2025 Winners

Business Leader of the Year 2018

Peter Mountford, CEO: Super Group

Appointed CEO in July 2009, Peter is responsible for the Group’s strategic trajectory and the alignment of more than 14 900 people across 21 countries. With an enviable track record for navigating demanding and complex environments, his unwavering focus is on the delivery of superior shareholder value, and on the ongoing creation of sustainable competitive edge for both the Super Group business and its clients. A qualified Chartered Accountant with an MBA from Warwick University, Peter’s expansive leadership experience includes the role of managing director of SAB Diversified Beverages (which included SAB’s supply chain services and logistics interests). Peter is a long-serving director and the current Deputy Chairman of the Road Freight Association and a Master Category Winner of the EY World Entrepreneur Award for southern Africa. He was recognised as the All Africa Business Leader of the Year in 2018.

Business Woman of the Year 2018

Nomkhita Nqweni, CEO: ABSA Wealth, Investment Management and Insurance

Nomkhita Nqweni is on the board of Vodacom Group Ltd., South African Mint Co., South African Bank Note Co. (Pty) Ltd. and Old Mutual Ltd. Ms. Nqweni previously held the position of CEO-Wealth & Investment Management at Absa Group Ltd. Chief Executive of Wealth & Investment Management at Absa Capital Pty Ltd. (Investment Management) and CEO-Wealth, Investment Management & Insurance at ABSA Bank Ltd. (both are subsidiaries of Absa Group Ltd.), Chief Executive Officer for Absa Asset Management Pty Ltd. (Investment Management), Managing Director at Morgan Holdco Ltd. and Managing Director at Alexander Forbes Investments Jersey Ltd. Ms. Nqweni received an undergraduate degree from Rhodes University and a graduate degree from the University of Johannesburg. She was recognised as the All Africa Business Woman of the Year in 2018.

Entrepreneur of the Year 2018

Thembalihle Baloyi, Founder and

Executive Director: Discovery Insure

Themba is a Founder and Executive Director of Discovery Insure Ltd, a Motor Insurance Company launched in 2011. He joined Discovery in 2001 spearheading numerous initiatives culminating in his innovative and relentless drive to launch his 10-year vision of Discovery Insure. Themba is member of the board in the following organisations: YPO-WPO Africa Regional Board, Henley Business School Academic and Advisory Board; South African Insurance Association (SAIA); South African Insurance Crime Bureau (SAICB); and Institute of Insurance South Africa (IISA). In 2003 he co-founded Black Insurance Professionals of Southern Africa (BIPSA). He was recognised as the All Africa Entrepreneur of the Year in 2018.

Industrialist of the Year 2018

Quinton Uren, MD: Jendamark Automation

Jendamark Automation managing director Quinton Uren was named Africa’s Industrialist of the Year at the grand finale of the All Africa Business Leaders Awards, hosted by CNBC Africa at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on November 29. Uren, whose Port Elizabeth-based automation company exports manufacturing assembly solutions to 18 countries worldwide, beat out business leaders from Southern, West and East Africa for the overall title at the eighth annual continental awards. These included fellow South African finalists Nampak CEO Andre de Ruyter, Likoebe Innovation Consultants founder Nneile Nkholise, and Nana Sebelo, CEO of Thata uBeke Manufacturing. Speaking after the ceremony, Uren said the award was a “massive recognition for what Jendamark as a South African company, has achieved in the export market”.

All Africa Company of the Year 2018

Ethiopian Airlines

Despite its humble beginnings, Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopian) has had more than 75 years of successful journey which made it the leading Aviation Group in Africa. Of course, Ethiopian is ageing beautifully. Over the decades, the airline has established itself as the leader in all facets of the aviation business: technology leadership, network expansion and aviation mentoring. Ethiopian started its operation with five C-47 aircrafts back in 1946 and made its debut fight to Cairo via Asmara. Ever since, it has been growing in leaps and bounds, and continued to introduce cutting-edge aviation technology and systems. As aviation technology leader, Ethiopian was a pioneer in ushering in new aviation technology into Africa including the first jet airplane as well as the first B767, B777-200LR, B787 Dreamliner, and787-9 in the continent. Ethiopian Airlines was recognised as the All Africa Company of the Year in 2018.

Young Business Leader of the Year 2018

Dr. Elikem Tamaklo, Managing Director: Nyaho Medical Centre

Dr. Elikem Tamaklo is the Managing Director of Nyaho Medical Centre, a leading healthcare provider in Ghana and the first private Group Medical Practice in the country. He has held this position since 2015 and during this time has led the digital transformation of the Hospital, integrating services, equipment and infrastructure through an integrated Hospital Information System centered around patients and their families. Dr. Tamaklo holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from St. George’s Hospital Medical School in London. He was recognised as the All Africa Young Business Leader of the Year in 2018.

Innovator of the Year 2018

James Paterson & Benjamin Meltzer,

Co-founders: Aerobotics

James grew up on a farm outside of Cape Town, learning firsthand the challenges faced by his family and community of growers. Years later, at university, he met Benji and together they decided to see how they could use their combined skills in aeronautics and machine learning to find ways to solve the challenges faced by the agricultural sector. In the beginning, James and Benji brought together a team to assemble their own drones and fly them on James’ family farm. They were soon able to validate that they could use artificial intelligence to process aerial imagery, and identify problems invisible to the naked eye. Today, they have flown and generated insights for over one hundred million trees to help growers, investors and insurers improve their production and profitability. James Paterson & Benjamin Meltzer were recognised as the All Africa Innovator of the Year in 2018.

Philanthropist of the Year 2018

Sir Donald Gordon, Founder: Donald Gordon Foundation

Sir Donald Gordon (24 June 1930 – 21 November 2019) was a South African – British businessman and philanthropist. He founded Liberty Life Association of Africa in 1957 and Liberty International. Educated at King Edward VII School in Johannesburg, and then enrolled at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg where he obtained a BCom degree in Accounting. Thereafter, he completed his articles to be a Chartered Accountant at the firm Kessel Feinstein (now Grant Thornton). He was behind the development of Sandton City, one of the most successful shopping centres in the world. Gordon was a director of the Guardian Royal Exchange Group for 24 years and chaired their South African subsidiary, Guardian National Insurance Company. He was recognised as the All Africa Philanthropist of the Year in 2018

Lifetime Achievement Award 2018

Solomon Kerzner, Founder: Southern Sun Hotel Group and Sun International

Solomon ‘Sol’ Kerzner, KCMG (23 August 1935 – 21 March 2020) was a South African accountant and business magnate. He founded both of South Africa’s largest hotel groups, the Southern Sun Hotel Group and Sun International. He was also the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Kerzner International. As a result of the success of the Sun City Resort with its Gary Player Country Club golf course (ranked number 1 in South Africa), he became involved in an international hotel, leisure and gambling resorts: most notably for his role as the developer behind the Atlantis Resort in The Bahamas. He was recognised as the All Africa Lifetime Achiever of the Year in 2018

African of the Year 2018

His Excellency Paul Kagame, President: Republic of Rwanda

Paul Kagame; born 23 October 1957) is a Rwandan politician and former military officer who is the fourth and current president of Rwanda since 2000. He served as Chair of the AU from 2018 to 2019 and chaired the East African Community from 2018-2021. President Kagame continues to lead the AU Institutional reforms and serves as the AU Champion for Domestic Health Financing. He also currently Chairs the Commonwealth. The hallmarks of President Kagame’s administration are peace and reconciliation, women’s empowerment, promotion of investment and entrepreneurship, and access to information technology, a cause he also champions as Co-Chair of the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development. He was recognised as the All Africa African of the Year in 2018.

Chief Financial Officer of the Year 2019

André du Plessis, CFO: Capitec

André is a co-founder of Capitec, and most recently served as the FD until he retired in 2022. He was appointed as the bank’s FD in 2002 after being its financial manager since 2000. Prior to founding Capitec, Andre served as the chief executive of financial management at Boland PKS. Before that he was a partner at Arthur Andersen for 10 years. He has a B.Com degree and is a qualified CA(SA) with expertise in the areas of business advisory, financial consulting, and strategic and financial management. He was recognised as the All Africa Chief Financial Officer of the Year in 2019.

Innovator of the Year 2019

Obi Ozor, Co-Founder: Kobo360

Obiora “Obi” Ozor (born April 7 1989) is a Nigerian entrepreneur and co-founder & CEO of Kobo360, an African freight e-logistics startup. As a passionate advocate for logistics and technology, Obi started his company with aims to achieve an efficient supply chain framework in Africa. Previously, he served as an Investment Banker at J.P. Morgan in New York and as Operations Coordinator at Uber in Nigeria. The initial idea of Kobo360 started in 2014 when Obi and Ife experienced difficulty in shipping goods from the United States to Nigeria. In 2017, they officially launched Kobo360 to connect cargo and truck owners with drivers and customers. In December 2019, Obi was named ‘Young Business Leader of the Year’ and ‘Innovator of the Year’ at the 9th All Africa Business Leaders Awards.

Young Business Leader of the Year 2019

Obi Ozor, Co-Founder: Kobo360

Obiora “Obi” Ozor (born April 7 1989) is a Nigerian entrepreneur and co-founder & CEO of Kobo360, an African freight e-logistics startup. As a passionate advocate for logistics and technology, Obi started his company with aims to achieve an efficient supply chain framework in Africa. Previously, he served as an Investment Banker at J.P. Morgan in New York and as Operations Coordinator at Uber in Nigeria. The initial idea of Kobo360 started in 2014 when Obi and Ife experienced difficulty in shipping goods from the United States to Nigeria. In 2017, they officially launched Kobo360 to connect cargo and truck owners with drivers and customers. In December 2019, Obi was named ‘Young Business Leader of the Year’ and ‘Innovator of the Year’ at the 9th All Africa Business Leaders Awards.

Business Woman of the Year 2019

Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, CEO: Naspers South Africa

Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa is a South African business executive currently working as the Chief Executive Officer of Naspers South Africa. She previously held the positions of co-founder and chief executive officer at Sigma Capital and CEO at the Shanduka Group. Mahanyele-Dabengwa was included in The Wall Street Journal list of the “Top 50 women in the world to watch in 2008”, was recognized by Africa Investors as a “Leading African Woman in Business” in 2012, and named as ForbesWoman Africa “Business Woman of the Year” in 2014. The All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA) named her “Business Woman of the Year” in 2019.

Entrepreneur of the Year 2019

Dirk and Faan van der Walt, Founders: WeBuyCars

WeBuyCars is a tremendous success story. Started in 2001 by two brothers, Faan and Dirk van der Walt, it is now a household name and generates billions in revenue. Buying, fixing, and selling cars are in the brothers’ blood. They started doing it as a hobby while still in school in Bronkhorstspruit. Faan and his wife went to teach in the UK for two years and, armed with some savings on their return, he partnered with Dirk to expand the business. Over a 5-year period WeBuyCars opened new vehicle supermarkets in Cape Town, Durban, Midstream, and Johannesburg. It also expanded its range of services, which now include financing, insurance, tracking, and online auctions. Today the company has a presence in all nine provinces and the WeBuyCars website attracts 814,000 unique visitors per month. Dirk and Faan van der Walt were recognised as the All Africa Entrepreneur of the Year in 2019.

Business Leader of the Year 2019

Mteto Nyati, Former CEO: Altron

Mteto Nyati is a South African businessperson who has been the head of 7 different companies and currently holds the position of Chairman of Wazo Investments. He is also on the board of 7 other companies. In his past career he was Group Chief Enterprise Officer at MTN Group Ltd. Chairman of Afrihost Pty Ltd. and Chief Executive Officer of MTN SA (Pty) Ltd. (both are subsidiaries of MTN Group Ltd.), Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director at Altron Ltd., Director-South African Operations at International Business Machines Corp., General Manager-Middle East & African Region at Microsoft South Africa and Chief Executive Officer at ALTRON GROUP. Mr. Nyati received an undergraduate degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He was recognised as the All Africa Business Leader of the Year in 2019.

Philanthropist of the Year 2019

Tony Elumelu, Founder: The Tony Elumelu Foundation

Anthony Onyemaechi Elumelu CFR (born 22 March 1963) is a Nigerian economist, and philanthropist. He chairs Heirs Holdings, Transcorp and is the founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation. In 2020, Elumelu was named on Time’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Following his retirement from United Bank for Africa in 2010, Elumelu founded The Tony Elumelu Foundation. The Tony Elumelu Foundation promotes entrepreneurship in Africa. The Tony Elumelu Foundation’s belief that the private sector’s role is critical for Africa’s development is hinged on the economic philosophy of Africapitalism, which was introduced by Elumelu; “that the African private sector has the power to transform the continent through long-term investments, creating both economic prosperity and social wealth. He was recognised as the All Africa Philanthropist of the Year in 2019.

Global Company of the Year 2019

Mastercard

Mastercard Inc. (stylized as MasterCard from 1979–2016, mastercard from 2016–2019) is the second-largest payment-processing corporation worldwide. It offers a range of financial services. Its headquarters are in Purchase, New York. Throughout the world, its principal business is to process payments between the banks of merchants and the card-issuing banks or credit unions of the purchasers who use the Mastercard-brand debit, credit and prepaid cards to make purchases. Mastercard has been publicly traded since 2006. Mastercard was recognised as the Global Company of the Year in 2019 at the All Africa Business Leaders Awards.

All Africa Company of the Year 2019

Nedbank

Nedbank Group is a financial services group in South Africa offering wholesale and retail banking services as well as insurance, asset management, and wealth management. Nedbank Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nedbank Group. Nedbank regional office in Cape Town, South Africa. Nedbank’s primary market is South Africa. Nedbank also operates in six other countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), through subsidiaries and banks in Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe, as well as offices in Angola and Kenya. Outside Africa, Nedbank have offices to provide international financial services for Africa-based clients in Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. Nedbank was recognised as the All Africa Company of the Year in 2019.

African of the Year 2019

Akinwumi Adesina, President: African Development Bank (AfDB)

Akinwumi “Akin” Adesina is a Nigerian economist, who is currently serving as the President of the African Development Bank. He previously served as Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. Until his appointment as Minister in 2010, he was Vice President of Policy and Partnerships for the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). He was elected as the President of the African Development Bank in 2015 and re-elected for a second term in 2020. He is the first Nigerian to hold the post. He was recognised as the All Africa African of the Year in 2019.

Lifetime Achievement Award 2019

Allen Ambor, Founder: Spur Corporation

Spur was founded in 1967 when Allen Ambor invested R4000 into opening the Golden Spur in Newlands, Cape Town. It sparked the rise of South Africa’s most popular steakhouse franchise. Today you’ll find a Spur in 15 countries and every town and mall in South Africa. Soon came the introduction of additional restaurant brands, and today, the Spur Corporation houses The Hussar Grill, RocoMamas, John Dory’s Fish Grill Sushi and Casa Bella under its umbrella. Ambor served as executive chairman of the Spur Corporation board since the company’s listing on the JSE in 1986. Effective from 1 March 2019, founder of Spur Corporation Allen Ambor has officially retired after more than 50 years of service at the food franchise business. He was recognised as the All Africa Lifetime Achiever of the Year in 2019.

Business Leader of the Year

Segun Agbaje, CEO & MD, Guaranty Trust

Holding Co. Plc / Guaranty Trust Bank (UK) Ltd, Nigeria

Currently, J. K. Olusegun Agbaje occupies the position of Group Chief Executive Officer & Director at Guaranty Trust Holding Co. Plc and Chairman for Guaranty Trust Bank (UK) Ltd. (a subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Holding Co. Plc). Mr. Agbaje is also on the board of 5 other companies.

In the past J. K. Olusegun Agbaje occupied the position of Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director at Guaranty Trust Bank Ltd. (Nigeria) and Auditor at Ernst & Young LLP.

Mr. Agbaje received an MBA and an undergraduate degree from the University of San Francisco.

Young Business Leader of the Year

Edha Nahdi, CEO, Amsons Group, Tanzania

Began his career at an early age of 19′, has been managing the transport and camel oil divisions. Succesfully grew up the companies He then successfully established new segments into the group, cement concrete LPG wheat milling and car fright stations.

Mr Nahdi started his business career in early 2006 when he was just 19 as an importer of bulk oil and petroleum products under the Camel Oil Tanzania retail brand, the business diversified into cement, inland container depots, real estate and bulk grain storage.

Entrepreneur of the Year

Jason Xenopoulos, CEO, Native, South Africa

Jason is the Regional Chief Creative Officer for VMLY&R North America and the Global Chief Creative Officer for WPP on Ford.

Jason’s entrepreneurial ventures have spanned all areas of the media industry from film and television to advertising, music, and the Internet. He’s a pioneer of the South African communications industry, having made his mark as a company founder and award-winning screenwriter and film director.

Among his other entrepreneurial ventures, Jason co-founded NATIVE which rapidly grew to be Africa’s leading digital marketing agency. Under Jason’s leadership, NATIVE (now VMLY&R South Africa) won a host of local and international awards including being named Entertainment Agency of the Year at Cannes Lions and Agency of the Year twice by the IAB.

Business Woman of the Year

Louisa Mojela & Gloria Serobe, Founder, WIPHOLD, South Africa

Louisa Mojela

Louisa is a founder and Group CEO of WIPHOLD. Louisa has held positions at Standard Corporate and Merchant Bank and Development Bank of Southern Africa (during which time she was seconded to the World Bank in Washington DC), and the Lesotho National Development Corporation.

Louisa graduated with Bachelor of Commerce from the National University of Lesotho. She has also completed the Executive Leadership Program at Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2000 Louisa was selected as one of 40 women from different continents and countries for “The Leading Women Entrepreneur of the World”. In 2008, Louisa was recognized as one of South Africa’s most influential women in business and government. In May 2009, Louisa was the winner of the Inaugural African Business Leadership Award in Dakar, Senegal by the African Development Bank (AfDB). In January 2010 Louisa received ’The Builders of the African Economy Award’’ in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Louisa serves on several boards including Distell, Sun International, ABB SA, Sasol Mining and Life Healthcare Group Holding (Pty) Ltd.

Gloria Serobe

Gloria was born in Guguletu, Cape Town on 20 September 1959. She obtained a B.Com degree from the University of Transkei and holds an MBA degree from Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA.

She is a Founding Member and Executive Director of WIPHOLD and Chief Executive Officer of Wipcapital.

She serves on several Boards including Old Mutual, Nedbank, Hans Merensky, Sasol Mining and Ixia Coal, She is the Chairman of the Board of the Independent Ports Regulator. She is an honorary member of the Actuarial Society of South Africa and is a member of SAICA’s Advisory Council. Gloria has won numerous awards including the Business Women Association’s Corporate Business Woman of the Year in 2006

Philanthropist of the Year

Wendy Ackerman, Trustee, The Ackerman Foundation, South Africa

Wendy Ackerman is a Non-Executive Director of Pick n Pay Holdings Limited. She joined her husband, Raymond, in Pick n Pay when he acquired the company. Whilst raising a family, Wendy has been totally involved in the Pick n Pay Group’s development of employee benefits and their welfare. She was appointed a Director in 1981 and is responsible for Employee Liaison, Staff Benefits and Welfare.

Wendy has always been deeply involved in promoting education amongst the needy and underprivileged of South Africa. She is a Trustee of the Ackerman Family Educational Trust Fund which assists students from all over the country with bursaries for tertiary education.

She is also a Trustee of the Pick n Pay Bursary Fund which assists children of employees. In addition, she instigated AIDS Awareness programmes throughout the group.

Wendy has always had a great love for the cultural arts and has personally assisted several needy individuals to further their musical and singing careers.

All Africa Industrialist of the Year

Aliko Dangote, Chairman & CEO, Dangote Group, Nigeria

For the eleventh time in a row, Aliko Dangote (b. 1957) has been named the richest man in Africa in 2022, with an estimated net worth of around $13 billion.

He is also the richest black man in the world. The business empire he began to build more than three decades ago, Dangote Group, is one of the largest private-sector employers in Nigeria as well as the most valuable conglomerate in West Africa.

Shortly after graduating from college at 21, Dangote borrowed $3,000 from his uncle to import and sell agricultural commodities in Nigeria, his native country. His business venture quickly became a success, and as a result, he managed to repay the entire loan within three months of starting operations. Ultimately, Dangote was able to turn a local commodities trading business into a multibillion-dollar corporation.

Today, he is one of Africa’s leading industrialists and philanthropists.

Forbes Woman Africa Woman of the Year

Wendy Appelbaum, Chairperson, De Morgenzon Estate, South Africa

Wendy Appelbaum is a South African entrepreneur who owns and is also the chairman of De Morgenzon Wine Estate in Stellenbosch. She served as the former Deputy-Chairman Wiphold, a women’s investment holding company listed on JSE. Besides, she also holds a strong position in other local and international organisations.

Altogether, Wendy is largely recognized for her selflessness, leadership skills in business and economic development, interest in general health and welfare, and her role in advancing women empowerment. She co-founded the company with 10 other influential women and together, they empowered women from all walks of life. They empowered women who were completely disadvantaged and helped them understand how to invest and increase their finance.

In 2003, Wendy and her husband, Hylton bought the DeMorgenzon Estate, a wine and agricultural farm. The wine farm is 224 acres of garden vineyard where abundant wildflowers grow between the vines. It is located in Stellenbosch, South Africa and the word ‘DeMongenzon’ means ‘the morning sun’.

DeMorgenzon is one of the top wine producers in SA. Her first vintage was a Chenin Blanc in 2005, and this was the first maiden vintage to get 5-star ratings in the SA Platter’s Wine Guide. It also won the International Chenin Blanc Trophy for three years in a row at the International Wine Challenge in London.

Over time, it has been awarded the unprecedented Platter’s White Wine of the year for two consecutive times and International Trophies for Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc at the prestigious Decanter World Wine Award. The DeMorgenzon Maestro White 2014 was one of the top 100 of 2017, while the DeMorgenzon Reserve Chenin Blanc 2014 was one of the top 100 wines for 2016 according to the Wine Enthusiast.

Wendy sells about half a million bottles of wine a year, exporting 85% of it. Her main markets include the US, UK, Holland, Belgium, Sweden, Canada and others.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr Christo Wiese, Businessman, Shoprite Holdings (Consumer retail), South Africa

Former Director at Pepkor and Former Chairman of Shoprite Holdings, which started out as a chain of eight supermarkets in Cape Town that was purchased for 1 million rand and grew into a multibillion-dollar business due to various acquisitions and expansion strategies made in the first 30 years of operations. After playing a role in helping Shoprite acquire distributor Senta, Wiese started expanding his business into franchising new locations for Shoprite department stores. He also purchased the struggling OK Bazaars from South African Breweries for one rand in 1997; inserting 157 supermarkets and 146 furniture stores to the company and adding jobs to the area. In 2011, Wiese’s Shoprite stores were considered to be the sixth overall favourite brand, with a third-most valued brand in terms of community upliftment in South Africa. In addition to Shoprite, Wiese owns more than 1,200 corporate outlets under various names. Shares of Shoprite rose by 50% on the South African stock market from March 2011 to March 2012.

He is the current executive director of South African retail giant Shoprite. Wiese has been chairman of Invicta Holdings Limited since 2006.

Lifetime Achievement Award 2019

Allen Ambor, Founder: Spur Corporation

Spur was founded in 1967 when Allen Ambor invested R4000 into opening the Golden Spur in Newlands, Cape Town. It sparked the rise of South Africa’s most popular steakhouse franchise. Today you’ll find a Spur in 15 countries and every town and mall in South Africa. Soon came the introduction of additional restaurant brands, and today, the Spur Corporation houses The Hussar Grill, RocoMamas, John Dory’s Fish Grill Sushi and Casa Bella under its umbrella. Ambor served as executive chairman of the Spur Corporation board since the company’s listing on the JSE in 1986. Effective from 1 March 2019, founder of Spur Corporation Allen Ambor has officially retired after more than 50 years of service at the food franchise business. He was recognised as the All Africa Lifetime Achiever of the Year in 2019.

Business Leader of the Year

Dr James Mwangi, CEO, Equity Bank

Dr. James Mwangi is Group CEO of Equity Group Holdings, credited with democratizing financial access, leading Equity to become an integrated financial services Group operating in 6 African countries with a client base of over 16m, and an asset base of USD 12B+. James established Equity Group Foundation to scale shared prosperity, mobilizing support of likeminded partners to commit USD 445M for social impact. James is an awardee of the 2020 Oslo Business for Peace Award; the 2007 G8 Global Vision Award citing him as “an initiator of a concept of the future that will shape the world economy”; recognized in the FT’s 2009 list of ‘Top 50 thought leaders in emerging markets’ and the ‘Top 20 most influential people in Africa’; is the holder of the 2012 EY World Entrepreneur of the Year award, and was named one of the Bloomberg 50 in 2019.

Entrepreneur of The Year

Jannie Mouton, CEO, PSG Group

Jannie Mouton is a self-made South African billionaire and is the founder of the renowned PSG Group and co-founder of Capitec Bank. He is known as the “Buddha Buffet” and holds a bachelor degree from Stellenbosch University. In 1973, he obtained his qualification as a Chartered Accountant. In November 1995, Mouton bought 51% of PAG (a listed recruitment firm) for R3.5million. Then, in 1997, PAG Ltd changed its name to PSG Group and the company sold PAG placement for R107m so as to focus on financial services. In 1998, R1.2billion was raised for PSG Noble Capital Ltd and the firm got listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). Afterwards, PSG Noble and PSG Investment Bank merged in 1999. Meanwhile, PSG Investment Bank is listed on the JSE as the seventh biggest bank in South Africa. In 2001, Capitec (a low cost bank) listed on JSE with PSG as a shareholder of reference. Thereafter, in 2003, PSG became the largest shareholder of Capitec with 30.7% stake. In 2007, PSG joins Sanlam and Santam in establishing the new direct insurance, MiWay Insurance. Then in 2011, PSG listed its private education group, PSG Investments as Curro Holdings on JSE. In summary, PSG’s investments include; Strategy and Philosophy, Capitec, PSG Konsult, Curro, Dipeo, Zeder Investments, PSG Capital, PSG Corporate and PSG Alpha. Jannie is one of Forbes Africa’s 50 Richest, 2015 and named among Forbes List of Billionaires, 2017.

Business Woman of the Year

Funke Opeke, CEO, Main One Cable Company

Ms. Funke Opeke, is founder and CEO of MainOne, formerly Main One Cable Company. MainOne is West Africa’s leading communications services and network solutions provider that built West Africa’s first privately owned, open access 7,000 kilometer undersea high capacity cable submarine, a $240-million-dollar project that was completed in time and on budget in 2010. MainOne also built West Africa’s largest Tier III Data Center, MDX-i’s Lekki Data Center, a $40 million investment with a capacity for 600 racks. Ms. Opeke is an experienced telecommunications executive who returned to Nigeria in 2005 as the Chief Technical Officer of MTN after a twenty-year career in the United States. Prior to her return, she was the Executive Director of Verizon Communications Wholesale Division. Subsequent to MTN, Ms. Opeke advised Transcorp on the acquisition of NITEL and briefly served as the interim Chief Operating Officer, post-acquisition of NITEL. She obtained a first degree in Electrical Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Nigeria and a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University, New York.

Young Business Leader of The Year

Jack Kayonga, MD, Rwanda Development Bank

Jack Kayonga, is the Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda sovereign wealth fund, before that he was the executive chairman of Rwanda’s largest private equity fund (Crystal Ventures), he also served at the Rwanda Development Bank in several capacities including being its CEO for 5 years. He started his career at the Rwanda’s Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, he is an economist with a Masters degree from Cardiff University and currently finalizing his DBA. He serves and has served on several boards and also has received several accolades.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Manu Chandaria, Chairman, Comcraft

Manu Chandaria is a prominent Kenyan industrialist and philanthropist. He is widely recognized for his leadership as the founder of Comcraft Group, a diversified conglomerate that operates in the manufacturing, real estate, and hospitality sectors in Africa and Asia. Manu earned a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Oklahoma in the US, he later returned to Kenya to join his family’s business that manufactured steel products. In 1960, he founded Comcraft Group, which started out as a small-scale producer of steel products in Kenya.Under Manu’s leadership, Comcraft Group grew rapidly, expanding its operations into other sectors, including real estate and hospitality. The group now operates in several countries in Africa and Asia. Manu is also a dedicated philanthropist. He has been involved in several charitable organizations, including the Chandaria Foundation, which he established in 1956 to support education and healthcare initiatives in Kenya. The foundation has since expanded its scope to include projects in other countries in Africa and Asia, and has been recognized for its impact on improving the lives of people in underserved communities.

The Forbes Africa Advertising Leader of the Year

Bharat Thakrar, CEO, Scangroup

Bharat Thakrar, a Kenyan national, is the founder and former CEO OF WPP Scangroup, East Africa’s largest Integrated Marketing Communications company. In 1982, Thakrar founded Scanad, his first advertising agency, and through a blend of organic growth and acquisitions, built it into Scangroup, an African marketing communications behemoth that is listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange and has a market capitalization of more than $70 million. In 2013, Thakrar, 63, and other shareholders ceded a controlling stake in the business to WPP, a British multinational advertising and public relations company. Scangroup subsequently rebranded to WPP Scangroup.

Forbes Africa Agency Network of the Year

Ogilvy & Mather South Africa

Ogilvy & Mather South Africa’s origins lie with a small hot shop in Cape Town, founded by Bob Rightford, Brian Searle-Tripp and Roger Makin in 1976. After merging with Ogilvy in 1984, Ogilvy & Mather RS-TM dominated the local creative scene during the first decade and over the next twenty years was recognized as a brand-focused agency that acted with integrity. During the 1990’s, Ogilvy & Mather South Africa soared creatively under the leadership of Robyn Putter (1950-2010), who eventually went on to become the global creative head of WPP. Today, Ogilvy South Africa is the leader in the industry, focused on building and transforming brands. Employing more than 900 staff across three offices, Ogilvy remains true to David’s vision; we still see ourselves as a company that does more than ads and have proven that by maintaining our humility and an almost divine discontent at our past successes, we can do more than stay relevant. For more than 50 years, Ogilvy South Africa has created iconic advertising for clients such as KFC, VW, SAB, BP, DStv and Mondelez amongst others, and we continue to live by our founders credo of existing to “Make brands matter”.

Business Leader of the Year

Michael Jordaan, CEO, First National Bank

Michael Jordaan is the Chairman of Mxit, a South African-created mobile social network. Formerly, he was Chief Executive Officer of the First National Bank of Southern Africa, one of the largest banks in South Africa with operations in seven other African countries. The bank’s profit after tax is over US$ 1 billion with a customer base in excess of 9 million. Jordaan has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services sector, having started his career as a Corporate Banker with Deutsche Bank in Hamburg and then Frankfurt. He has a longstanding track record with the FirstRand Group, having joined the management development programme with Rand Merchant Bank in Johannesburg in 1994. He has also held various chief executive positions throughout the FirstRand Group, including Origin Bank (which later rebranded as RMB Private Bank), FNB Home Loans and eBucks.com. After having successfully launched eBucks.com in 2000, Jordaan moved to First National Bank in 2002 to head up its Retail Products Division.

Business Woman of the Year

Mizinga Melu, MD & CEO, National Bank of Commerce

With over 20 years’ experience in the Banking Industry, Mizinga Melu is an industry expert who has been at the helm of top banking organizations having worked in six (6) African countries. She was appointed Managing Director for Absa Bank Zambia PLC (formerly Barclays Bank Zambia Plc) on 1 April, 2017. Prior to that, Mizinga held strategic roles in Barclays Africa Group Limited (now Absa Group Limited) that included Barclays Africa Regional Management Chief Executive where she was responsible for coordinating integrated planning across businesses outside of South Africa, as well as Managing Director of NBC Tanzania. Mizinga also previously held a number of roles at Standard Chartered including: CEO of Standard Chartered Zambia, Global Head of Development Organizations in the UK and Africa Regional Head of Financial Institutions in both South Africa and Kenya. Current Board Roles Mizinga currently serves as Non-Executive Director on the Museum for United Nations -UN Live Board and the Business and Professional Women Association Lusaka (BPWL) Board.

Entrepreneur of the Year

Francis Grogan, ex: CEO, Zambeef

He is the founder and former CEO of Zambia’s Zambeef Products. He was born in Ireland then migrated to Zambia and started his business which has grown to be one of the biggest production, processing, distribution and retailing of beef, chicken, milk, dairy products, stock feed and flour. The Group also has one of the largest row cropping operations in Zambia, growing maize, soybeans and wheat. Zambeef plants nearly 21,000 hectares (ha) annually, with most of the resulting crops being used in the Zambeef animal feed and flour milling businesses.

Young Business Leader of the Year

Gachao Kiuna, CEO & MD, Trans-Century Group

Dr. Gachao Kiuna is the current Executive Director of Aqua Power and former Chief Executive Officer of TransCentury, a leading infrastructure company listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. He is considered by Forbes to be among the 10 youngest power men in Africa. He holds a Ph.D. in biotechnology from the Institute of biotechnology in Cambridge, which he bagged at age 24. He also holds a first-class from Imperial College London in biochemistry. Aqua Power is an African Electric Power Plant developer focused on developing base load Power Generation Plants across Sub-Saharan Africa. Their focus is on power generation projects with short-term delivery potential and on technologies for least cost power production, with an aim to providing rapid solutions for generation of affordable power. Our company prides itself in its ability to Build, Own and Operate (“BOO”) power generation plants to provide timely, affordable and reliable power to our customers.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr Pascal G. Dozie, Founder & CEO, Diamond Bank

Dr. Pascal G. Dozie is Chairman at Aluminium Extrusion Industries Plc, Founder at African Capital Alliance Ltd., Chairman at Diamond Bank Togo SA and Chairman at MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd. Dr. Dozie was previously employed as Chairman by The Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Chairman by Diamond Bank Plc, and President by The Nigerian Stock Exchange. He also served on the board at Central Bank of Nigeria. Dr. Dozie received his degree in Economics from London School of Economics & Political Science.

Business Leader of the Year

Asher Bohbot, CEO, Enterprise Outsourcing Holdings (EOH)

EOH was founded by Asher Bohbot in 1998 and became one of South Africa’s best-known IT companies. Besides being the founder, he was also named the CEO of the IT company. EOH specialised in providing technology services to businesses and government and remained entrepreneurial and acquisitive throughout Bohbot’s tenure as CEO. With compounded year-on-year growth of 45.2%, EOH became the fifth-best performing company on the JSE by 2012. The EOH share price peaked at over R172 in July 2015, with a market cap of R23.7 billion.

Young Business Leader of the Year

Gil Oved and Ran Neu-Ne, Group CEOs, The Creative Counsel

Ran Neu-Ner is the Co-CEO and Co-Founder of The Creative Counsel. He graduated from university with a B.Com and a CFA. Thereafter he started number of business ventures including a wholesale, mobile, shoe import business and an electronics company. In 2001 Neu-Ner started The Creative Counsel, a below-the-line activations company, with school friend Gil Oved. The company started as a two man agency with a zero capital base and with no knowledge of promotions. Today it’s the largest advertising group in South Africa by staff and turnover.

Oved was born on 16 August 1975 in Johannesburg, South Africa. He matriculated at Crawford College, Sandton, earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree (Cum Laude) at the University of South Africa, and subsequently obtained a chartered financial analyst (CFA) qualification. The company grew exponentially, through the acquisition of new clients as well as other businesses in the advertising and marketing sector attracting the attention of Publicis Groupe who bought the Company in September 2015. TCC operates under Publicis Africa Group. Oved remains group co-CEO together with Neu-Ner. The Creative Counsel has retained its name.

Entrepreneur of the Year

Fred Robertson, Executive Chairman Brimstone Investment Corporation

Fred Robertson serves as Executive Chairman of Brimstone Investment Corporation Ltd, a company which he co-founded in 1995. His Non-Executive chairmanships include Lion of Africa Life Assurance Company Limited, and Sea Harvest Limited. He also serves as deputy chair of Remgro Limited, and as director on the board of Aon Re Africa. In 2014, he received the CNBC AFRICA All Africa Business Leadership Awards (AABLA) Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Two years later he conferred an Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy by the University of the Western Cape. He received the Kaapstad Sakekamer Die Burger Sakeleier 2016 Award. In 2018 he received the Business Personality of the Year Award from the Black Management Forum Western Cape.

Business Woman of the Year

Tabitha Karanja, Founder, Keroche Breweries

Tabitha Karanja is founder and CEO of Keroche Breweries. She is one of Kenya’s leading entrepreneurs, a remarkable trailblazer and an example of a woman made good against all the odds. Tabitha chose to venture where none before her had dared. She took on an 87-year-old business monopoly and entered an industry with a deeply entrenched male gender stereotype. Tabitha broke the mould to become Kenya’s first home-grown beer and alcoholic drink manufacturer. Today, her company’s state-of-the-art production facility is targeting 20% of the Kenyan market. For her enormous contribution in liberalizing the liqour market in Kenya, Tabitha was honored by President Mwai Kibaki in 2010 with a most significant Kenyan accolade – the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (M.B.S.) Award.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr Reginald Mengi, CEO, IPP

Tanzanian media mogul Reginald Mengi sits atop one of the largest media conglomerates in Africa. His IPP Media Group owns 11 newspapers, radio and television stations and internet properties. He also owns Bonite Bottlers, the sole bottler of Coca-Cola products in the northern region of Tanzania. His Kilimanjaro brand of bottled water is the biggest selling in the country. His IPP Resources mines gold, uranium, copper, chrome and coal. A devout philanthropist, he sends hundreds of Tanzanian children with heart ailments to India for treatments.

Young Business Leader of the Year

Alloysius Attah, CEO, Farmerline, Ghana

Alloysius Attah is the Co-Founder and CEO of Farmerline, which works with thousands of small-scale farmers in Ghana to increase access to agricultural information, productivity and income. In 2013, Alloysius launched Farmerline with Emmanuel Owusu Addai to support small-scale farmers to increase their yield and income. Farmerline builds mobile voice services that provide timely and improved agricultural information access and better communication channels for small-scale farmers and agricultural workers through their mobile phone in any local language. He is committed to empowering small-scale farmers like his aunt who are facing similar challenges across Africa.

Business Woman of the Year

Oluwatoyin Sanni, Group CEO, United Capital PLC, Nigeria

Oluwatoyin Sanni is the former CEO of United Capital PLC and currently serving as the founder and CEO of the Emerging Africa Group, a Financial Services Group comprising investments in Investment Banking, Financial Technology, Venture Capital and Microfinance Banking, Co-Founder of the Africa Investment Roundtable as well as Board Chair at Layer 3 Limited and Vice-Chair, Fundall Limited, both of which are innovative technology companies.

Oluwatoyin is a lawyer, chartered secretary, stockbroker and author with over 30 years’ experience in senior management positions in investor services, law and finance. Prior to her appointment as the Group CEO of United Capital, Oluwatoyin Sanni was CEO, United Capital Trustees Ltd (formerly known as UBA Trustees Limited), a United Capital subsidiary and market leader in the Trustees business. She holds a Masters LLM from Lagos University amongst other professional qualifications, notably from Harvard and Wharton.

Innovator of the Year

James Steere, Co-Founder, I-Drop Water, Nigeria

James Steer is the Co-Founder of i-Drop Water. James has a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Oxford University’s Said Business School and Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) degree from the University of Cape Town. He has over 16 years of experience in drinking water purification technologies, strategy consulting, renewable energy consulting and entrepreneurship. I-Drop uses nano-purification water filtration technology and a GSM-enabled platform to empower grocery store owners to purify and sell safe, affordable drinking water to their customers. Shoppers refill multi-use containers and pay by the litre for the drinking water they need.

Industrialist of the Year

General Mthembu, Founder, Mthembu Tissue Converting, South Africa

General Thembinkosi Mthembu is the founder and the only director of Mthembu Tissue Converting. The number of years he has worked for the well-known and respected company in the converting business Nampak Tissue has allowed him to gain vast experience in every aspect of the business from being a machine operator to being part of top management. Because of those opportunities given to him and his always eager to learn, hardworking attitude has led to him successfully running Mthembu Tissue Converting.

Mr Mthembu shares the same values and vision of Mthembu Tissue Converting. He believes in constantly improving the staff by giving them the opportunity to train and perfect their craft in their respective field. He understands that the key to a productive and efficient workforce is having people not only know what it is they are doing but also know how to use the time given to achieve their company goals.

Entrepreneur of the Year

Ivan and Lynette Saltzman, Founders, Dis-Chem Pharmacies, South Africa

Ivan Saltzman

Ivan Saltzman, is a South African business magnate and the CEO, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the corporate retail pharmacy group Dis-Chem. The pharmacy group is operational in Namibia, South Africa, and Botswana. It specializes in beauty, health food, sports supplements, and health and well-being.

Dis-Chem started in 1978 when pharmacists Ivan and Lynette Saltzman, opened their first retail pharmacy in Mondeor, a southern suburb of Johannesburg.

Lynette Saltzman

Lynette Saltzman is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of the corporate retail pharmacy group Dis-Chem. The pharmacy group is operational in Namibia, South Africa, and Botswana. It specializes in beauty, health food, sports supplements, and health and well-being.

Dis-Chem started in 1978 when pharmacists Ivan and Lynette Saltzman, opened their first retail pharmacy in Mondeor, a southern suburb of Johannesburg.

Philanthropist of the Year

Jannie Mouton, Founder and Chairman, PSG Group, South Africa

Johannes Mouton also known as “Buddha Buffet” is the founder of the renowned PSG Group and the co-founder of Capitec Bank. Mouton started his career aged 22 as an articled clerk at PwC. He qualified as a chartered accountant in 1973. This businessman started Jannie Mouton Foundation in 2017. This foundation engages in developmental activities and fund non-profit organizations that facilitate positive societal change. Jannie aims at spending more than $6 million each year on various charitable activities in South Africa. He started this foundation with the aim of helping the locals of South Africa.

Company of the Year

Capitec Bank Holdings Ltd, South Africa

Capitec Bank Holdings Ltd. is a bank controlling company, which engages in the provision of retail banking services. It offers transactional banking services and loan products such as term loans, credit facillities, and credit cards. The company was founded by Michiel Scholtz du Pré le Roux on November 23, 1999 and is headquartered in Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Business Leader of the Year

Herbert Wigwe, Access Bank PLC, Nigeria

Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe is a Nigerian banker and entrepreneur. He is currently CEO of Access Holdings Plc, traded as Access Corporation.

Herbert was the Group Managing Director/CEO of Access Bank plc, one of Nigeria’s top five banking institutions, after succeeding his business partner, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede in January 2014 till April 2022.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr Samuel Motsuenyane, Founder, Dr Sam Motsuenyane Rural Development Foundation, South Africa

Dr Sam Motsuenyane is the Patron of the Dr Sam Motsuenyane Rural Development Foundation. He is one of the founders of the largest and best-known African business organisation, The National African Federated Chamber of Commerce (“NAFCOC”) in 1964. Dr Sam Motsuenyane played a significant role in the development of Black business in the country. He was in the leadership of NAFCOC that conceived the birth of the African Bank (“the Bank”). Dr Sam Motsuenyane lead the initiative by NAFCOC to establish African Bank. Through their perseverance and passion to be economically self-sufficient, they were able to mobilise black communities to contribute toward the R1 million that was required to capitalise the Bank for it to open its 1st branch in Ga-Rankuwa in 1975.

He retired from NAFCOC in the 1992 and joined parliament where he was appointed leader of the house of senate and later the 1st Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1996 to 2000. He was also accredited as an Ambassador to Oman, Yemen, Kuwait and Bahrain. After retirement, Dr Motsuenyane initiated a Citrus Farm project that has 145 (“one hundred and forty-five”) plot owners organised under the name “Winterveld United Farmers Association”, which he also founded in 2002.