Ai Investment and Business Leader Awards 2013 shortlist announced

The awards are the longest standing international investment awards that reward exceptional business practices, economic achievements and investments across Africa, and recognise the institutions and individuals improving the continent's investment climate. The Ai Investment and Business Leader Awards will take place on 10 October 2013, during the Africa investor CEO Investment Climate Summit in Washington DC, running alongside the World Bank Annual Meetings.

Commenting on the awards, Hubert Danso, CEO and vice chairman of Africa investor, said; "We are delighted with the increased global interest and recognition these awards bring to position Africa as a competitive international investment destination. This year, we are also pleased to add the African Central Bank Governor of the Year and Sovereign Wealth Fund Investor categories to our awards, in recognition of the pivotal roles they play in creating the environment and investing on a long term basis in the continents growth story."

The Africa investor Investment and Business Leader Awards will be presented on 10 October 2013 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Washington DC, during the Africa investor CEO Investment Climate Summit, held in association with the World Bank Group during the World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings.

Africa investor Investment and Business Leader Awards 2013 - full shortlist:

1. Best Initiative in Support of SMEs and the Millennium Development Goals

Industrial Development Corporation
Millennium Challenge Corporation
GlaxoSmithKline
African Development Bank
African Export-Import Bank
Motsepe Foundation
Coca-Cola Africa Foundation
Econet Group

2. Investment Climate Initiative of the Year

The African Development Bank
Made in Africa Foundation
Tony Elumelu Foundation
Invest in Africa Foundation
The Investment Climate Facility for Africa
Initiative for Global Development
USAID
ACP Business Climate Facility (BizClim)

3. Bank of the Year

Standard Bank
Kenya Commercial Bank
First Bank of Nigeria
Equity Bank
Guaranty Trust Bank
Barclays Africa
Zenith Bank
Ecobank

4. Carbon Finance Initiative of the Year

African Development Bank, CIF Forest Investment Programme (FIP), Ghana
Groupe Energies Renouvelables, Environnement et Solidarités (GERES), StovePlus Initiative, West Africa
Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, Stove-Factory-In-A-Box, Nigeria
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Southern African Power Pool Standardized Baseline
ICLEI Africa, Urban-LEDS, South Africa
East African Development Bank (EADB)/UNFCCC, Regional Collaboration Centre, Uganda
CEMEX Assiut, Alternative Fuel Project, Egypt
Karan Biofuel Limited, Karan Biofuel CDM Project, Kenya

5. Venture Capital/Private Equity Deal of the Year

Agri Vie
Emerging Capital Partners
TLG Capital
Phatisa
Abraaj Group
Helios Towers
Silvertree Capital
Carlyle Group

6. Employer and Human Capital Investor of the Year

GE
Ernst & Young
MTN
First Bank of Nigeria
Nestlé
Coca-Cola
Microsoft
UBA

7. Institutional Investor of the Year

China-Africa Development Fund
UN Joint Staff Pension Fund
The Carlyle Group
AP Pensions, Denmark
Government Employees' Pension Fund (GEPF)
BlackRock
Goldman Sachs
JP Morgan

8. Investment Promotion Agency of the Year

DR Congo Investment Promotion Agency
Liberia National Investment Commission
Trade and Investment KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Agence Marocaine de Développement des Investissements, Morocco
Centro de Promoção de Investimentos, Mozambique
Tanzania investment Centre
Uganda Investment Authority
Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission

9. Leadership in Sustainable Investment in Africa

Strive Masiyiwa, Founder and Chairman, Econet
Patrick Awuah, Founder and President, Ashesi University
Ashish Thakkar, CEO, MARA Group
Bob Collymore, CEO, Safaricom
Joshua Oigara, CEO, Kenya Commercial Bank
David Constable, CEO, Sasol
John Oliphant, Principal Officer, GEPF
Paul Edwards, Director General, Pumangol

10. Africa's Innovation Leader of the Year

Charles Green, CEO, Helios Towers Africa
Sifiso Dabengwa, CEO, MTN
Calestous Juma, Professor of the Practice of International Development, Harvard Kennedy School
Craig Fitzgerald, CEO, Econet Wireless
Michael Miebach, Divisional President for Middle East & Africa, MasterCard
Patrice Motsepe, Founder and Executive Chairman, African Rainbow Minerals
Sung Yong Hong, CEO for Africa, Samsung
Ginni Rometty, Chairman and CEO, IBM

11. Africa's Leading Woman in Business

Salwa Idrissi Akhannouch, Founder and President, Aksal Group
Evelyn Oputu, Managing Director, Bank of Industry
Eleni Gabre-Madhin, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange
Nonkululeko Nyembezi-Heita, CEO, ArcelorMittal
Tabitha Karanja, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Keroche Breweries
Isabele Dos Santos, Businesswoman, Angola
Bola Shagaya, CEO, Bolmus International Limited
Maria Ramos, Group CEO, Absa Group Bank

12. African Business Leader of the Year

James Mwangi, CEO, Equity Bank
Jean-Louis Ekra, President, Afrexim Bank
Aliko Dangote, CEO, Dangote Group
Ahmed Heikal, Founder and Chairman, Citadel Capital
Tidjiane Thiam, Chief Executive, Prudential
Bisi Onasanya, CEO, First Bank of Nigeria
Tony Elumelu, Founder, Tony Elumelu Foundation
Kennedy Bungane, Chief Executive, Barclays Africa

13. International Business Leader of the Year

Jay Ireland, President and CEO, GE Africa
Mohamed El-Erian, CEO and Co-CIO, PIMCO
Chi Jianxin, CEO, CADFund
Muhtar Kent, The Coca-Cola Company, CEO
Sunny George Verghese, CEO, Olam International
Arif Naqvi, Group CEO, Abraaj Group
Murilo Ferreira, Vale, CEO
Sunil Mittal, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharti Group

14. Up and Coming Future Leader of the Year

Andrew Rugasira, Founder, Good African Coffee
Fred Swaniker, Founder and CEO, African Leadership Academy
John Oliphant, Principal Officer, GEPF
Ozwald Boateng, Co-Founder, Made in Africa Foundation
Alex Okosi, CEO, MTV Africa
Uche Orji, CEO, Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority
Amadou Diallo, CEO, DHL Freight
Ashish Thakkar, CEO, MARA Group

15. Finance Minister of the Year

Hon. Pravin Gordhan, Minister of Finance, the Republic of South Africa
Hon. Nizar Baraka, Minister of Economy and Finance, the Kingdom of Morocco
Hon. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, The Federal Republic of Nigeria
Hon. Seth Terkper, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, the Republic of Ghana
Hon. Claver Gatete, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, the Republic of Rwanda
Hon. Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, Minister of Finance, Republic of Namibia
Hon. Xavier Duval, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, the Republic of Mauritius
Hon. Alexander Chikwanda, Minister of Finance and National Planning, Republic of Zambia

16. Central Bank Governor of the Year

Lamido Sanusi, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria
Gill Marcus, Governor, South African Reserve Bank
Rundheersing Bheenick, Governor, Central Bank of Mauritius
Michael Gondwe, Governor, Bank of Zambia
Njuguna Ndung'u, Governor, Central Bank of Kenya
John Rwangombwa, Governor, National Bank of Rwanda
Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile, Governor, Bank of Uganda
Ipumbu Shiimi, Governor, Bank of Namibia

17. International Sovereign Wealth Fund Initiative of the Year

Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development
Temasek Holdings
Abu Dhabi Investment Council
China Investment Corporation (CIC)
Qatar Investment Authority
Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD)
Mubadala Development Company
Norway Government Pension Fund Global

18. African Sovereign Wealth Fund Initiative of the Year

Revenue Regulation Fund, Algeria
Libyan Investment Authority
Pula Fund, Botswana
Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority
Fundo Soberano de Angola
Sovereign Fund of the Gabonese Republic
Mauritania National Fund for Hydrocarbon Reserves
Equatorial Guinea Fund for Future Generations