Mustafa Nejem wins two 2026 MENA Stevie Awards

Maritime executive and author Mustafa Nejem won Gold and Bronze honors in the 2026 Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards for sustainability and thought leadership. The awards highlight growing attention on maritime decarbonization, crew wellbeing and inclusive leadership across a region that drew more than 1,400 nominations from 15 countries.

Why it matters: - The two Stevie Awards recognize maritime leadership that connects sustainability, operational performance and human wellbeing. - The honors add external validation to work focused on greener shipping, stronger professional standards and more inclusive leadership in the maritime sector. - The recognition also reflects broader regional attention to maritime innovation, with winners drawn from 15 countries.

What happened: - Mustafa Nejem received two honors in the 2026 Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards. - Nejem won Gold in the Award for Outstanding Individual Contribution to Sustainability for “Mustafa A. Nejem: Outstanding Individual Contribution to Maritime Sustainability and Innovation.” - Nejem also won Bronze in the Thought Leader of the Year category for “Global Thought Leader in Maritime Sustainability, Innovation, and Inclusive Leadership.” - The awards were announced in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on August 31, 2026. - Nejem is a Master Mariner, managing director, Chartered Manager and author. - The 2026 Stevie Awards follow his earlier win of the Maritime Youth Award at the Saudi Maritime Awards Night 2026 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The details: - Nejem’s work spans maritime strategy, fleet operations, leadership development, sustainability, law and human-centered innovation. - Nejem holds credentials from several professional bodies, including Chartered Management Institute, Royal Society of Arts, Institute of Consulting, The Nautical Institute and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. - His academic background includes an LL.M. in International Commercial Law from the University of Salford, a Global MBA from Abertay University, an Executive MBA in Business Analytics from UCAM in Spain, an MSc in Fleet Management, an MSc in Maritime Business and a Master Mariner Certificate of Competency. - Nejem’s research has focused on maritime finance, data-driven decision-making in global maritime business, sustainable shipping and crew welfare. - Nejem said sustainability in shipping depends on better decisions, stronger professional standards and leaders who understand that operational performance, environmental responsibility and human wellbeing are linked. - Nejem’s books include The Green Wave: Embracing Renewable Energy in Maritime Shipping and The Inclusive Leader: Embracing Diversity for Organizational Excellence. - The Green Wave was recognized by Literary Titan and nominated for The Maritime Foundation Award for Best Book at the 2025 Maritime Media Awards in the United Kingdom. - Nejem founded SeaMentor.app, a digital platform focused on seafarer wellbeing, safety and environmental awareness. - More information is available on Nejem’s LinkedIn profile, his Instagram account and SeaMentor.app. - The 2026 MENA Stevie Awards reviewed more than 1,400 nominations in Arabic and English. - More than 155 professionals evaluated the nominations.

Between the lines: - The awards suggest maritime sustainability is increasingly being judged alongside leadership, innovation and workforce wellbeing, not just environmental targets. - Nejem’s mix of sea-going experience, executive roles, academic credentials and publishing gives the awards a clear leadership narrative. - The recognition may help amplify SeaMentor.app and Nejem’s wider work across crew support, training and sustainability.

What's next: - Nejem is likely to continue using his platform as an executive, author and founder to advance maritime sustainability and inclusive leadership. - SeaMentor.app may draw more attention as maritime organizations look for tools that support crew wellbeing and environmental awareness. - The dual Stevie Awards could strengthen the reach of Nejem’s books, research and speaking work across the maritime industry.