AFRICA CEO FORUM AWARDS

Celebrating the best of African business

the
2017 winners

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Every year, the AFRICA CEO FORUM AWARDS recognize the companies and investors that have shaped the year in Africa, during the AFRICA CEO FORUM gala diner.

More than 120 companies, investors and 30 CEOs have been nominated over the last three years, embodying the vitality of Africa’s economy.

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Categories
The 2017 winners
2017 Jury

african
bank of the year
private
equity
investor of the year

Young
CEO of the year

african
company of the year
CEO of the year

INTERNATIONAL
CORPORATION of the year

African Bank of the year

This award is given to the African bank that has achieved the most outstanding growth of its activities on the continent in a recent period.

Award criteria :
• Number and size of growth operations in new African countries in the past two years
• Number of African countries where the bank is present
• Assets growth and profitability in the past two years
• Number and size of financing transactions with African companies or major infrastructure projects
• Activities of Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability
• Innovation capacity

PRIVATE EQUITY INVESTOR OF THE YEAR

This award is given to the private equity investor that has carried out the most significant operations in Africa in the past two years.

Award criteria :
• Volume of financing in African companies in the past year
• Number of African companies financed and results
• Africa’s share in the company’s total activity
• Activities of Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability
• Innovation capacity

YOUNG CEO of the year

This trophy is awarded to a CEO under 45 who leads an African business that shows great promise.

Award criteria :
• National of one of the 54 African States
• Be under 45 years of age on the 1st of January 2017
• Strong economic, social and environmental contribution
• The number and size of growth operations over the last two years
• A person with great potential for further growth

African company of the year

This award is given to the African company that has demonstrated a remarkable expansion on the continent in a recent period.

Award criteria :
• Number and size of the company’s external growth operations in the last two years in countries other than those in which it already has locations
• Number of African countries where the company is located
• Turnover growth in the past two years
• Profitability in the past two years
• Activities of Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability
• Innovation capacity

CEO of the year

This award is given to the African CEO of the year whose achievements in the fields of development, governance (strategy and leadership) and financial performance marked the current affairs of the year.

Award criteria :
The jury will select the African CEO of the year.
This category is not subject to applications.

INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION OF THE YEAR

This award is given to the international corporation that has achieved the most outstanding growth of its activities in Africa in a recent period.

Award criteria :
• Number of growth operations in Africa in the past two years
• Number of African countries where the company is present
• Africa’s share in total sales
• Number of African employees on the continent
• Activities of Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability
• Innovation capacity
CEO of the year Young
CEO of the year african
company of the year african
bank of the year private
equity
investor of the year INTERNATIONAL
CORPORATION of the year

CEO OF THE YEAR :
Mohammed Dewji

Group CEO
MeTL, Tanzania

Since taking over in 2001, Mohammed Dewji has made the family-owned import-export business the largest conglomerate in the country, multiplying its turnover by forty. MeTL (Mohammed Enterprises Tanzania Limited) is also active in agribusiness, energy, logistics, distribution and financial services, employing 24,000 people in eleven countries. Voted “Africa’s Youngest Billionaire” by Forbes, Mr. Dewji aims to invest several hundred million dollars into his expansion across Africa this year.

Since taking over in 2001, Mohammed Dewji has made the family-owned import-export business the largest conglomerate in the country, multiplying its turnover by forty. MeTL (Mohammed Enterprises Tanzania Limited) is also active in agribusiness, energy, logistics, distribution and financial services, employing 24,000 people in eleven countries. Voted “Africa’s Youngest Billionaire” by Forbes, Mr. Dewji aims to invest several hundred million dollars into his expansion across Africa this year.

YOUNG CEO OF THE YEAR :
Anta Babacar Ngom Bathily

Executive Director
Sedima, Senegal

At just 31 years old, Anta Babacar Ngom Bathily is Executive Director of Sedima, Senegal’s leading poultry production group (production, distribution and company development). She steers the group’s diversification process, including the setting up of flour mill operations in 2014. In 2016, Sedima opened two new factories, a flour mill and an abattoir, requiring investment of $29 million.

At just 31 years old, Anta Babacar Ngom Bathily is Executive Director of Sedima, Senegal’s leading poultry production group (production, distribution and company development). She steers the group’s diversification process, including the setting up of flour mill operations in 2014. In 2016, Sedima opened two new factories, a flour mill and an abattoir, requiring investment of $29 million.

AFRICAN COMPANY OF THE YEAR :
Elsewedy Electric

Turnover: $1.2 billion
CEO: Ahmed Elsewedy, Egypt

Founded in 1938, this family business has become an international cable and electrical product manufacturing champion and exports worldwide through its 33 subsidiaries. Experiencing rapid growth, it increased its activities across the continent in 2016. A major achievement was the completion of a 4.8 GW power plant in 18 months with Siemens and Orascom Construction, a world record megaproject that will generate power for 45 million people.

Founded in 1938, this family business has become an international cable and electrical product manufacturing champion and exports worldwide through its 33 subsidiaries. Experiencing rapid growth, it increased its activities across the continent in 2016. A major achievement was the completion of a 4.8 GW power plant in 18 months with Siemens and Orascom Construction, a world record megaproject that will generate power for 45 million people.

AFRICAN BANK OF THE YEAR :
Attijariwafa Bank

Morocco
Assets: $41 billion
CEO: Mohamed El Kettani

Attijariwafa Bank has provided a true pan African business model for the past 10 years, with 7 million clients and 16,000 employees in 24 countries. Not only is it Morocco’s leading bank, it is also ranked fourth in Africa. In 2016 it continued its expansion by opening an asset management structure in Cameroon, taking over Barclays Bank Egypt for an estimated $500 million and acquiring a majority stake in Rwanda’s Cogebanque.

Attijariwafa Bank has provided a true pan African business model for the past 10 years, with 7 million clients and 16,000 employees in 24 countries. Not only is it Morocco’s leading bank, it is also ranked fourth in Africa. In 2016 it continued its expansion by opening an asset management structure in Cameroon, taking over Barclays Bank Egypt for an estimated $500 million and acquiring a majority stake in Rwanda’s Cogebanque.

PRIVATE EQUITY OF THE YEAR :
Africinvest

Tunisia
Funds generated: $1 billion
CEO: Ziad Oueslati

AfricInvest has invested in 135 companies across 24 African countries in 23 years. In 2016, the fund invested in Silafrica, the East African packaging leader, and acquired 30% of Zimbabwe’s MicroKing Finance. It sold its shares in Tunisian seed specialist Cotugrain, after helping to quadruple its turnover and, with BPIfrance, founded the “French African Fund”, dedicated to the international expansion of French SMEs in Africa.

AfricInvest has invested in 135 companies across 24 African countries in 23 years. In 2016, the fund invested in Silafrica, the East African packaging leader, and acquired 30% of Zimbabwe’s MicroKing Finance. It sold its shares in Tunisian seed specialist Cotugrain, after helping to quadruple its turnover and, with BPIfrance, founded the “French African Fund”, dedicated to the international expansion of French SMEs in Africa.

INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION OF THE YEAR :

Germany
CEO: Oliver Bäte

The German insurer, active in Africa for over a century providing life and non-life insurance services in 15 countries, is diversifying its activities and pursuing an expansion strategy across the continent. This is illustrated by the 2016 acquisition, for $258 million, of the Zurich Assurances subsidiary in Morocco, where Allianz intends to double its market share by 2021.

The German insurer, active in Africa for over a century providing life and non-life insurance services in 15 countries, is diversifying its activities and pursuing an expansion strategy across the continent. This is illustrated by the 2016 acquisition, for $258 million, of the Zurich Assurances subsidiary in Morocco, where Allianz intends to double its market share by 2021.

Portugal
CEO: Gonçalo Moura Martins

Through its African subsidiary, Mota-Engil Africa, this Portuguese company carries out major projects in Africa. In 2016, the Tanzanian government awarded it the contract, as part of a consortium, to build about 400 kilometres of track that will link Tanzania with Burundi and Rwanda, at a cost of $1.1 billion. The group also won an $818 million contract to build the Bugesera International Airport in Rwanda.

Through its African subsidiary, Mota-Engil Africa, this Portuguese company carries out major projects in Africa. In 2016, the Tanzanian government awarded it the contract, as part of a consortium, to build about 400 kilometres of track that will link Tanzania with Burundi and Rwanda, at a cost of $1.1 billion. The group also won an $818 million contract to build the Bugesera International Airport in Rwanda.
Company
Panel

Consulting
Panel

Finance
Panel

Media
Panel

Institutional
Panel

Company Panel

Oba Otudeko

Chairman
Honeywell Group

Marc Gaffajoli

Director
Afrijet

Mohamed Bouamatou

CEO
Groupe BSA

Françoise Le Guennou-Remarck

Vice-President
Institutional Relations and Communication CFAO

Consulting Panel

Wilfrid Lauriano Do Rego

Lead Partner and
Board member at KPMG

Martyn Davies

Managing Director
Emerging Markets & Africa, Deloitte

Serge Thiémélé

Partner
E&Y

Abdou Diop

Executive Partner
Mazars

Finance Panel

Vincent Le Guennou

Co-CEO
ECP Investments

Felix Bikpo

Managing Director
African Guarantee Fund

Luc Rigouzzo

Managing Associate
Amethis Finance

Media Panel

Fahmida Miller

East Africa Correspondent
Al Jazeera

Ahmadou Bakayoko

Managing Director
RTI

Eleni Giokos

Correspondent
CNN Money Africa

Lerato Mbele

Presenter
Africa Business Report, BBC

Institutional Panel

Geoffrey Qhena

CEO
Industrial Development Corporation

Carole Kariuki

CEO
Kenya Private Sector Alliance

Grégory Clemente

Managing Director
Proparco

Sonia Mezzour

Secretary General
National Agency for
Energy Efficiency Morocco

THE AFRICA CEO FORUM 2017

The Awards Ceremony takes place during the AFRICA CEO FORUM gala dinner on 20 March 2017, in Geneva.. The AFRICA CEO FORUM is one of the most important events in the African business calendar, bringing together the most influential figureheads in African and global finance and the CEOs of the continent’s biggest companies. It allows participants to exchange their views and opinions on the issues affecting the economic development of African companies, in a high-quality setting that is ideal for conducting business meetings.

Each year, the AFRICA CEO FORUM is attended by banking, private equity and financial market specialists, together with representatives of global financial institutions: more than 800 attendees in total, including over 500 CEOs from all four corners of the continent, 100 bankers and financiers, and 200 prominent African and international figures.

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