MUMBAI: Tata Consultancy Services CEO S Ramadorai has been voted 'Asia Business Leader Award'. The award was presented by CNBC Asia Pacific and TNT at the Asia Business Leader Awards 2002 function in Hong Kong.

Other nominees for the award included business leaders from Asian countries such as China, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines.

The Asia Business Leader Award seeks to recognise and honour the achievements of business leaders based in Asia on the qualities of innovation, community service and drive to ensure the company's success, besides taking into account the business leader's actions relating to global trends and issues. It also gives due weightage to the business leader's ability to inspire and motivate staff, ensure customer loyalty, increase profitability and make his or her vision for the company a reality. The panel of judges for the award, which was led by Prof Dr Hellmut Schutte, comprised leading businessmen, management thinkers and journalists from all over Asia.

Ramadorai, during the last 30 years at TCS, has played a critical role in establishing TCS on the global map as a leading software services company. Beginning his career with TCS as a junior engineer, he rose through the ranks and was instrumental in setting up TCS' operations in New York City in the United States in 1979, which has since grown to more than 40 offices throughout the country. On his appointment as CEO in 1996, Mr Ramadorai focused his efforts on building relationships with large corporations and academic institutions, planning and directing technology development and acquisitions, and overseeing the company's research and development activities.