On Monday night, in the plush surroundings of the Armani hotel in Dubai, the Middle Eastern business world's version of the Oscars took place: the CEO Middle East Awards.

Flying the flag for the hospitality industry, at this year's event Rezidor Hotel Group's chief executive officer, Kurt Ritter, picked up the award for CEO of the year – Hospitality and Tourism.

Mr Ritter was praised by the judges for his dedication and strong leadership, particularly during the challenging economic climate of 2009.

Commenting on this success, Mr Ritter said: "I am both delighted and honoured to have received this award, it is fantastic for our company to be recognized in the Middle East, an extremely strong and competitive region for the hospitality sector." 

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