Brunei businesses Network Integrity Assurance Technologies (NiAT) and Mixmediaworx (MMW) were recently recognized as among Asia’s Best Startups and Most Promising SMEs respectively at the Asia Corporate Excellence and Sustainability (ACES) Awards.
The annual ACES Awards, held last Thursday at the Fairmont Hotel in Singapore, is privately organized by the MORS Group and looks to recognize leading business professionals and enterprises operating in Asia.
Creative agency MMW, who won in the category of Asia’s Most Promising SMEs, said they were humbled by the achievement, with their founder Azlan Ahmad adding that they look to continue “to be a fully home-grown agency with international levels of achievements and creative standards”.
According to ACES’ website, the Most Promising SMEs category is open to businesses with a minimum turnover of USD 2 million and is awarded to enterprises with a clear business direction who hold “immense potential” for future growth and job creation.
MMW was incorporated in 2009, and currently manages 60 clients and 240 projects annually covering advertising, branding, publications and web development through its 40 employees.
MMW was awarded a five-year contract in 2016 to be the Brunei International Airport’s main marketing agency, and holds a 10-year advertising contract with Standard Chartered Brunei. The agency also managed the branding of the APEC CEO Summit held in the Sultanate in 2009.
Meanwhile NiAT, a subsidiary of state-owned Telekom Brunei Berhad (TelBru), said the award comes on the back of their corporate restrategizing in the economic downturn.
After eight years, NiAT’s supply of satellite communication equipment to the oil and gas industry – their main clientele – had reached saturation, forcing them to rethink their business model.
NiAT’s products allow for internet and telephone connectivity outside cellular networks and are used mostly to establish connectivity in remote areas.
“In addition to targeting consumers directly with our technology, we’ve also re-looked into how we can expand our services in providing technical expertise in satellite communications to new areas in IoT (internet of things), energy and fintech,” said NiAT’s chief technical officer Siti Nur Aazzah Pehin Dato Hj Abdul Aziz.
“We’re a small team at NiAT (15 employees, all local) so this award is very rewarding to us and gives us the confidence to grow further.”
Previous Bruneian organizations to have won ACES Awards include Megamas, LCY Construction and LiveWIRE Brunei.
