Final entry call - Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards

Nick Blazquez, Africa managing director of Diageo commented, "We've already received entries from across Africa and the rest of the world. Interestingly, the most popular category so far has been in the Agribusiness/Environment category, which shows how this sector has grown in significance to both the media and the business community across Africa.

"There's still time to enter so I'd like to encourage any journalist who has been writing about business on the continent to enter."l

There are no entry fees. For more information and to enter the awards, go to www.diageoafricabusinessreportingawards.com.

Judges

The judging panel for the awards is chaired by Paul Walsh, CEO of Diageo and includes; Shantayanan Devarajan, chief economist of the World Bank's Africa Division; Zeinab Badawi international news broadcaster, presenter and trustee of the BBC World Service Trust; Baroness Shriti Vadera, former minister for business and competitiveness and current adviser to the chair of G20, Republic of Korea; Stephen King, investments director at the Omidyar Foundation and former director of BBC World Service Trust; Dr Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, chairman of the NEPAD Business Group and executive president of the African Business Roundtable; Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid and Professor Wiseman Nkuhlu, former CEO of New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and chairman of Pan-African Capital Holdings.

The number of categories has been extended this year, focusing on various sectors in order to allow journalists with differing expertise and interests to enter the awards.

The awards reception will be held at The Landmark Hotel, London on 1 July 2010 and is by invitation only.

2010 awards categories (entries can be on any platform - online, print, broadcast):

• Best ICT feature
  
• Best Finance feature
  
• Best Infrastructure feature
  
• Best Agribusiness / Environment feature
  
• Best Tourism feature
  
• Best use of New Media in a story
  
• Best Business News story
  
• Best Business Feature story
  
• Best Newcomer
  
• Media of the Year
  
• Journalist of the Year

The Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards were created in 2004 with teh aim of transforming perceptions about doing business in Africa. The awards recognises journalists and editors worldwide who promote a balanced view of economic opportunity and business achievement in Africa.