Champions

 

of

 

well-being

 

crowned

 

at

 

the

 

mentl

 

awards

 

2025

Pioneering work by The Department of Health Abu Dhabi in improving citizens mental health has been crowned the Best mental health and well-being initiative in the UAE, at this year’s ‘the mentl awards 2025’.

At a glittering gala awards dinner on Friday, November 21, in Dubai, the Department of Health Abu Dhabi emerged at the top of an exceptionally competitive field of sixteen finalists in one of the most prestigious categories of the night.

Judges highlighted the department’s comprehensive, system-wide approach – including new digital screening for depression and anxiety, expanded access to psychology and psychiatry services, and new standards of care rolled out across the emirate.

Three-time finalist Sama Health was recognised with a Highly Commended, while Majid Al Futtaim received an Honourable Mention, acknowledging their continued leadership in building workplace cultures grounded in well-being.

The Department of Health Abu Dhabi also took home the Outstanding Contribution to Healthcare (Mental Health) award, affirming its impact in opening access to over one million residents and transforming the region’s mental health landscape.

Ranim Kaddoura, Senior Specialist Healthcare Planning at the Department of Health Abu Dhabi, said:

“At the mentl awards, and we couldn’t be prouder. While this recognition is truly an honour, it’s also icing. The real celebration is the work it recognizes. This year we have opened access to over a million residents, published 4 regulatory tools that standardize care, emphasize recovery and functional outcomes and support clinicians in everyday practice.

“This year we, at Department of Health Abu Dhabi, transformed Mental Health in Abu Dhabi. I’m so proud of this recognition and double proud of the work.”

It was a record breaking year for ‘the mentl awards 2025’ with its largest field of entries to date, as well as its biggest audience – with more than 400 guests attending the gala dinner, representing many of the region’s most influential employers.

Across the night, more than 70 winners, highly commended entries and honourable mentions were celebrated from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.

Scott Armstrong, founder of mentl, said: “We launched the awards three years ago from zero and it has been inspiring to see how this ‘community of the caring’ has grown and come together to celebrate each other’s success. Sometimes events around the world can cause you to wonder, but each year the awards show us what is possible when we care – and they give me hope for our children’s future.”

Mental Health Heroes: Rise Above

One of the most moving moments of the evening came from the Mental Health Heroes: Rise Above category – honouring individuals who have faced extraordinary adversity and turned their experiences into strength, leadership and hope for others.

This year’s judges selected joint winners: Nicole Clark-Darby and Joel Burgess, with Highly Commended awarded to Salama Al Kaabi.

Nicole Clark-Darby was recognised for her incredible courage after the sudden loss of her husband, raising young twins alone, surviving burnout and depression, and slowly rebuilding her life through therapy, energy practices and deep personal work. Her story – which she calls “the beauty of brokenness” – has resonated across the region and inspired countless others to speak openly about mental health.

Joel Gujral, founder of MYNDUP, turned severe illness, suicidal ideation and lack of access to care into a global mental health platform operating in 50 countries. His solution delivers therapy, coaching and crisis support in 35 languages, achieving engagement levels ten times higher than traditional EAPs and reducing stress, anxiety and depression for more than 95% of users.

Salama Murad Alblooshi, the Highly Commended recipient, lives with Trichorhinophalangeal Syndrome Type 1. Despite chronic pain, tremors and years of bullying, she rebuilt her life through therapy, art and community advocacy – with measurable improvements including increased sleep, reduced emotional breakdowns and major steps toward social reintegration. She is now a visible voice for People of Determination and rare disease communities across the UAE.

Other Major Winners Of The Night

KEO International Consultants emerged as one of the strongest performers across the awards, winning multiple categories and standing out for its integrated well-being approach covering mental, physical, financial and social health. Their financial wellness roadshow alone engaged over 800 employees, contributing to satisfaction scores rising from 79% to 97%.

Acorn Strategy also secured multiple wins on the night. Their ELEMENTS programme – embedded into weekly rhythms, leadership behaviours and performance systems – delivered sector-leading results, including sick leave reduced to just 0.47 days per person, far below the regional benchmark.

Winner in the Energy sector for mental health, ADNOC reached 25,000 employees through more than 250 mental health sessions, achieving a 99.79% normal mental health score across its workforce.

In the Retail category, winner Alshaya Group launched a scalable, multi-country well-being system with 24/7 multilingual mental health support – achieving a 61% engagement rate compared with typical EAP engagement of 3–5%.

The team from Coca-Cola Arena were recognised for excellence in well-being within events and live entertainment, while Dubai Holding Entertainment were celebrated as winners for a pioneering disability inclusion strategy and earning the UAE’s first Autism-Friendly certification for a theme park group. Also sharing the DEI category win was a joint initiative by University of Birmingham Dubai and e&., recognised for exceptional commitment to inclusion.

Mediclinic Middle East were honoured excellence in HR and staff well-being, and Standard Chartered were acknowledged for best-in-class mental health support in the finance sector.

Full List of Winners

Best ESG project that supports well-being and mental health

Winner: Neuropower World

Highly Commended: Incept Legal

Best caring for the carers initiative

Aster DM Healthcare

Best mental health and well-being initiative in Bahrain

Winner: KEO International Consultants & Allied Practices

Best mental health and well-being initiative in Kuwait

Winner: KEO International Consultants & Allied Practices

Best mental health and well-being initiative in Qatar

Winner: KEO International Consultants & Allied Practices

Highly Commended: Prologue GM

Best mental health and well-being initiative in Saudi Arabia

Winner: HayatX

Highly Commended: Sync – Ithra & Masar Center

Best mental health and well-being initiative in the UAE

Winner; Department of Health – Abu Dhabi

Highly Commended: SAMA HEALTH FZ LLC

Honourable Mention: Majid Al Futtaim

Best well-being initiative in hospitality and tourism

Winner: Melia Desert Palm Resort & Hotel, Dubai

Best well-being support in Human Resources and talent management

Winner: MEDICLINIC MIDDLE EAST

Highly Commended: KEO International Consultants & Allied Practices

Best well-being support in PR and communications

Winner: The Brill Collective & Acorn Strategy

Highly Commended: The Brill Collective & TishTash Communications

Honourable mention: Weber Shandwick MENAT

Best well-being support in a charity or non-profit

Winner: Keif Social Enterprise by Dr Haneen Jarrar from The Free Spirit Collective

Highly Commended:

Al Riyadh Charter School & 2ND INNINGS & Thrift for Good

Honourable mention: British Chamber of Commerce Dubai (BCCD)

Best well-being support in professional services

Winner: Acorn Strategy

Highly Commended: Deloitte Middle East

Honourable mention: Creation Business Consultants

Best well-being support in the FMCG sector

Winner: Mars Gulf

Best well-being support in the legal profession

Winner: Baker McKenzie

Highly Commended: Pinsent Masons & Incept Legal

Honourable mention: Al Tamimi and Company

Best well-being support in the start-up / SME sector

Winner: MeNOW Health -My Menopause Companion

Best well-being support in the travel industry

Winner: Dulsco People

Mental Health Heroes: Advocate of the Year

Winner:  Wellbeing Leaders

Highly commended: Rebecca McGuane – Lockton & That Dubai Girl

Honourable mention: Hind Al Saadi, Majid Al Futtaim

Mental Health Heroes: Empathy in Leadership

Winner: Braver Leaders

Highly Commended: Natasha Hatherall

Honourable mention: Clare McDonald, Oliver Wyman

Mental Health Heroes: Mental Health Champion 2025

Winner: Faye Cobb – A&O Shearman

Highly commended: That Dubai Girl

Honourable mention: Tania Kteily – Weber Shandwick MENAT

Mental Health Heroes: Rise Above

Winner: Nicole Clark-Darby & Joel Gujral

Highly Commended: Salama Murad Alblooshi

Most impactful financial literacy project

Winner: KEO’s most impactful financial literacy project

Highly Commended: Conscious Finance Coaching

Most innovative mental health tech

Winner; Lumii.me

Highly Commended: WellxAI

Most supportive technology company

Winner: Beacon Red Al-Rafah Strategy

Outstanding community impact by mental health practitioners

Winner: American Center for Psychiatry and Neurology

Outstanding contribution in healthcare to mental health

Winner: Department of Health Abu Dhabi

Highly Commended: The Aceso Group

Outstanding diversity, equity and inclusion initiative

Winners: Dubai Holding Entertainment & University of Birmingham Dubai with e&

Highly Commended: Zain Group – BE WELL

Honourable mention:  Al Nabooda Automobiles

Outstanding mental health event or well-being support in the event sector

Winner: Coca-Cola Arena

Highly Commended: Informa Middle East

Outstanding well-being initiative in education

Winner: Safa Community School – Happiest School in the UAE

Highly Commended: GEMS Cambridge International School Sharjah

Outstanding well-being initiative in finance

Winner: Standard Chartered

Highly Commended: Healthx

Outstanding well-being initiative in sports, fitness and wellness

Winner: Axia

Highly Commended: What The Fahad podcast

Outstanding well-being support for our front line heroes

Winner: Resicare Alliance

Outstanding well-being support in construction

Winner: WSP

Highly Commended: KEO International Consultants & Allied Practices

Outstanding well-being support in real estate

Winner: Savills Real Estate LLC

Outstanding well-being support in the creative sector

Winner: Acorn Strategy

Highly Commended: DNV Expo City Offices – Say Studio

Outstanding well-being support in the energy industry

Winner: Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC)

Highly Commended: DNV

Outstanding well-being support in the retail sector

Alshaya Group

Most improved entrant year on year

Conscious Finance Coaching