I’m a big believer in exposing yourself to new experiences. You grow by getting out of your comfort zone.
Hang out with people you wouldn’t usually hang out with, read a book that isn’t really your vibe, watch a documentary that you wouldn’t normally watch. Make yourself uncomfortable. It’s a great way to open your mind up to new ideas and new ways of thinking.
I attented the Excellence Awards last night, which is for the financial industry. I hadn’t heard of most of the candidates before last night (barring Adrian Gore) but I felt really inspired after having seen the campaigns they’ve executed, seeing the impact they’ve had on business in Africa and hearing about how their CSI campaigns unfolded.
So, the next time you get a chance to do something different. DO IT! You will likely learn a heap and won’t regret it.
Refinitiv, formerly Thomson Reuters Financial and Risk business, yesterday hosted the 2018 Southern Africa Excellence Awards in Sandton, Johannesburg. Described as the ultimate form of recognition of the organisation’s customer excellence, the annual Excellence Awards highlight the great work being done by financial markets participants.
The event honours participants from across Southern Africa who help to drive growth and efficiency, transparency and deepening of the financial markets in their respective countries.
Sneha Shah, Managing Director for Africa at Refinitiv (formerly Thomson Reuters Financial and Risk business) said “What is going to drive the success of Africa’s economies is committed individuals and companies that are contributing to strong and stable financial systems and institutions. The 2018 Excellence Awards recognise the great work of these individuals and companies who amongst many outstanding nominees were selected, by the independent judges, as the ones producing the most impact for Southern Africa’s financial markets.”
Winners for Southern Africa were ranked in 5 categories as follows:
Best Partner
Winner: Neil Pryce, Absa
Runner Ups: Graham Fehrsen, CFO and CHRO South Africa; and Sibusiso Ngubeni, Standard Bank
Most Impactful Business – Doing Good and Doing Well
Winner: Paul Wilson, ICAP
Runner Ups: Tanya Dos Santos, Investec; and Adrian Gore, Discovery
Innovation
Winner: Grant Locke, OUTvest
Runner Ups: Charles Savage, Purple Group/Easy Equities; and Gary Tamblyn, Discovery
Embracing Technology
Winner: Grant Locke, OUTvest
Runner Ups: Kenny Madi, Standard Bank; and Motshidisi Selepe, Botswana Oil
Longest Service
Winner: Straffen Graham, RMB
Runner Ups: Dave Duley, China Construction Bank; and Peter Rattey, Investec
People’s Choice
Winner: Steve Arnold, Investec
Runner Ups: Russel Humphreys, RMB; John Cairns, RMB
The Excellence Awards will also be held in Kenya for East Africa, on the 25th of October and in Nigeria for West Africa, on the 1st of November for the first time this year.
Congratulations to all the nominees, keep on keeping on!