Sanlam Group announces shortlist for financial journalism awards

Sanlam and Santam, the co-sponsors of the Sanlam Group Awards for Excellence in Financial Journalism, today announced the shortlisted entries for the 2022 awards.

One hundred and nine entries were received for the 2022 competition. The new category, ESG, which has two sub-categories – Business and the Environment and Business and Society, received an impressive response from the journalists, as did other popular categories such as Business and Companies and the African Growth Story. The broadcast categories attracted a significantly limited number of entries.

Mr Nixon Kariithi, Chair of the independent judging panel, said, “The Sanlam Group Awards for Excellence in Financial Journalism continue to grow from strength to strength with widespread participation from across the continent. The entries were highly competitive, covering a range of topical issues impacting Africa’s economy, and reflected the relevance of financial journalism on governance, and combining the world of business with compelling human-interest angles.”

The 2022 Sanlam Group Financial Journalist of the Year and category winners will be announced at a gala event in Johannesburg on 3 August 2023.

The shortlisted journalists are:

Mr Nixon Kariithi, Chair of the independent judging panel and a communications consultant, led the review of submissions. He was joined on the judging panel by:

• Ms Angela Agoawike (Nigeria) – media practitioner;
• Ms Emily Brown (Namibia) – media lecturer;
• Mr Rayborn Bulley (Ghana) – financial journalism trainer;
• Ms Paula Fray (South Africa) – media development trainer;
• Ms Ylva Rodny-Gumede (South Africa) – journalism academic;
• Mr Tom Indimuli (Kenya) – communications consultant;
• Mr Ulrich Joubert – (South Africa) – independent economist;
• Ms Aggie Konde (Kenya) – advisor on ESG;
• Mr Charles Naude (South Africa) – retired business news editor; and
• Mr Musa Zondi (South Africa) – former environmental news journalist.

Established in 1974, the awards recognise outstanding financial journalists in print, online, radio and television media who are based in Africa, working in an African news organisation and publishing, or broadcasting their work on the continent. The work of the finalists represents the best financial journalism in Africa, reporting on the continent’s challenges and progress in business, economic development and ESG: Business and Environment and ESG: Business and Society. The awards carry a total cash prize of about R680,000.

Sanlam is a pan-African financial services group listed on the Johannesburg, Namibian and A2X stock exchanges. Through its clusters – Retail Mass, Retail Affluent, Sanlam Corporate, Sanlam Emerging Markets, Sanlam Investment Group and Santam, the Group provides comprehensive and bespoke financial solutions to institutional clients and consumers across all market segments. Sanlam’s areas of expertise include life and general insurance, financial planning, retirement, investments, and wealth management.

Established in 1918 as a life insurance company, Sanlam has evolved into the largest non-banking financial services group in Africa through its diversification strategy.

Santam is South Africa’s leading general insurer with a market share in excess of 22%. Listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), the Santam group provides a diversified range of general insurance products and services in Southern Africa and internationally through a network of over 3 300 intermediaries and direct channels.