Southern Africa World Entrepreneur Award finalists

The awards ceremony, now in its 19th year, celebrate business leaders and people who have made a difference in their countries and their economies as a whole.

Master category

This honours individuals whose achievements have made them world class entrepreneurs:

• Stephen Brookes – Balwin Properties
  
• Allan Hirsch and Margaret Hirsch – Hirsch’s
  
• Peter Mountford – Super Group

Exceptional

This recognises individuals who have shown exceptional tenacity and determination in building a successful and established enterprise:

• Mergan Naidoo and Ray Hipkin – Goldrush Gaming
  
• Jurie Bester – Junit Manufacturing
  
• Khudu Pitje – New GX Capital Holdings
  
• Kirit Naik – Rank Zimbabwe
  
• Gil Oved and Ran Neu-Ner – The Creative Counsel

Emerging category

This credits those individuals building young businesses with high potential:

• Mitch Marescia – Camargue Underwriting Managers
  
• Zaida Enver and Guido Ceruti – Pure Grit Project and Exhibitions Management
  
• Anton Rossouw – Life Path Health
  
• Fatima Vawda – 27Four Investment Managers

In a world where the forces of disruption are ripping out the boundaries between industry sectors and rewriting the rule book for how business works, purpose is crucial in helping firms to take stakeholders with them through times of change, and helping new players to introduce market innovations.

© Cathy Yeulet via 123RF

Recent EY research shows that purpose-led companies perform better, keep their customers longer, hang onto their staff better, innovate more effectively and transform more effectively. This is because when the business world is in a permanent state of disruption, those that start with “why” not “what” or “how” are simply more inspiring and better able to keep evolving and innovating – so they thrive.

Azim Omar, Africa growth markets leader, says, “The power of entrepreneurs and their ability to see beyond the horizon, to shape the future and have a positive impact on their economies through job creation, growth and innovation has always been a commitment of the organisation’s focus on entrepreneurship. This year’s finalists have all had to overcome obstacles and adversity in order to be winners. We congratulate these exceptional individuals for their outstanding achievements.”

On to Monte Carlo

An independent panel of judges will judge the finalists in the respective categories and the winner in each category will be announced at a gala ceremony on 29 November 2016, at the Inanda Club.

The World Entrepreneur Award culminates in an annual gala banquet in Monte Carlo in June each year, where winning entrepreneurs in the Master category from over 50 countries around the world compete for the global business award, EY World Entrepreneur of the Year.