23 May 2019

The fifth annual Private Business Growth Awards presented by Grant Thornton, Business Botswana (BB) and Botswana Investment Trade Centre (BITC) are billed for August during Global Expo week. 

The awards, which are intended to grow businesses in Botswana, will honour the country’s top private businesses that have achieved strategic, sustainable and holistic growth and also contributed to the country’s economic growth.

Briefing media on the coming award, BB chief executive officer, Mr Norman Moleele said recently that apart from improving corporate reputation, the awards also contributed to the country’s economic diversification.

He said the awards encouraged private sector to bring out their innovative thinking. 

Mr Moleele said such platforms as the awards substantiated their efforts to encourage private businesses to play a key role in the economic development.

He indicated that as an advocacy body, BB continually worked with government towards the growth of the private sector. 

Mr Moleele applauded Grant Thornton for their contribution towards private sector development as well as for recognising and appreciating private companies.

For her part, BITC director of corporate communications, Ms Kutlo Moagi said her organisation was driven to encourage companies to retain, expand and diversify its investment portfolio in Botswana. 

She said the awards were a platform where government, through the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry was able to demonstrate its commitment to supporting and enabling business growth, through participation during the awards.

Ms Moagi further noted that the success and efficacy of the  awards were dependent on the efficiency and effectiveness of all stakeholders that continued to contribute immensely to the success of the local businesses. 

She said their partnership with Grant Thornton and BB was a strategic opportunity for them to leverage on the initiative that sought to acknowledge and recognise the role that the private sector played in the mandate of BITC.

She said BITC continued to recognise and appreciate companies that contributed to economic growth, economic diversification and employment creation in Botswana. 

In addition, Ms Moagi indicated that this year they would award clients with special awards such as Investor of the Year in Manufacturing, Services Sector, Expansions as well as Exporter of the Year award.

Meanwhile, Grant Thornton managing partner, Mr Kalyanaraman Vijay said his company had embarked on the partnership to recognise and develop private entities that were contributing to the growth of the private sector in the country. 

He indicated that the awards had grown significantly over the years; with expansion of categories from just one in 2015 to seven this year.

Past winners of the awards included Sprint Couriers, FloTek, Nashua, Security Systems, Hotwire, Mr Veg, and Brastorne Enterprises. ENDS