Denis Opudo
The AFRICA CEO FORUM Awards is an initiative set aside to recognize investors, leaders, and companies whose work has changed African growth. The annual awards are divided into seven different categories. This goes all the way from Private Equity Investor of the Yea to African Company of the Year.
The 2018 forum see the introduction of another category. The category is called Most Promising Company of the Year award. This award focuses mostly on the African startups. For one to walk away with the award, a total of five companies leading the innovation will pitch their projects before a panel of judges. The judges will comprise of specialist investors including Omidyar, TLCom, and IFC.
The five startups are Omniup from Morocco that gives free access to WiFi the moment an advertisement has happened. Others includeSenegal based startup InTouch that has come up with a mobile money platform, Thrive Agric from Nigeria that gives technology solutions to help improve agriculture, Kenyan based startup Twiga Foods that links vendors and farmers for the sale of fresh farm products, Africa’sTalking Ltd from Kenya that gives communication services like voice APIs and SMS.
Another category added in 2018 awards is the CSR Strategy of the Year award. This has been brought in in collaboration with Bureau Véritas. The award goes for a company that has put in place the best impact Social and Environmental Responsibility policy in Africa. Here are finalists for the 2018 AFRICA CEO FORUM Award.
CEO OF THE YEAR
. Strive Masiyiwa, Founder, and Chairman, Econet Group.
James Mwangi, CEO, Equity Bank
Abdulsamad Rabiu, Founder, and Chairman, BUA Group
Jim Ovia, CEO, Zenith Bank
Mohamed El-Kettani, CEO, Attijariwafa Bank
Strive Masiyiwa, Founder, and Chairman, Econet Group
Kate Kanyi Tometi Fotso, CEO, Telcar Cocoa
YOUNG CEO OF THE YEAR
Darshan Chandaria, CEO, Chandaria Group
Youssef Chraïbi, CEO, OUTSOURCIA
Amy Jadesimi, MD, LADOL
Aboubakar Sidiki Fofana, CEO, MATA Holding
Ally Edha Awadh, CEO, Lake Oil Group
Amy Jadesimi, MD, LADOL
PRIVATE EQUITY INVESTOR OF THE YEAR
Helios Investment Partners
Emerging Capital Partners
AfricInvest
Carlyle Group
Actis Capital
Amethis
AFRICAN COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Groupe ETRHB Haddad
Sanlam
Mansour Group
NSIA
FirstRand Bank
Ethiopian Airlines
FirstRand Bank
MOST PROMISING COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Twiga Foods
InTouch
Africa’s Talking
Thrive Agric
Omniup
CRS STRATEGY OF THE YEAR
Woolworths
SIFCA
Safaricom
Sonatel
COSUMAR
OCP
INTERNATIONAL COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Seaboard Corporation
UnileverCSR STRATEGY OF THE YEAR
Olam International Ltd
Kosmos Energy
Huawei
Yara International
