Team Lotus boss Tony Fernandes received his Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) award from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in London today.

The award is attributed to his "services to promote commercial and educational links" between the UK and Malaysia.

"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. 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," said Fernandes.

The entrepreneur wears several hats including Team Principal of Team Lotus, Group CEO of AirAsia and founder of the fledgling Malaysian-based conglomerate Tune Group.

"I receive this award today not on my behalf," he continued, "but on behalf of all the incredible people I work with, wherever they may be around the world. It is their dedication, passion, enthusiasm and hard work that drives me on every single day and it is also my great honour to have the privilege of working with them."

The CBE is the second major award conferred on Fernandes in Europe. In 2010, the French government conferred upon 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. Fernandes was also recently named "Asia Businessman of the Year 2010" by the international magazine Forbes, and has gathered a slew of other top awards from private bodies and media organisations for his innovative approach to business.