In brief. Every nomination moves through seven published stages — new nomination, profile completion, team approval, final jury data, jury and management review, finalist, winner — and is assessed against its award, industry, category and competition level. Organisations: business performance, customer experience, innovation, leadership and management, market impact, quality, growth, sustainability. Leaders: results, leadership and contribution during tenure. What is submitted is what is judged. Nothing is decided by vote or by fee.
Core principles
- Merit based — evaluation rests on the information, achievements and evidence submitted
- Performance focused — assessed on relevant performance, impact and accomplishments
- No monetary influence — fees, packages, sponsorship or gala purchases do not determine selection
- Structured review — eligible nominations progress through an established process
- Category relevance — assessed against the relevant award, industry, category and competition level
- Jury / management evaluation — reviewed by the appointed jury and/or the authorised management evaluation team
Selection process flow
Stages are sequential. A nomination may be closed with a recorded reason at any stage.
- New nomination
The nomination is received and registered against the relevant award programme.
- Profile completion
The nominee profile and required information are completed.
- Team approval
Eligibility and profile suitability are reviewed.
- Final jury data
Additional information required for evaluation is collected.
- Jury / management review
The nomination is evaluated against the applicable criteria.
- Finalist
Eligible strong nominations may progress to the finalist stage.
- Winner or closed
A finalist may be assigned an appropriate winning category, or the nomination is closed with a reason.
Give the jury a record to read
Submit the form; the awards team completes the profile with you before the evidence pack is requested.
Judging criteria — businesses and organisations
Applied according to relevance; not every criterion applies to every nomination.
| Criterion | What is considered |
|---|---|
| Business performance | growth, operating and market performance, measurable results, sustainability |
| Customer experience | satisfaction, service quality, retention, reputation |
| Innovation | new products/services, technology adoption, process improvement, new business models |
| Leadership & management | management quality, strategy, execution, team development |
| Market impact | industry contribution, market influence, brand strength, competitive positioning |
| Quality & excellence | standards, consistency, operational excellence |
| Growth & achievement | milestones, expansion, relevant accreditations, measurable progress |
| Sustainability / social impact | environmental responsibility, social contribution, community impact |
| Supporting evidence | measurable data, documents, media, client evidence, certifications |
Judging criteria — individuals
Applicable to the World CEO Awards, World GM Awards, Golden Entrepreneur Awards and Golden Women Awards.
| Criterion | What is considered |
|---|---|
| Leadership excellence | vision, strategic direction, decision-making, ability to inspire teams |
| Career & professional achievement | significant achievements, milestones, career progression |
| Business / organisational impact | measurable contribution, growth generated, transformation |
| Innovation & transformation | new ideas, transformation initiatives, technology and process innovation |
| Industry contribution | thought leadership, professional influence, industry advancement |
| Team & people development | mentoring, employee development, culture, leadership pipeline |
| Social / community impact | community contribution, sustainability, inclusion, charitable initiatives |
| Personal brand & professional reputation | professional standing, credibility, public reputation |
| Supporting evidence | measurable achievements, testimonials, documents, links, media |
Competition levels
| Level | Competition location |
|---|---|
| City level | The competition location is the nomination city. |
| Country level | The competition location is the nomination country. |
| Regional level | The competition location is the nomination region. |
| World level | The competition location is the whole world. |
What counts as evidence?
Each industry brief lists what the jury will ask in that industry; confidential figures can be indexed.
- Published criteria for organisations and leaders
- Seven sequential stages
- No vote
Explore awards and industry guides
Programme pages and industry guides for Hong Kong nominees; award cards open the nomination form with the award pre-selected.
Asia Best of Best Awards
Regional business recognition for companies across every industry in Asia, including Hong Kong.
Nominate now
World CEO Awards
Recognition for chief executives whose leadership delivers measurable results.
Nominate now
Golden Women Awards
Recognition for women who lead, found, build and transform organisations.
Nominate now
Golden Entrepreneur Awards
Recognition for founders and growth leaders building businesses that create jobs and solve real problems.
Nominate now
International Travel Awards
Recognition for hotels, resorts, travel companies, destinations and tourism businesses.
Nominate now
World GM Awards
Recognition for General Managers behind outstanding hotels, resorts and hospitality businesses.
Nominate nowHotels & Resorts
Harbour-view luxury, Central business hotels, boutique properties, Lantau and theme-park resorts — 131 property categories plus a GM programme.
Awards for this industryTechnology
Fintech and virtual banks, regulated Web3, AI at Science Park and Cyberport, regional tech HQs, GBA-linked product companies — 75 categories.
Awards for this industryReal Estate / Construction
Skyline developers and Northern Metropolis builders, REITs, agencies, property and facilities managers, modular contractors, proptech — 75 categories plus the sector programme.
Awards for this industryFinance
Central's banks, HKEX-linked firms, asset and wealth managers, family offices, insurers, virtual banks, licensed fintech and virtual-asset platforms — 75 finance categories.
Awards for this industryJudging — FAQs
Who judges?
The programme's appointed jury and, where applicable, its authorised management evaluation team, against published criteria.
Any vote?
None.
Does the package affect the decision?
No; the published principles exclude monetary influence. Packages change scope and level only.
Criteria for organisations?
Business performance, customer experience, innovation, leadership and management, market impact, quality, growth, sustainability — applied as relevant.
Criteria for individuals?
Results during tenure, leadership and management, innovation, team and capability development, industry or community contribution.
Indexed figures?
Accepted — indexed series or percentage changes over a defined period, with the period and measure stated.
Different criteria at Asia level?
No; only the field changes.
Key dates?
Entries close on 15 September 2026. Jury review follows in the second half of September, a private shortlist in October, and winners are announced at the Dubai gala on 14 November 2026.
Last reviewed: 12 September 2026 · Award facts sourced from the official programme publications.