FINALISTS IN DIAGEO AFRICA BUSINESS REPORTING AWARDS 2007
Winners to be announced at gala ceremony in London on
5 July
London, Monday 11 June 2007
Diageo, the world's leading premium drinks business, today announced the finalists in the Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards 2007.
They are (in no particular order):
Best Journalist
Alex Hannaford (freelance), Caroline Lambert (Economist), Wycliffe Muga (BBC), Alec Russell (Financial Times), David White (Financial Times)
Best Publication
Business Day (South Africa), The Africa Report (Jeune Afrique); Financial Times
Best Published Feature
'Guinea takes control of its minerals' - Katrina Manson and James Knight (BBC News); 'African trade fears carbon footprint backlash' - Victoria Averill (BBC News); 'Giants tussle for influence' - William Gumede/Vincent Nwanma/Patrick Smith - The Africa Report (Jeune Afrique); 'Barren idea - How Sudan's dam will harness the Nile, but widen discord' - Andrew England (Financial Times)
Best Radio Feature
'Africa Works - World Briefing' (BBC World Service); 'Business Daily special from Senegal' - Steve Evans and the Business Daily Team (BBC World Service)
Best Television Feature
'Kenya Mobiles' - Paul Mason (BBC 2 Newsnight) 'Ethiopia Flowers' - Paula Newton (CNN); 'Back in Business' - Emily Marlow (Television for the Environment/BBC World TV)
Best Published Photograph
'Zimbabwe immigrant leaps into South Africa' - Greg Marinovich (Financial Times); 'The thinker' - Cindy Lou Dale (Fresh Cup)
Best Website
Reuters Africa - http://africa.reuters.com; Financial Times Africa - www.ft.com/africa
Commenting, Nick Blazquez, Managing Director, Diageo Africa, said, "This year has seen phenomenal growth in the Awards, with twice as many entries compared to last year. It is heartening to see a broad spectrum geographically and by subject matter, including submissions for the first time from China and Korea.
"I would like to congratulate all who have made it through to the final judging stage. I would also like to thank those journalists and editors who entered this year's competition. Diageo celebrates every journalist and editor working to promote awareness and understanding of business in Africa, which in turn will lead to further investment in the continent."
Winners will now be selected by a panel chaired by Diageo's Chief Executive Officer, Paul Walsh, and comprised of Peter Woicke (former Executive Vice President, International Finance Corporation); Louis Michel (European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Development); Zeinab Badawi (Broadcaster); Professor Wiseman Nkuhlu (former CEO, New Partnership for Africa's Development); Dr Alhaji Bamanga Tukur (Executive President, African Business Roundtable); and Stephen King (Director, BBC World Service Trust).
The winners will be announced at a gala ceremony in London on Thursday 5 July.
ENDS
For more information on the Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards, please visit www.diageoafricabusinessreportingawards.com
Alternatively, please contact:
Yuki Finch, Awards Secretary, africapractice, 67-69 Whitfield Street, London W1T 4HF, UK
yfinch@africapractice.com, +44 (0) 20 7462 7599
Bev Burnham, Corporate Relations Manager, Diageo Africa, Lakeside Drive, Park Royal, London, NW10 7HQ, UK
bev.burnham@diageo.com, +44 (0) 20 8978 6587
NOTES TO EDITORS
Diageo plc
Diageo is the world's leading premium drinks business. With its global vision, and local marketing focus, Diageo brings to consumers an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across the spirits, wine and beer categories including Smirnoff, Guinness, Johnnie Walker, Baileys, J&B, Cuervo, Captain Morgan and Tanqueray, and Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines.
Diageo trades in some 180 countries around the world and 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 www.diageo.com.
Diageo Africa
Diageo Africa is active, particularly in brewing, but also in distilling, in the majority of the sub-Saharan African countries. For Guinness, in particular, the connection with Africa is a long one; the first recorded exports of Guinness to Africa were to Sierra Leone in 1827. Now Guinness is brewed in over 20 countries throughout Africa and is exported to many others. The popularity of the brand is going from strength to strength in Africa - Nigeria is the third largest Guinness market in the world. Diageo brands are enjoyed in more than 40 African countries.
Diageo Africa is the second largest Diageo market by volume (after North America), and with 4,000 employees, accounts for around 20% of Diageo workforce worldwide. Our contribution to the continent is significant, with £230 million paid in tax to African governments in the last year.
Several of the larger Diageo companies in Africa are quoted on local stock exchanges. Guinness Nigeria, for example, has over 60,000 shareholders. 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. |
