Berlin, 1 July 2026 – bne IntelliNews, a leading provider of business news and data about emerging markets, announces the winners of its inaugural Reputation Leaders Awards in the Employer of the Year category.

Ten winning companies across major industries were selected from a longlist of 50 nominees as part of the IntelliNews Reputation Leaders Awards – an independent awards programme celebrating companies across Eastern Europe, Eurasia, MENA and Africa that stand out for their leadership and strong reputation in key areas of business performance and impact.

The following companies were named Employers of the Year in 2026:

• Emirates (Aviation, MENA)
• Aramco (Energy and Chemicals, MENA)
• Aster DM (Medical and Healthcare, MENA)
• G42 (Tech and Digital Services, MENA)
• Exxaro Resources (Metals and Mining, Africa)
• OCP Group (Agrochemicals and Plant Nutrition, MENA)
• Kaufland CZ (Retail and Consumer Goods, Eastern Europe)
• Chalhoub Group (Retail and Consumer Goods, MENA)
• Standard Bank Group (Banking and Financial Services, Africa)
• Raya CX (Professional Services, MENA)

The Employer of the Year category highlights companies that have established an exceptional reputation as employers and whose people-first principles translate into measurable results in employee engagement, retention, and professional growth.

Launched in 2026, the IntelliNews Reputation Leaders Awards recognise companies across four categories: employer excellence, innovation, corporate citizenship and business performance. Nominated companies and winners will be announced for all four categories throughout the year, with 10 companies in each category to be recognised as Reputation Leaders. The awards are not intended as a ranking.

Longlists are compiled based on the results of open submissions, third-party recommendations and independent research carried out by IntelliNews and its partners.

Final decisions are made by an expert panel consisting of IntelliNews editorial staff, with input from key outlet contributors and analysts with relevant sector expertise.

See more information about the winners and the award category at: https://www.intellinews.com/awards/employer

Learn more about the IntelliNews Reputation Leaders Awards at: https://www.intellinews.com/awards