AABLA 2012 announces more regional winners

The awards acknowledge and honour individuals who have demonstrated exemplary leadership in the business world.

"These awards are a natural evolution of CNBC's global Business Leader Awards", says the ABN Group managing director, Roberta Naidoo. "Through the All Africa Business Leader Awards, Africa Business News seek to recognise those leaders who have stayed ahead of the curve and seen opportunity in the face of adversity", she says.

Big winners

LandBank CEO, Phakamani Hadebe walked away with the Business Leader of the Year at the inaugural awards, after transforming the government-owned agricultural lender into a profitable enterprise. Hadebe went up against, Transnet CEO, Brian Molefe and PSG Group CEO, Jannie Mouton. FirstRand co-founder, Laurie Dippenaar picked up the Lifetime Achievement Award.

In the welcoming address, executive director of the ABN Group, Bronwyn Nielsen said, "Africa Business News will provide analysis, insight and wall to wall coverage of Africa's growth story as it unfolds". She further added, "At the centre of ABN360's business model is the belief that all Africans should have the opportunity to tell their own story".

The awards follow similar events in Lagos and Nairobi where leaders of those regions were recognised. They will culminate in the overall All Africa Business Leaders Awards which will be held in Johannesburg on 25 October, where the winners will be chosen from the regional winners.

Other winners

• Business Leader of The Year sponsored by Telkom: Phakamani Hadebe, CEO of LandBank

• Entrepreneur of The Year sponsored by the IDC: Jannie Mouton, CEO of PSG Group

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Laurie Dippenaar, Non-executive Chairman of FirstRand

Founder of AABLA and vice chairman for ABN Group, Rakesh Wahi's vision for the awards is for it to continue to serve as a platform to discover the business leaders who are creating a culture of entrepreneurship, developing best practices and carving out powerful and sustainable models of business in the global economy.

"This year we changed the format of AABLA's to make it more inclusive for all parts of Africa". "We have received a great response from the regions both from nominations and from the host government in Lagos, Nairobi and Cape Town. We are now looking forward to the grand finale in Johannesburg on 25 October", says Rakesh.

The event was sponsored by Westgro and was attended by industry and government leaders including Western Cape Premier Helen Zille who was the keynote speaker.

For more, go to www.aabla2012.com.