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Team Lotus’ Tony Fernandes awarded CBE in London

Posted: 01 Apr 2011 05:13 AM PDT

tony fernandes

Team Lotus boss Tony Fernandes has been awarded a CBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at a ceremony in London.

The 46-year-old Malaysian entrepreneur received the award for his "services to promote commercial and educational links" between the UK and Malaysia.

Fernandes, who also runs the AirAsia airline, says his award will serve to further facilitate the promotion of commercial and cultural ties between the two countries.

"I am extremely humbled to have received this award today and I would like to thank Her Majesty The Queen for bestowing such an honour upon me,” he said.

“More than a personal honour, it will serve as a catalyst to further enhance relations between the UK and Malaysia, particularly in the areas of business, culture and education.”

The CBE is the second major award conferred on Fernandes in Europe after the French government gave him the title of Officier of the Legion d'honneur—the highest award for a non-French national—for his outstanding contributions to the aviation industry in 2010.

Fernandes was also recently named “Asia Businessman of the Year 2010″ by the international magazine Forbes, alongside a number of other top awards from private bodies and media organisations.