Tabitha Karanja, founder and CEO of Keroche Breweries was crowned as the Business Woman of the Year at the CNBC Africa All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA) at an award ceremony held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on Friday, November 14.
The award recognised her unfailing resilience and matchless business sagacity over nearly two decades in growing a company that now employs over 300 people and gives back to the community by educating the country’s youth.
Mrs Karanja beat West Africa’s Arunma Oteh, who is the Director General of Securities and Exchange Commission, Nigeria to bring home the coveted Africa Business Woman of the Year title.
The process of getting winners in the 2014 AABLAs began over two months ago, with regional finals in West, East and Southern Africa. Pioneering and innovative business leaders of Africa in their respective fields were finally whittled down to just five game-changing individuals.
The ceremony presented the coveted title of Young Business Leader of the Year jointly to Group CEOs of South Africa’s leading activations agency, The Creative Counsel, Gil Oved and Ran Neu-Ner. The two were recognised for using their collective charisma and entrepreneurial spirit to build the company into the top-ranking Marketing, Media and Advertising group in the country.
For his sustained success and bold contribution to solutions-based business and IT strategies across multiple platforms for companies of varying sizes, Asher Bohbot (South Africa), CEO of Enterprise Outsourcing Holdings (EOH) Limited, was named Business Leader of the Year.
The prestigious accolade of Entrepreneur of the Year went to Executive Chairman of JSE-listed brokerage, Brimstone Investment Corporation, Fred Robertson (South Africa). Robertson was honoured for his demonstrated leadership on both the national and international business stages and, in particular, through his directorship and co-founding of numerous leading of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) companies.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed upon Tanzanian pioneer of corporate social responsibility, Dr Reginald Mengi, CEO of IPP Limited, for his commendable contributions to worthy causes for positive change in underprivileged communities, education, health and environmental conservation.
The CNBC Africa All Africa Business Leaders Awards Presented by Johnnie Walker Blue Label now looks ahead to 2015, anticipating the emergence of new industry leaders and the continued success of business stalwarts on the continent.