Short-listed entries for 2006 Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards announced
Winners to be honoured at gala ceremony in London on 29 June
London, Tuesday 13 June 2006
Diageo, the world's leading premium drinks business, today announced the short-listed entries for the 2006 Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards.
They are (in no particular order):
Best Journalist
Richard Cockett (The Economist); David Christianson (Business in Africa); James Knight and Katrina Manson (freelance)
Best Publication
African Business (IC Publications); The Africa Report (Jeune Afrique); Business in Africa (Business in Africa Group Ltd)
Best Published Feature
'Chinese influence in Africa' - (Reuters); 'On the wing: how capital flight is cheating Africa - Patrick Smith (The Africa Report); 'How telecentres connect rural Africa to global markets' - John Mireny (Financial Times, Tanzania); 'Assurance industry's annus horribilis' - Renee Bonorchis (Business Report)
Best Website
MBendi Information Services - www.mbendi.com; Reuters South Africa - www.reuters.co.za; African News Dimension - www.andnetwork.com; BusinessDay Online - www.businessdayonline.com
Best Television Feature
'Ethiopia's flower industry' - Okwudinlo Okoh (Africa Journal, Reuters); 'Africa's Chinese investment' - Jon Snow/Lindsey Hilsum (Channel 4 News / ITN); 'Cat fish farming in Nigeria' - Jeff Koinange (Inside Africa, CNN International); 'Escaping the debt trap' - Egon Cossou/Neil Drake (BBC World)
Best Radio Feature
'Global Business Africa Season' - Richard Berenger/Peter Day/Sandra Kanthal (BBC World Service); 'US based company opens call centre in Accra' - William Eagle (Voice of America Radio News); 'Aid and debt in Africa' - James Whittington (BBC World Service)
Commenting, Nick Blazquez, Managing Director, Diageo Africa, said, "We are delighted by the response to this year's competition, which saw entries from Europe, North America, Australia and Africa. In the two years since we established these awards, coverage of business in Africa has improved - in terms of both quality and quantity. This is testimony to Africa's thriving business environment and a growing recognition that there is another African story to be told. 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. I would like to congratulate them on making it through to the final judging stage. I would also like to thank all those journalists and editors who entered this year's competition."
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 Dr Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke (Director General, Nigerian Stock Exchange).
The winners will be announced at a gala ceremony in London on Thursday 29 June.
ENDS
For more information on the Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards, 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. |
