South Africa’s premier entrepreneurial platform, the 2012 Sanlam/Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® competition, today announced that 22 finalists had been accepted to go through to the judging phase, with the ultimate winner to be announced on 6 September 2012.
According to Nimo Naidoo, project manager of the 2012 Sanlam/Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® competition, this year has set a benchmark in terms of celebrating entrepreneurial excellence in the country, resulting in encouraging entries from very talented South African entrepreneurs.
“The calibre of entrants and quality of preparation packs received in 2012, which is a combination of all necessary details required in order to assess the entrepreneurs, has improved tremendously in comparison to the 2011 entries,” says Naidoo.
Entrepreneurs from across industries
The 22 finalists operate in various sectors, the most prominent being the manufacturing and services sectors. “Entries from the manufacturing sector are encouraging and show that South African entrepreneurs are not afraid to enter this vital job-creation sector, even in the current economic climate.
“In the services sector, entrants operating in the health, beauty, education, training and security industries were also well represented this year, and is in line with global trends, whereby growth in these services is prominent in emerging economies.”
Naidoo says that there also seems to be a trend of environmental sustainability amongst the 2012 finalists, with most businesses ensuring that relevant environmental systems and strategies are in place.
She says that it is heartening to receive entries from entrepreneurs running successful businesses inSouth Africa’s rural areas, who are able to stimulate jobs within their communities. “Fostering an entrepreneurial spirit within our communities is vital and instilling this philosophy among our youth is crucial to reachingSouth Africa’s economic and skills goals.”
The Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® winners will be announced on 6 September 2012 at the official awards breakfast inJohannesburg. “We are very excited to venture into the final stages of the 2012 competition and wish all of the entrants the best of luck,” concludes Naidoo.
2012 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® finalists:
Suretha Barnard (The Junior Academy), Quinten Dickerson (True Water), Tabisa Nomnganga (Bravo Promotions), Kamille Padayachee (ThoughtFIRE), Fritz Strydom (Blomo Plastics), Imran Khan (Attitution), Hennie Burger (M Sec Security Systems), Martin Brown (Radical Mobility), Stuart Forrest (Triggerfish Animation Studios), Mike Eilertsen (One Vision Investment), George Ferreira (TJS Lekka Braai), Madelé Ferreira (Mooihoek Boerdery), Gianmarco Lorenzi (Cleardata), Michelle Booysen (Petanque Consultancy), Warren Graver (Multi Direct Investments), Prakash and Shereen Premrajh (UKD Marketing), William Duk (The Plantation Shutter), Justin Hawes (Scan Display Solutions), Trevor Davids (Trevor Davids Plumbing), Carol Wearing (Thebe Exhibitions and projects Group), Anthea Ambursley (AnanziBiz) and Leon Mienie (Ebenhaeser Engineering).