The Awards
CBN (Cyprus Business News), the IMH English-language business portal, introduced in 2024 the CBN Young Dragon Awards, as an
annual event honouring professionals/executives under 40 who have demonstrated outstanding achievements, leadership prowess and a commitment to having a positive impact on their companies and on the broader business community.
CBN Young Dragon Awards reward TALENT, POTENTIAL and EARLY ACHIEVEMENT in business. In a world brimming with talent, these awards seek to recognise and honour the exceptional accomplishments of young professionals. By highlighting the achievements of young professionals, the awards serve as inspiration to others in the early stages of their careers, motivating them to strive for excellence and have a positive impact on their particular fields.
Award Categories
Awards will be given to individuals in 10 categories
- Tourism, Hotel, Leisure, Food and Beverage
- Construction and Real Estate
- Trading and Manufacturing (retail trade, wholesale trade, manufacturing)
- Technology (technology companies, software, hardware, telcos, etc.)
- Services (Education, Health, Media, Communications, Advertising, Supply Chain and Logistics)
- Financial Services (Banking, Investing, Insurance, other financial services)
- Shipping
- Professional Services (law, accounting, consulting)
- Gaming
- Special Award Young Entrepreneur
Award Procedures
1.Formation of the Awards Judging Committee
The Committee consists of personalities from all business sectors, who will contribute with their knowledge and experience to the nominees’ assessments. The Committee will meet on 2 different occasions.
2.Open Call procedure
Nominations for the awards will be submitted through an open call procedure available through the cbn.com.cy news portal. Nominations will be for individuals, but the nomination has to be submitted by the employer-company (supervisor, manager, hr, CEO). A single company may nominate up to 9 employees for an award.
IMH will process all applications and confirm that they comply with the Award rules and regulations.
3.Candidate assessment and evaluation
All applications/ nominations in each award category will be evaluated by the Awards Committee. Following the evaluation, the Committee will meet for a second time to discuss and then vote to
select the four (4) candidates with the highest score in each category.
4.Announcement of the four (4) selected candidates in each category and public voting
Once the four finalists in each category have been decided by the Committee, they will be announced to the public for voting. Voting will take place on the Cyprus Business News portal (cbn.com.cy).
5.Winners
The awarded individuals will be the candidates who achieve the highest combined score from the public and Committee votes.
·Public vote weighted average: 50%
·Committee vote weighted average: 50%
6.Awards Ceremony
The awarded individuals will be announced during a celebratory Awards Ceremony.
Candidates Selection Rules
Candidates eligible for nomination must fulfill the following:
- Eligible candidates must be under 40 years of age (i.e. born in or after 1986)
- Candidates must be working full-time for a Cypriot company (registered with the Cyprus Registrar of Companies and based in Cyprus).
- Candidates must have been with the company making the endorsement for their nomination for at least 2 (two) years.
- Candidates can be working at any department and any level of their company.
- All nominations must be endorsed and submitted by the employer-company (supervisor, manager, hr, CEO), using the available, official, online template.
- Nominations must be for an available category (see awards categories)
- Each company may nominate any number of candidates in up to 9 categories.
Nominations must be for individuals, NOT teams.
Selection Criteria
The CBN Young Dragon Awards reward
- TALENT
- POTENTIAL
- EARLY ACHIEVEMENT in business.
The Awards aim to celebrate the accomplishments of emerging talent, encourage excellence and innovation, and empower young professionals to reach their full potential as leaders in their industries and communities.
Candidates eligible for nomination must be demonstrated the following:
- Talent and achievement in their work.
- Strong leadership qualities, including the ability to inspire, motivate and guide others.
- Innovative thinking and problem-solving.
- An ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues, clients and stakeholders.
- An ability to articulate ideas and concepts clearly and persuasively.
- Their potential for a successful career path within the organisation.
- A commitment to ethical conduct in their professional and personal interactions
- A commitment to making a positive impact beyond the workplace.
Young Entrepreneur
(Special Category)
Selection Rules, Selection Criteria and Information for Candidates
The Special Young Entrepreneur Award aims to recognize an inspiring young business mind who has created his/her own new, successful business. The award will emphasize the achievements of the young entrepreneur, his/her potential for continued growth through his new business and impact in the business
world.
Selection Rules
- Eligible candidates must be under 40 years of age (i.e. born in or after 1986).
- Candidates must be the founders of the company.
- The company must be in operation for at least 4 years.
- The company must be based in Cyprus.
- Nominations for this award can be made through the candidates themselves—no third-person endorsement is needed.
Selection Criteria
Financial Performance
The candidate company should demonstrate consistent and sustainable revenue growth over time, driven by long-term strategy rather than reliance on short-term market trends. It must operate under a robust and resilient business model capable of withstanding market fluctuations and broader economic challenges. Financial performance should reflect stability, scalability, and a clear path toward profitability.
Disruption & Innovation
The young entrepreneur should be at the forefront of his/her industry, introducing pioneering ideas and innovative processes.
Entrepreneurial Spirit
The candidate must have a clear, strategic vision for the future and a strategy to achieve it.
Community Impact
The candidate and their business should demonstrate a meaningful and measurable positive impact on the community. This includes creating employment opportunities, fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment, and serving as an inspiration to others through leadership and value-driven actions.
The entrepreneur must show a clear commitment to ethical business practices, sustainability, and social responsibility. Whether through local engagement, charitable initiatives, mentorship, or programs that uplift underserved populations, the candidate’s contributions should reflect a genuine investment in the
well-being of the broader community.
Their actions should go beyond profit, highlighting a business philosophy that integrates community development and long-term collective benefit.
Awards Judging Committee
An Awards Committee of fifty+ (50+) personalities from the business world in Cyprus will be set up. Members of the Awards Committee are active in specific award categories or have more diverse business backgrounds and experiences.
The Awards Committee is the ultimate decision-making body to determine the validation of nominees and decide on the final four candidates for each category.
The Awards Committee will be chaired by the CEO of IMH.
The Awards Committee will meet two times in accordance with the following procedure:
- 1st Meeting: To explain the awards and agree on principles and procedures.
- 2nd Meeting: To discuss the nominations and assess candidates before voting to select the four candidates.
Awards Ceremony
The CBN Young Dragon Awards ceremony will take place in early January 2026, announcing the winners in all 10 respective categories.
The ceremony will be a celebration of young achievement and accomplishment and will have the following structure:
- Welcome cocktail.
- Theater-style award reception, followed by after-event party
- 800+ invited guests
- Awards will be presented by a major personality.
The professional event management team of IMH, renowned for its uncompromising level of personal service and attention to detail, designs this annual event which is a truly memorable experience for the business community of Cyprus.
