Life Achievement Award
The Life Achievement Award recognizes the most innovative professional or business founder nominated from throughout the entire global beauty industries.
The award is given to a distinguished change maker who have demonstrated risk-taking talent and tenacity to reshape our sector. The Life Achievement Award is given on occasion to an individual whose achievements tower as an example of entrepreneurship and social responsibility.
The winner of the Life Achievement Award 2023 is...
Nazih Hamad
Founder & CEO, Nazih Group
Nazih Hamad (born October 3, 1960) is a Lebanese/Canadian self-made successful entrepreneur and Founder of Nazih Cosmetics (established in 1975), the largest professional beauty products distributing company in the MENA region and North Africa. Due to his personal career and achievements, Nazih Hamad was able to build the professional business in the GCC market and has been featured in a number of reports and documentaries. His company was the first to develop the professional beauty industry in the MENA region and as per Nazih’s famous slogan “Where Beauty Begins”.
Nazih Hamad is the eldest among 9 brothers and sisters who run the family business. He was born and raised in Lebanon in his small hometown where he owned his first ever beauty salon and worked as a hairdresser and a makeup artist for several years. He used to do bridal makeup as well as actors makeup for action movies.
Nazih Hamad immigrated to Dubai in 1980 to pursue his dreams and develop his passion in the beauty industry. The rapid economic and social growth in the area drove the boom in the beauty industry which encouraged him to dedicate his career life to the beauty sector specifically. After succeeding in his immigration plan, he decided to expand even more by moving to Canada for few years and investing in several businesses.
His focus is investing in educating his team, including hairdressers to become the best versions of themselves and become future entrepreneurs. Nazih Hamad has encouraged many hairdressers and dedicating team members to start their own businesses by granting them financial support and education on how to manage the business.
Nazih’s thriving success soon offered the opportunity for Nazih Group to grow and become real pioneers in various sectors such as manufacturing, professional and retail cosmetics, marketing & distribution, paramedical products, FMCG, hospitality, personal and professional care, food & beverages, printing & advertising, and even real estate development in the MENA region.
The driving force behind Nazih Group’s success story is its Human Resources. The dedication and commitment of the entire team drove the company from level to level.
Nazih Hamad is known for his generosity and his continuous contributions that he makes to the society. In 2010, he launched a foundation for social development, AHDA (which means grant in Arabic). In this foundation, he donates food, clothing, school supplies, and medical support.
During tough times, Nazih Hamad is always there to support, such as in 2020 & 2021 during the global pandemic where he participated in donating 500,000 total meals to the people in need. Nazih Hamad has no boundaries and is always striving to give the community and allow others to benefit from his knowledge, experience and success.