Chairman of Damas Company, Mr. Mohamed Salih, has been conferred the National Award of Honour by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, for his outstanding service in the development, expansion and diversification of trade and economy. The award was presented at the official National Awards ceremony held at Dharubaaruge on the night of 20 October 2022.
The National Awards are conferred annually to recognise and encourage individuals and organisations whose immense efforts contribute to the development of the nation and the benefit of society as a whole. Recipients are selected by the National Awards Committee constituted by the President. This year, the President conferred the National Award of Honour to 10 distinguished recipients and the National Award of Recognition to 22 recipients. As a recipient of the National Award of Honour, Mr. Salih was gifted a commemorative shield and badge.
A lifetime of building trade and the economy
Mr. Salih began his career in 1961 at the Royal Air Force base in Gan, where he trained as a draughtsman and foreman in building and civil engineering. Drawing on that experience, he went on to build businesses in construction and trading, laying the foundations of what is today Damas Company Pvt Ltd. Under his leadership, Damas has grown from its trading roots into a diversified group with interests in real estate, hospitality and healthcare.
His contribution to the national economy extends well beyond Damas. He was an early pioneer of the tourism industry, and has served the country in many public roles, including on the board of the Maldives Monetary Authority, as a member of the President’s Economic Advisory Committee, as President of the Maldives National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and as Vice President of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Honoured among the nation’s distinguished contributors
Mr. Salih was one of ten individuals to receive the National Award of Honour this year, alongside recipients recognised for their contributions to Dhivehi language and literature, education, private healthcare, environmental protection, social service in health, the Scouts movement, arts and crafts, and the preservation of traditional practices. Speaking at the ceremony, President Solih congratulated all of the evening’s award recipients.
The entire Damas family extends its heartfelt congratulations to our Chairman on receiving one of the nation’s highest honours, a fitting recognition of decades of dedication to the growth and diversification of the Maldivian economy.
Source: The President’s Office, Maldives, press release Ref: 2022-552, 20 October 2022. Official photos: photo 1 | photo 2.