AFRICA BUSINESS REPORTING AWARDS 2009 - FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

Winners to be announced at gala ceremony in London on 2 July

29 May 2009

London, 29 May 2009

Diageo, the world's leading premium drinks business, today announced the finalists in the sixth annual Africa Business Reporting Awards, following a record number of entries this year. They are (in no particular order):

BEST PUBLISHED FEATURE
'Opportunity Knocks' Richard Cockett (The Economist)
'Too Fast for Comfort' François Misser (The Africa Report)
'Up and Away' Lanre Akinola (This is Africa)
'A Tale of Two Forests' Wycliffe Muga (African Business)
'Consumerism for Kenya's As and Bs' Barney Jopson (Financial Times)

BEST RADIO FEATURE
'Zambia Economy Series' Paul Moss (BBC Radio 4 - The World Tonight)
'When Your Access Card Stops Working' Evelyn Njoroge (Capital FM)
'Africa Slowdown' James Whittington and others (BBC World Service)
'Shop Africa 53' Will Ross (BBC Radio 4)

BEST TELEVISION FEATURE
'Angola's Booming Economy' Marie Lora (AFP TV)
'Doing Business in Africa' Sue Beukes (CNBC Africa)
'Farming Africa Out of Crisis' Nina Schwendemann (Reuters TV)
'Outsourcing to Kenya' Terryanne Chebet (CNBC Africa)
'Africa Investment Horizons' Carol Pineau (PBS)

BEST PUBLISHED PHOTOGRAPH
'Designer Brings Haute Couture Home to Sierra Leone' Katrina Manson (Reuters)
'The Search for Gold in Congo' Finbar O'Reilly (Reuters [Vart Land, New York Times, Boston Globe])
'Senegal's Rice Farmers' George Gobet (AFP)

MEDIA OF THE YEAR
This Is Africa (Financial Times Ltd)
The Africa Report (Jeune Afrique)
Reuters Africa Website (Reuters)
Business Daily (Nation Media Group)
African Banker (IC Publications)

JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Marie Lora (AFP)
Richard Cockett (The Economist)
Xan Rice (The Guardian)
Nicholas Norbrook (The Africa Report)
Anver Versi (African Business)

Commenting on this year's awards, Nick Blazquez, Managing Director, Diageo Africa said, 'The record breaking number of entries from across the globe reflects the increase in business reporting on Africa in 2008/2009. This rise in national, regional and international coverage is particularly significant, because research has shown that the mainstream media is a primary source of information for investors when gauging where and whether to invest in Africa.'

'I would like to thank everyone who entered and congratulate the finalists, whose commitment to providing accessible and balanced business journalism is worthy of recognition.' Winners will now be selected from the shortlist by a panel of judges chaired by Diageo's Chief Executive Officer, Paul Walsh. The judging panel comprises Zeinab Badawi (broadcaster, trustee of BBC World Service Trust); Louis Michel (European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Development); Professor Wiseman Nkuhlu (former CEO, New Partnership for Africa's Development); Dr Alhaji Bamanga Tukur (Executive President, African Business Roundtable); Stephen King (Director, Omidyar Foundation and former Director of BBC World Service Trust); Baroness Shriti Vadera (Minister for Business and Competitiveness, UK) and Shanta Devarajan (Chief Economist, World Bank, Africa Region).

The winners will be announced at a gala ceremony in London on Thursday 2 July.

-ENDS-

For more information, visit www.africabusinessreportingawards.com or contact: Audrey Mpunzwana, Awards Secretary, africapractice, 24-25 Scala Street, London W1T 2HP, UK ampunzwana@africapractice.com, +44 (0) 207 209 7501

Isabelle Thomas, corporate relations manager, Diageo, 8 Henrietta Place, London, W1G 0NB, UK. Isabelle.thomas@diageo.com, +44 (0) 20 7927 5967

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Diageo

Diageo is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines, and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines.

Diageo is a global company, trading in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at Diageo.com. For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

Diageo Africa

Diageo Africa is the trading name for the group of Diageo corporate entities and people who trade in and for the Africa region. Diageo Africa includes all of Diageo's business interest in continental sub-Saharan countries and outlying islands, including Reunion, Mauritius and Seychelles. We operate through wholly or partly owned operations and a range of partnerships and licensing agreements. Diageo Africa region is active in brewing and distilling and our brands are enjoyed in over 40 African countries. The region contributes to nearly a third of Diageo's net sales of beer globally and employs over 4,500 employees. Several of the larger Diageo companies in Africa are quoted on local stock exchanges. All of these companies have active corporate social responsibility programmes, covering initiatives in water, health, education and other areas of value to the communities in which we operate