2006 DIAGEO AFRICA BUSINESS REPORTING AWARDS
Winners announced at gala ceremony in London
London, Friday 30 June 2006
On Thursday evening, at a gala ceremony at The Inner Temple in London, Diageo, the world's leading premium drinks business, announced the winners of the 2006 Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards.
They are:
Best Published Feature
'Chinese influence in Africa' (Reuters)
'An exceptional piece of writing on a topic of crucial importance to Africa's economic development.'
Best Television Feature
'Africa's Chinese investment' (Channel 4 / ITN)
'A timely and expertly produced feature presenting the opportunities and challenges presented by China's rapidly expanding interest in Africa.'
Best Radio Feature
'ICT and Africa' (BBC World Service)
'A fascinating report into how information technology is changing the way Kenyans live and work.'
Best Website
Business Day Nigeria (www.businessdayonline.com)
'A good mixture of news and features, with informative content presented in a way that is visually appealing and easy to navigate.'
Best Publication
The Africa Report (Jeune Afrique Group)
'A critical approach to the key issues with consistently excellent writing.'
Best Journalist
David Christianson (Business in Africa)
'First-hand research, objectivity and flair.'
Opening the ceremony, which was attended by over 200 people, Paul Walsh, Chief Executive Officer of Diageo, said, "It is time for a new African story to be told, one that takes account of the many successes on the continent and embraces the optimism that Africans themselves feel about the future. Profiling the positive investment stories from Africa is one important way to shift perceptions, which is why the work of tonight's winners is so important."
Mr Walsh was joined on stage by His Excellency Mr Joseph Muchemi, the Kenyan High Commissioner to UK, who said, "Kenya is fortunate to feature on the radar of the international media. Many African countries are rarely reported, if at all. But I would like to suggest that Kenya, like so many African countries, deserves fresh consideration by the media."
Presenting the awards, Dr Nick Blazquez, Managing Director of Diageo Africa, commented, "We were very encouraged by the response to this year's competition, which saw a record number of entries from Europe, North America, Australia and Africa. With these awards we are delighted to be recognising those who have gone the extra mile to promote awareness and understanding of business in Africa."
Accepting the award for Best Website, Frank Aigbogun, publisher of Business Day Nigeria said, "We are very pleased to have won this award, which we regard as a celebration of our commitment to covering the resurgence on enterprise and industry in Nigeria and the African continent in general."
Patrick Smith, Editor of The Africa Report, winner of the award for Best Publication, said, "The team at The Africa Report is delighted with this award as we see it as an endorsement of our efforts to provide serious analysis and balanced coverage of political and economic developments across Africa."
Winners received a bronze statue by the German sculptor Loni Kreuder and a cheque for £500.
ENDS
For more information on the Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards, and pictures from the ceremony, please visit www.diageoafricabusinessreportingawards.com
Alternatively, please contact:
Anita Ferns, Awards Secretary, Diageo Africa, Lakeside Drive, Park Royal, London, NW10 7HQ. anita.ferns@diageo.com +44 (0) 20 8978 6506
Bev Burnham, Corporate Relations Manager, Diageo Africa, Lakeside Drive, Park Royal, London, NW10 7HQ. 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 4,500 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. |
