The Sunday Mail
Tanyaradzwa Rusike
THE Business Weekly editor Herbert Zharare was picked as one of the top eight business leaders of the year at the National Business Awards in Harare on Friday.
Organised by financial services provider FinKing, the awards ceremony recognised Zharare as a “Government-private sector engager”.
Zimbabwe’s largest daily, The Herald, was also honoured as the newspaper of the year.
Running under the theme “Exploring the Prospects”, the awards sought to celebrate corporate success and national linchpins in business.
Founder and chairperson of FinKing Financial Advisory, Dr Keen Mhlanga, said the awards honour success stories in the business sector.
“The National Business Awards created a platform for young entrepreneurs, women in business, emerging and established companies to be seen and be apprehended by stakeholders,” he said.
“The annual achievement’s growth projections and industry influence were the main variables employed to select award winners.”
The Sunday Mail editor, Victoria Ruzvidzo, who was guest of honour at the event, said Zimbabwe has countless opportunities for businesses to flourish.
“We have opportunities in a myriad of fields – agriculture, mining, manufacturing, tourism, education, construction and service industries.
“Opportunities beckon, not only to sustain ourselves but also to rise to the levels we desire, transforming individual, community and national trajectories and dare I say it, continental ones,” she said.
Ruzvidzo commended the establishment of innovation hubs in universities, saying they will boost locally-made products.
“We have seen the establishment of innovation hubs, whose results are encouragingly auspicious. New products, new ways of thinking are the order of the day.
“When we conceive of possibilities, the results are astounding.
“We need to look at some things differently, disabuse ourselves of notions which make us depend on imports, to come up with home-grown innovative solutions which lessen pressure on foreign currency needs but augment its earnings,” she said.
She urged business leaders to collaborate to make the most out of the available opportunities and target international markets.
“No one can individually achieve more than would be possible collectively. After all, we have the same aspirations, goals and fate. The opportunities are huge, both locally and internationally. The African Continental Free Trade Area is a hugely important milestone,” said The Sunday Mail editor.
◆ Twitter: @tdrusike
