PappaRoti owner and founder wins Arab Woman Awards

PappaRoti owner and founder Rasha Al Danhani took away a gong at the Arab Woman Awards UAE 2013 held at the Rosewood Hotel in Abu Dhabi, organised by ITP Publishing under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al-Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth & Community Development.

Al Danhani who also owns Brandnoise and Al Rasha Investment, took the Entrepreneur of the Year Award for her achievements with the PappaRoti franchise in the UAE.

She said: "I am humbled by this recognition, and the impact of this award is profound. It just inspired me even more to break new grounds in business and continue to be a trailblazer for many women."

PappaRoti opened in the UAE in the summer of 2009 as a small kiosk at Dubai Mall, and has gone multinational in less than five years. Today, PappaRoti has more than 100 outlets and kiosks in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Egypt and Libya.

Al Danhani added: "Crisis or not, people love to enjoy good food. We had the right product which, along with the right marketing strategy and dose of dedication became a huge brand success. Dubai customers fell in love with PappaRoti at first bite just like I did the first time I had it in Malaysia.

“I must credit woman’s intuition. That’s why this award is a salute to womanhood. I’m acknowledged not just as an entrepreneur but as a woman entrepreneur. Receiving an Arab Woman Awards trophy is very special.”

Established in 2009 by ITP, the Arab Woman Awards raises public awareness of the significant achievements of Arab women across the GCC and provides positive role models for young women. Winners are privately selected by a panel of judges composed of highly influential women carefully handpicked for their credentials and achievements in different industries.