace and Economics Prize Laureates: Professor Muhammad Yunus, winner of the Nobel prize for peace in 2006; and Professor Michael A Spence, winner of the Nobel prize in economics in 2001.
Naqvi has been chosen as an honoree because of his work in promoting a stakeholder culture and his strong conviction that the relationship between business and society – just like the relationship between business and finance – should be both mutually beneficial and value accretive.
Commenting on receiving the award, Mr Naqvi said, “It is an honour to have been chosen as a recipient of this award. Previous honorees, as well as this year’s recipients, include global leaders in responsible, sustainable and ethical business practices and I am humbled to be amongst their company and to be part of their achievements. We all have a duty to conduct and manage our businesses to the highest possible standards. My colleagues and I have always believed that a sustainable investment approach focusing on stakeholders as well as shareholders can create social benefits alongside strong financial returns. Engaging with communities is a core part of our approach when investing in growth markets since many outcomes rely on collaboration between multiple stakeholders – specifically business, government and civil society.”
Arif Naqvi gets 2013 Oslo Business For Peace Award
