A great deal of the successes of The Yusuf bin Ahmed Kanoo Trading House and its companies over more than a hundred and thirty years could be attributed to the interest in science and scientific excellence that the YBA Kanoo family members have shown generation after generation. The founder, Hajj Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo, recommended the necessity of educating the family’s children and grandchildren, believing that knowledge is the key to success in life. That is why he sent his brothers and sisters’ children to universities at the beginning of the twentieth century to receive education before practicing trading, who, as a result, were able, by virtue of their education and experience, to obtain more and different commercial businesses. At the beginning of the forties of the last century, the third generation also went to Beirut to study at the American University, then to England and the United States of America, and thus knowledge and scientific excellence became one of the Family’s constant and continuous values to this day, where the seeds of which were laid by the Company’s founder and pioneer, Hajj Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo.

Therefore, The Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Group established an award to honour creators, thinkers, and scientists under the name “The Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Award”. The Award aims to create an incentive for the outstanding individual or group works that contribute to making a positive impact on our Arab societies. The Company has allocated an amount of six million US dollars as an endowment for the account of the Award, from the proceeds of this amount, honourary awards are allocated annually in the specified fields. A board of trustees and an executive office manages the administrative and financial affairs of the Award.


History of the Award

The idea of the Award is an embodiment of the thought and ambitions of Ahmed Bin Ali Kanoo, who held the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Group for the period (1952-1997). He consulted with all members of the Kanoo Family about establishing an award holding the name of the first founder, Hajj Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo, in commemoration of his tribute at the Arab level, as he was famous for his love of science and scientist, and helping students of knowledge, in addition to his contributions to charitable works and his commercial dealings, which were characterized by tolerance, honesty, sincerity and fidelity.

Abdulaziz bin Jassim Kanoo was assigned the Chairmanship of the Award,  and was tasked to form a council of people with scientific expertise and competencies to manage the daily operations of the Award. Abdulaziz took the initiative and contacted the people of expertise to introduce and crystallize the idea. He also visited many university professors and thinkers in the region to exchange opinions with them about establishing the Award.

Later, The Board of Directors of The Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Group officially decided to establish the Award and allocated an amount of six million US dollars as an endowment for it to be invested and disbursed from. The Board specified three main awards, in the fields of Economics, Islamic Studies, and Sciences. 

In 1998, the Minister of Information and Cabinet Affairs issued a Decision No. 4/1998 which approved the formation of the Yusuf bin Ahmed Kanoo Award which was published in the Official Gazette (Bahrain), Issue No. 2346 on Wednesday, 11 November, 1998.

The Award is currently chaired by Mr Khalid bin Mohamed Kanoo, the Chairman of the Group’s Board of Directors.


Royal Patronage

In support of the leadership’s directives in encouraging scientific, economic and cultural innovations, The Late Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa received members of the Board of Trustees of The Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Award, welcoming the Award project and affirming his blessings, support and encouragement.