TONY ELUMELU WINS THE HIGHLY COVETED AFRICAN BUSINESS
 LEADER OF THE YEAR AWARD
 13th NOV 2006

Thursday, 9th of November, at the luxury Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, the location for this year’s Africa Investor awards, Tony Elumelu, GMD/CEO of UBA Plc, emerged winner of the prestigious and highly coveted AFRICAN BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR award.

The Business Leader of the Year award was the hotly anticipated finale of 15 different award categories, in a glittering ceremony that saw a stellar gathering of representatives of leading organizations and some of Africa’s best, including Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Professor Charles Soludo, Executive President of the African Business Roundtable & Chairman, NEPAD Business Group Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Kenyan Minister of Trade & Industry Dr. Mukhisa Kituyu, and Director, African Investment Advisory, Dr. Ken Kwaku, amongst many other distinguished guests.

The AI awards, dubbed the “Oscars” of the African corporate world, are the only Pan African awards that recognise and reward exceptional business practices, economic achievements and investments across the continent, as well as corporate responsibility towards the society. It is organized by Africa investor; a United Kingdom based bi-monthly business magazine which targets international investors with an interest in Africa’s commercial development. This year's event is the third, following successful ceremonies in 2004 and 2005 in Dakar, Senegal and Johannesburg, South Africa.

Tony Elumelu was voted winner in a strongly contested category, amongst finalists that include some of Africa’s finest and most successful Chief Executive Officers; Phutuma Nhleko, Group Chief Executive of the Telecoms giant MTN (South Africa), Papi Molotsane, CEO of Telkom (South Africa); Vimal Shah CEO of Bidco Oil Refineries, Kenya, the largest manufacturer of edible oils and fats and soaps in East and Central Africa; Gerald Mahinda of East African Breweries which has extensive operations in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania and Jim Ovia, CEO of Zenith Bank, Nigeria.

A very delighted Elumelu said, “I am very honoured to have won this award, particularly amongst a list of such highly respected African CEOs. As a child, as a student, as a young professional and now as an entrepreneur, Africa has always been the centre of my dreams, my aspirations and my prayers. It gives me immeasurable joy to win the coveted African Business Leader of the Year in a pure African nation like Kenya.

He further stated that “the future is Africa and together we will create the Age of Africa; the age when Africa will be known in other spheres of human endeavours beyond crime, squalor, war and diseases; when African companies, led by African entrepreneurs can take centre stage in the global corporate arena. I hope we’ll all play a role in making this a reality in our life time. I dedicate this award to all the lions and lionesses at UBA, who work hard daily to drive the vision and aspirations of the institution and my lovely wife Dr. Awele Elumelu for giving me peace at home to excel in the work place.”

Commenting on the selection of Mr. Elumelu, Dr Bamangar Tukur, Chairman of the Africa Investor Awards judging panel, said “Tony Elumelu deserves this award, although it was a very difficult choice between such distinguished and highly respected African business leaders. Mr. Elumelu is great role model for young Africans today.”
Other members of the awards panel include Dr. Ken Kwaku, Vice President, African Development Bank Group Ms. Arunmah Oteh, Executive Director, United Nations Fund for International Partnerships, Mr. Amir Dossal, Chairman, Uganda Investment Authority, Dr. William Kalema, and Chairman UAP Insurance, Dr. Joe Wanjui.
Also speaking on the award, Celine Loader, Head of Corporate Communications at UBA, asserted that it was a validation of the visionary leadership of Tony Elumelu and his unrelenting quest to prove that Africans can do it just as well, if not better, than their counterparts in other parts of the globe.

Tony Elumelu joins a distinguished club of past winners which include last year’s winners Lazarus Zim, CEO of Anglo American, South Africa and Bill Gates, Founder & Chairman of Microsoft, who won in the International Business Leader category.

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