2014 Sunday Times Top 100 Companies results out

Dr Johan van Zyl, Group CEO, Sanlam

Dr Johan van Zyl, Group CEO of Sanlam, was named Sunday Times Business Leader of the Year, while chairman of First Rand Group, Laurie Dippenaar, received the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Trevor Manuel honoured

An unprecedented award was given at the start of the evening's proceedings with Trevor Manuel receiving a special commendation from the Sunday Times for his exceptional contribution to the development of South Africa, and improving the lives of all its citizens during its first twenty years of democracy.

Phylicia Oppelt, Sunday Times editor said, "It is fitting that, in the 20th anniversary of our democracy, that we honour Trevor Manuel for his significant contribution to this country. In addition, the Top 100 has a special place at the Sunday Times as it allows us to recognise the private sector's contribution to South Africa, especially during these difficult economic times."

The Sunday Times Top 100 Companies event recognises the best-performing JSE-listed companies, based on their shareholder returns and performance over a five-year period.

Anton Pillay, CEO, Coronation Fund Managers

Anton Pillay, CEO of Coronation Fund Managers, accepted the Sunday Times Top Company Award, commenting: "It is a privilege to receive the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies award for the second year in a row. As a long-term investment manager, we remain resolute in applying our philosophy of investing with a long time horizon and creating wealth for our clients."

Voted by peers

The Sunday Times Business Leader of the Year Award, as decided by the CEOs of last year's Top 100 Companies, is a highly regarded accolade that acknowledges the combined respect from one's industry peers. In acceptance of the award, Dr Johan van Zyl, Group CEO of Sanlam expressed his gratitude saying, "It is a great honour to receive this award, particularly as it is the result of a voting process by peers. In business it is about people and the team, probably more so in insurance where you do not sell a physical product, but a promise. This promise is only as good as the people making it. This award is therefore to Sanlam, to the team. Thank you to those colleagues who give their best, and to family and friends for their support."

Laurie Dippenaar, chairman, First Rand Group

Laurie Dippenaar, chairman of First Rand Group, received the Sunday Times Lifetime Achievement Award and said, "It is an absolute honour to receive this award, and to be recognised by my peers in the South African business community. I accept it on behalf of everyone at FirstRand and in particular my fellow founders GT Ferreira and Paul Harris. The creation and on-going success of the group has been, and continues to be, a team effort."

Telkom awarded for CSI programme

The 2014 Sunday Times Corporate Social Investment Award went to Telkom for its information and communications technology (ICT) incubation programme otherwise known as the Bandwidth Barn. The recipient is decided by the Who Owns Whom detailed BEE scorecard applied to all JSE-listed companies, and measures the impact and sustainability of a company's CSI initiatives.

Telkom's ICT incubation programme employs 90 people, and has developed 20 black female-owned ICT companies with a turnover exceeding R30m. Telkom also sponsored 24 months of internet service to six national ABSA Enterprise Development Centres, to create more opportunities for supplier development initiatives.

Resilience and innovation

Rob Rose, editor of the Sunday Times Business Times said: "This award reflects the fact that more companies are putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to CSI, improving their reputation not only among investors, but also among a wider group of stakeholders."

Each year, South African companies are recognised for the resilience and innovation that has seen them retain a top twenty position within the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies rankings for three consecutive years. They become members of an exclusive group known as the Sunday Times Royal Companies. This year, Anglovaal Industries, Aspen Pharmacare Holdings, Coronation Fund Managers, EOH Holdings, Famous Brands, Howden Africa Holdings, Mr Price Group and Woolworths Holdings received the Royal Company recognition.

The 2014 Sunday Times Top 100 Companies results: