Rob Rose is Sanlam Financial Journalist of the Year

Rose wins the coveted award for the second time, having won it in 2009. This year he also scooped awards in the

2015 Sanlam Financial Journalist of the Year, Rob Rose

Business/Companies, Economy and Financial Markets categories.

The Sanlam Financial Journalist of the Year award is presented to a journalist who most significantly influenced the way perceptions are formed through the media on financial matters in our country in the particular year.

The annual Awards carry a total prize purse of more than R300,000 for 12 categories and have recognised and celebrated excellence in financial journalism since 1974.

African Growth Story winner

Kenya’s Business Daily journalist, Allan Odhiambo took home one of the main accolades of the night, the African Growth Story Award. Established in 2013, the African Growth Story category is open to journalists who practice in Africa and whose work is published and/or broadcast on the continent. The Award is presented to the financial journalist whose entry highlights the continent’s economic awakening as well as the obstacles and challenges to growth in terms of investments, infrastructural development and economic progress.

Congratulating all the winners, Sanlam’s chief executive: brand, Yegs Ramiah says that the group is proud to continue its support of the annual Awards. “Well done to all the winners and journalists who consistently support the Awards through their entries. We established these Awards 41 years ago as a platform to recognise and celebrate excellence in financial journalism. We believe this is important, because there is seldom recognition of the critical role of financial journalists, not only as watchdogs, but also as message carriers who ensure that various stakeholders are well informed.

“As a Pan-African brand and corporate citizen with a footprint in over 30 countries on the continent, we are committed to ensuring that these Awards keep growing and include more journalists practising and publishing or broadcasting in Africa.”

Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to the now retired journalist-turned-media executive, Salie de Swardt. A Sanlam Financial Journalist of the Year winner in 1977 and Nieman Fellow (1982), de Swardt began his career in 1968 as a reporter for Die Burger, was editor of Beeld and founding editor of the business weekly magazine, Finansies & Tegniek (now Finweek). In 1993, he took an executive management position as CEO of the Magazines division of Naspers before becoming the first MD of Media24, which owns News24, among other titles.

Peter Vundla, convener of the judging panel, says, “The entries received for the 2015 Awards were of a very high standard and impressed the judging panel – showing in-depth subject understanding, journalistic skill and integrity. Each entrant can be proud of the work they have done over the last year and we congratulate all the deserving winners tonight.

“The judging panel felt that de Swardt had distinguished himself in his contribution to not only journalism and financial journalism specifically, but to the media as a whole.”

Best Newcomer Award

The Best Newcomer Award went to Ancillar Mangena of Forbes Africa Magazine. The award is presented to a journalist with experience of three years or less, whom the judges believe displays the most potential and will make a powerful contribution to financial journalism in the future.

In addition, the judges also decided on the best performers in each medium (online, print, radio and television) across all five categories.

The 2015 Sanlam Awards for Excellence in Financial Journalism winners with Sanlam representatives

Full list of 2015 winners

• Sanlam Financial Journalist of the Year: Rob Rose, Financial Mail
  
• Best Newcomer: Ancillar Mangena, Forbes Africa Magazine
  
• Lifetime Achievement: Salie de Swardt
  
• Business/Companies: Rob Rose, Financial Mail
  
• Economy: Rob Rose, Financial Mail
  
• Financial Markets: Rob Rose, Financial Mail
  
• Consumer Financial Education: Maya Fisher-French, MayaonMoney.co.za, City Press and Fin24.com
  
• African Growth Story: Allan Odhiambo, Business Daily (Kenya)
  
• Radio Financial Journalist of the Year: Bruce Whitfield, 702/Cape Talk
  
• Television Financial Journalist of the Year: Joy Summers, M-Net/Carte Blanche
  
• Print Financial Journalist of the Year: Carol Paton, Business Day and Financial Mail
  
• Online Financial Journalist of the Year: Ryk van Niekerk, Moneyweb.co.za

The judging panel included retired editor Charles Naudé; the editor of The Conversation Africa, Caroline Southey; adjunct professor of journalism at the University of the Witwatersrand, Prof Franz Krüger; CEO of Tangaza Africa Media, Prof Nixon Kariithi; chairperson of Kagiso Media, Maud Motanyane; independent economist, Ulrich Joubert; and the deputy editor of The Conversation Africa, Jabulani Sikhakhane.

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