Rob Rose wins 2023 Sanlam Group Financial Journalist of the Year award

Rob Rose, former editor of South Africa’s Financial Mail, was last night named the Sanlam Financial Journalist of the Year for 2023.

Rose was recognised by the independent panel of judges, responsible for reviewing the competition’s entries, for qualities including his consistent demonstration of fearless and enlightening reporting. This win represents the third time in the past decade that Rose has won the top prize, testimony to his steady track record in financial journalism for more than 15 years.

Convenor of the independent judging panel Nixon Kariithi said that these qualities, along with articulating great insights and well-supported opinions, characterised Rose’s consistent entries this year.

“Rob demonstrated reporting and writing of the very highest standard that set an aspirational bar for all journalists seeking to make a meaningful contribution to financial journalism in Africa,” said Kariithi.

Established by Sanlam in 1974, the awards recognise exceptional financial journalism in Africa. This year’s competition received 170 entries – the highest to date – from 13 countries across the continent.

In addition to the journalist of the year prize, the other main awards were: African Growth Story, Best Newcomer and Lifetime Achievement Award.

There were joint winners-up in the African Growth Story category. They were Paul Murungi of Uganda’s Daily Monitor and CEO East Africa Magazine, and Garth Theunissen from BusinessDay and News24 Business. The winner of the African of the Growth Story category was Mahamadi Sebogo of Sidwaya from Burkina Faso.

Open to financial journalists practising in Africa, the African Growth Story prize recognises stories covering topical trade and investment developments on the continent. Entries should cover the growth of Africa on topics including investments, infrastructure and economic development.

For the first time ever, there were three joint winners for the Best Newcomer Award. The judges’ citation noted that the awards were this year blessed with entries of the highest quality from emerging African reporters. They were Abdulkareem Mojeed of Nigeria’s Premium Times, Ephraim Modise of the Nigerian based online title TechCabal, and Innocent Samuel Muhindo of The Observer in Uganda.

“Each journalist brought not simply youth, but also great reporting and writing skills to the field of financial journalism in Africa,” said Kariithi.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded to Siki Mgabadeli, a respected veteran financial journalist with a career spanning over 19 years, including reporting, tv anchoring and radio presenting roles at South Africa’s leading financial news organisations and the public broadcaster.

Commenting on the achievement of the winners, Kariithi said: “It was most encouraging to receive not only a record number of submissions, but also entries that were of a high standard. We are also seeing the entry of new, young reporters into the field who bring fresh perspectives, drive and energy to reporting on business for diverse audiences. This can only serve in the best interests for the further development of financial journalism in Africa.”

As chair of the independent judging panel, Kariithi, was joined by Angela Agoawike, media practitioner (Nigeria), Emily May Brown, media studies academic (Namibia), Freddie Rayborn Bulley, financial journalism trainer (Ghana), Ylva Rodny Gumede, media studies and international relations scholar (South Africa), Tom Indimuli, communications advisor (Kenya), Ulrich Joubert, independent economist (South Africa), Aggie Asiimwe Konde, chartered marketer, CIM Fellow and ESG advisor (Uganda), Charles Naudé, retired editor (South Africa) and Musa Zondi, communications/freelance business writer (South Africa).

The full list of winners and runners-up are:

The category winners each receive R30,000 prize money, the best newcomer prize is R25,000, while the overall winner receives R40,000. The first and second runners-up each receive R20,000 and R15,000 respectively.