India's Ajay Piramal of Piramal Group named Asia Business Leader of the Year

SINGAPORE, Nov. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CNBC, the world's leading business and financial news network, today announced the distinguished winners of the 16th Asia Business Leaders Awards (ABLA) at a gala ceremony held at the Shanghai Marriott Hotel City Centre.

The annual awards recognize the region's top business leaders for their vision, competence and achievement in six categories. The 2017 winners are:

CNBC awarded the 2017 Asia Business Leader of the Year award to Ajay Piramal, Chairman of Piramal Group for transforming the company into one of India's foremost business conglomerates, operating in 30 countries and having a brand presence in over 100 countries.

On receiving his award, Ajay Piramal, Chairman of Piramal Group said: "I am honored to receive the CNBC Asia Business Leader of the Year Award 2017. At the Piramal Group, our business is driven by our purpose of Doing Well and Doing Good -- and it is the single most important factor for our performance and success. I would like to dedicate this award to all our employees and stakeholders across the globe who share the same passion of impacting lives through business."

Internationally-acclaimed concert pianist, Lang Lang also took part in the event, presenting the 2017 CNBC ABLA for Corporate Social Responsibility. Lang Lang also introduced 11-year-old piano prodigy Wu Siyu, a beneficiary of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation, who performed live for ABLA guests during the Gala Dinner.

KC Sullivan, President and Managing Director at CNBC International, said: "I'd like to congratulate this year's impressive group of award recipients. The ABLAs, now in their 16th year, continue to mark out exceptional leaders and provide inspiration to aspiring business executives across this dynamic region."

To be awarded an ABLA, nominees go through three judging phases. The first includes a quantitative data analysis of company performance. In the second, judges conduct face-to-face interviews to assess the candidates' leadership capabilities before the third and final round where overall winners are selected by an expert panel.

The presenting sponsor of ABLA 2017 is SIXCAP; with national media partner Caixin Media; knowledge partner Chicago Booth and research partner DDI.

Profiles of the 2017 ABLA winners and shortlisted candidates are available at abla.cnbc.com/nominees

More information on ABLA 2017 is available at abla.cnbc.com

Note to Editors:

The transmission times for the 16th Asia Business Leaders Awards are as follows.

CNBC Asia

Thu, 23 November 1900 SG/HK time
Sat, 25 November 1800 SG/HK time
Sun, 26 November 1900 SG/HK time

Media Contact:

Mike Cheong
Communications Manager, CNBC Asia Pacific
D: +65 6326 1123
M: +65 9852 8630
Mike.Cheong@nbcuni.com 

About ABLA

CNBC pioneered the annual Asia Business Leaders Awards (ABLA) in 2001 to salute and recognize remarkable business leaders, who through strength, innovation and foresight induce positive changes in an evolving corporate Asia. These business leaders are recognized annually at the awards ceremony which is broadcast globally. Now in its 16th year, ABLA is the region's premier business leadership awards event that brings together some of the best-known personalities in the corporate world today. 84 business leaders from around the region have been publicly recognized through ABLA for their vital business contributions.

The ABLA is organized by CNBC with The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and the Development Dimensions International (DDI) as Knowledge and Research partners.

About CNBC

CNBC is the leading global broadcaster of live business and financial news and information, reporting directly from the world's major financial markets via three regional TV networks in Asia, EMEA and the US. CNBC.com is the preeminent financial news source on the web featuring video, real-time market analysis and dynamic financial tools. CNBC serves the world's most powerful audience of CEOs, senior executives, the financial services industry and private investors and is available in more than 409 million homes worldwide. CNBC is a division of NBCUniversal.

For more information, please visit www.cnbc.com

Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20171102/1978136-1