Ghana’s Bright Simons, President of mPedigree, has made it to the final list of the 2016 All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA) in Partnership with CNBC Africa.
Bright Simon is vying for the Innovator of the year award for West Africa, together with, Bilikiss Adebiyi Abiola, a Nigerian and CEO of Wecyclers.
About Bright Simons
[contextly_sidebar id=”8clBQA4ANbn3LbO4ou0ih20bJ4mgFCW6″]Bright Simons is a Ghanaian social innovator, entrepreneur, writer and an honorary Vice President of one of Africa’s most respected think tanks, IMANI Ghana.
He is the Founder of mPedigree, a social enterprise’ noted for its work to expose makers and distributors of counterfeit machines, and for creating a computer program called Goldkeys that enables the verification of certain products in some countries.
mPedigree uses mobile phones to secure pharmaceutical products against counterfeiting. They have also expanded into the textile and cosmetics industries in Nigeria and Ghana.
mPedigree (then mPedigree Network) was founded in 2007 and has since expanded operations to 12 countries, with offices in nine. They have hundreds of clients, including manufacturers of veterinary medicine, electrical products, baby food, cosmetics and high-yield seeds used in agriculture.
mPedigree sells software that manufacturers use to label individual packs of medication with a random 12-digit code hidden under a scratch-off rectangle on the packaging.
About Wecyclers
Wecyclers gives households a chance to capture value from their waste while providing a reliable supply of materials to the local recycling industry.
Wecyclers works in partnership with the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and collects recyclable waste, including plastic bottles, plastic bags, and aluminum cans, at the household level using low-cost bicycle-powered collection vehicles called “wecycles”.
The finalists were announced during a live broadcast on DStv Channel 410 on Wednesday night, marking the start of the award that will travel to East, West and Southern Africa, to recognise the best in business across the continent.
The live finalists’ announcement on CNBC Africa brought together members of the press, key stakeholders and sponsors to reveal this year’s contenders for the sixth season of the awards.
Working through over a hundred qualifying submissions, judges spent well over two months examining, analysing and deliberating the candidates for 2016, narrowing it down to only a handful of business leaders per category, in each region.
The 2016 AABLA finalists for each region are:
Young Business Leader of the Year – East Africa presented by Lancaster University Ghana and Transnational Education Africa
Darshan Chandaria, Director and Group CEO of Chandaria Group
Trushar Khetia, Founder and CEO of Tria Group
Jean de Dieu Kagabo, Founder and CEO of Soft Group
Young Business Leader of the Year – Southern Africa presented by Lancaster University Ghana and Transnational Education Africa
Linda Olagunju, Founder and Managing Director at DLO Energy Resources
Jackie van Niekerk, CEO of Pivotal Property Fund
Siya Beyile, Founder of The Threaded Man
Young Business Leader of the Year – West Africa presented by Lancaster University Ghana and Transnational Education Africa
Tope Aroge, Managing Director of the Arog Bio Allied Agro Services
Seun and Seyi Abolaji, Founder’s and Managing Directors of Wilson’s Juice Company
Uneku Atawodi, Founder of Bamboo Green Concepts
Entrepreneur of the Year – East Africa
Ashok Shah, CEO of APA Insurance
Bimal Kantaria, Director of Elgon Kenya
Entrepreneur of the Year – Southern Africa
Stephen Saad, Group CEO of Aspen Pharmacare
Magda Wierzycka, CEO of Sygnia Asset Management
Mark and Brett Levy, Joint-CEO of Blue Label Telecoms
Entrepreneur of the Year – West Africa
Paul Orajiaka, is the Founder of Auldon
Wole Faroun, CEO of Netplus Advisory
Suleiman Yusuf, CEO of Blue Camel Energy
Business Women of the Year – East Africa
Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, Founder of soleRebels
Joseline Kateeba, Managing Director of Crest Foam
Business Women of the Year – Southern Africa
Lindani Dhlamini, CEO of SekelaXabiso
Monica Singer, CEO of Strate
Business Women of the Year – West Africa
Sola David-Borha, CEO of Stanbic IBTC Holdings
Udo Okonjo, CEO and Founder of Fine & Country West Africa
Bilikiss Adebiyi Abiola, CEO of Wecyclers
Innovator of the Year – East Africa
Danson Muchemi, Founder of Web Tribe
Patrick Buchana, Founder of AC Group
Ernest Kayinamura, CEO of Hexakomb
Innovator of the Year – Southern Africa
Thato Kgatlhanye, Founder of Rethaka
Stacey Brewer and Ryan Harrison, Founders of SPARK Schools
Innovator of the Year – West Africa
Bilikiss Adebiyi Abiola, CEO of Wecyclers
Bright Simons, President of mPedigree
Company of the Year – East Africa
APA Insurance
Bank of Kigali
National Microfinance Bank (NMB)
Company of the Year – Southern Africa
Discovery
Bidvest
Aspen Pharmacare
Company of the Year – West Africa
Dangote Group
LafargeHolcim
Nestlé Central & West Africa
Zenith Bank
Business Leader of the Year – East Africa presented by Bosch
Juliet Umutoni, Country Manager of DHL Express Rwanda
Egide Gatera, Chairman of Rwanda Mountain Tea
Fatima Abubakar, Country Manager of DHL Express Uganda
Business Leader of the Year – Southern Africa presented by Bosch
Adrian Gore, Founder and CEO of Discovery
Mike Brown, CEO of Nedbank
Business Leader of the Year – West Africa presented by Bosch
Abdulsamad Rabiu, Founder of BUA Group
Issam Darwish, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of IHS Holding
John Bonoh Sisay, CEO of Sierra Rutile
The Lifetime Achievement Award in each region and for All Africa will once again be selected by the judging committee and announced on the night.
The Industrialist of the Year category presented by the IDC along with the Philanthropist of the Year, will take on a similar format.
The AABLA, now in their sixth year, recognise Africa’s bold leaders and change-makers of business in East, West and Southern Africa.
The regional events will be staged in Kigali on September 8, Johannesburg September 29 and Lagos October 20 with the Finale taking place in Johannesburg on November 11.
The winners of each region will go through to the Finale to crown an All Africa winner per category.
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By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/Citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AfanyiDadzie