South African Chamber of Commerce (UK)
Annual Awards 2022
Date
17th November 2022
Venue
Standard Bank
"Outstanding efforts deserve reward and recognition"
Awards
ESG High Achiever of the Year
Cathie Lewis
Founder, Earth Energy
FCG
Admitted attorney & conveyancer
LLM: Law of Contract (University of Pretoria)
LLM: Corporate Law (cum laude) (University of Pretoria)
MSt: Sustainability Leadership (Cambridge University)
PhD Candidate, Graduate Business School, University of Cape Town
Cathie is the founder of Earth-Energy, a consultancy firm specializing in ESG, sustainability, climate change, water governance and integrated reporting. She has over 27 years’ experience in legal work, academia, company secretariat and sustainability, of which 13 years were in the listed corporate space as group company secretary and head of sustainability. Cathie is a director of the Chartered Governance Institute of Southern Africa and a member of its Advisory Steering committee and member of the South African Integrated Reporting Committee Working Group. She is also a founding member and co-director of CoGo, Corporate Governance Network for Water Security. Cathie is passionate to find solutions to grand challenges like climate change and water scarcity.
DE&I High Achiever of the Year
Debbie Tembo
DEI Partnerships Director at Creative Equals
Since 2016, she has been working with FTSE 100 clients, Top 100 Law Firms and one of the Big Four as Client Relationship Director & Board Member at Obelisk Support Legal Solutions.
With a very strong interest in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), Debbie has advised FTSE 100 companies and professional services firms about the strategic importance of DE&I and its position as a critical enabler of long-term sustainability, both from a people and profit perspective. Additionally, Debbie is involved in the procurement and RFP processes of large institutions, with DE&I as a critical component.
In her role as DEI Partnerships Director, Debbie advises some of the largest global brands in the marketing and advertising industry on how to achieve equity through brand communications and product innovations by adopting more inclusive marketing strategies and practices.
Business Woman of the Year
Tracey Davies
Group Managing Director, HL Hall & Sons group
Tracey studied at the University of Natal, receiving a BSc Degree and Chemistry Honours (Cum Laude), has a Certificate in Industrial Marketing, and has been awarded alumni status at INSEAD. Tracey started her career at Unilever, leading divisions in Robertsons and Unilever before moving to JSE listed AECI. During her 11 years at AECI she led global businesses in the chemicals and food ingredients industries.
Tracey joined the Halls group as the managing director of Deltamune, leading this company through a transformative process to re invent its value proposition, cement a strong leadership team and achieve a successful financial turnaround of the business. In 2018 Tracey became the first female managing director of Halls Fresh Produce, a wholly owned subsidiary of the HL Hall & Sons group. During her time with Halls Fresh Produce, Tracey successfully led the international expansions of the business, with operations in the UK, France, the Netherlands, Spain, China and Peru.
In March 2022 Tracey was appointed as group managing director of the HL Hall & Sons group. Tracey is married with a daughter, and is an avid traveller, scuba diver and hiker. Her family’s most precious times are spent in the great outdoors.
Young Business Achiever of the Year
Eiren Drake
Founder, Tin Stuf
Eiren Drake is the 28 year-old founder and aspirant entrepreneur behind the development of a world-first canned product concept, inspired by his humble up-bringing on a farm in rural Limpopo Province, South Africa. Growing up with chicken feet and pap (maize) as one of his most-loved childhood meals, later evoked an interest for him in the dominant foods, staple diets and different time-consuming methods used by the diverse mix of cultures in South Africa, to prepare their favourite meals.
In an attempt to contribute towards finding a solution for the global food security crisis, Drake has started trying to solve some of the everyday challenges faced by millions of people in Africa, who are forced to travel long distances to and from limited points of access to frozen meat supplies, further compounded by the costly electricity required to store it – this has created an innate awareness within the young entrepreneur, whose solution has been to start his own canning company, commissioned to produce the widely enjoyed and consumed traditional South African dish of chicken feet and necks.
Drake’s vision for the future of his business, includes the development of a turn-key, modular canning factory concept, that can easily and swiftly be commissioned at any location with a sufficient supply of water and electricity. He plans to franchise the concept, attracting investors by offering them a profitable business model that empowers the community that surrounds it. Procuring all of its raw materials from local small businesses, as opposed to fuelling the further growth of large corporations that dominate the industry. Furthermore, the model aims to drive employment opportunities in every region where a modular facility is located – each of which are to be strategically situated as close as possible to the end consumer, where the need and demand for these products are the greatest. This further reduces the CO2 emissions and the costs involved in shipping these consumer goods
Chairman's Award
Athol Williams
Founder of the Institute of Social & Corporate Ethics (ISCE)
ISCE works to foster ethical practice, currently focused on South Africa, where Athol was an ardent campaigner against corporate corruption. After blowing the whistle on state capture and corruption in 2019, Williams went into exile in 2021 over safety concerns.
He is currently based at Oxford University in the UK where he holds part-time appointments at Blavatnik School of Government, St Catherine’s College and the Porter Diplomacy Centre, Hertford College.
His philosophy of being is partially reflected in The Book of Eden and Pushing Boulders, as well as his six books of poetry. Early indications of his philosophy of business are evident in his academic work on corporate ethics well as his recent book on corporate corruption, Deep Collusion.
He worked in business for over 20 years in the US, UK and South Africa in management consulting, financial services and mining.
Executive Committee Award
Tania Verdonk
Exceptional Achievement Award
Sir Nick Stadlen
Sir Nick Stadlen is a former English High Court Judge who produced the documentary film “Life Is Wonderful: Mandela’s Unsung Heroes” chronicalling the recollections of many of the key participants of the infamous Rivonia Trial of 1963/4, which saw many of the leading lights of the ANC, including Nelson Mandela, sentenced to life imprisonment on Robben Island.
Not only is this documentary remarkable, moving and full of fascinating detail, for a number of the significant participants it was the last time they would discuss these historical events on camera in their lifetimes. Joel Joffe, George Bizos, Ahmed Kathadra, Denis Goldberg and Andrew Mlangeni have all passed away since the filming took place. The detailed recollections captured by Sir Nick in this documentary form a remarkable and unique addition to the historical record of the momentous events of the Rivonia Trial, which helped to shape the course of the nation of South Africa. This documentary, particularly under these circumstances, will stand for years to come as a resource through which especially younger South Africans can learn about these events and the individuals who lived through them, presented in a particularly informative, comprehensive and detailed format.
For this significant contribution to South African history and for preserving the memories and stories of this extraordinary group of people, all in their own way, fathers of the nation, we commend Sir Nick and with humility, honour him with this Award.
About the Awards
The South African Chamber of Commerce Awards is a celebration of the best efforts and achievements of the South African community in the UK, all wrapped up into a fantastic celebration evening. We invite nominations in a range of award categories, each focussing on specific areas. If you know someone who excels at what they do, then they deserve your nomination.
Standard Bank Atrium
This year’s Awards take on a new and exciting format; informal, more inclusive and affordable, with a focus on networking. The Awards will be hosted in the atrium at Standard Advisory’s City offices, under their 5-story high vaulted ceiling.
The wines for the evening have been donated by Bruce Jack Wine Estate and Gerhard Perold of Perold Wine Cellar, the grandson of the creator of Pinotage. For those wanting to know more, Gerhard will be available at the wine-tasting tables to answer your questions and share his experience about other vineyards from South Africa sharing the same cultivars, and how best to combine the different wines with different foods.
Finger food, cheese & biscuits, biltong & droewors will complement the drinks.
Each award is sponsored, so if you’d like to generate awareness, gain media exposure, respect and recognition for your brand, then please enquire with us about our sponsorship packages.
FEATURES OF THE AWARDS
The Awards recognise 5 achievers ranging from individuals who have made a difference in a young business, the efforts made by those in the ESG & DE&I arenas and to those in the corporate business sector who have excelled.
Nominees and Finalists will be celebrated in the run up to the event and the SA Chamber will provide a media platform for winners and their sponsors to promote their businesses during the following year.
SUCCESS STEPS
The Chamber offers a wide range of sponsorship opportunities to companies who wish to maintain their competitive edge, credibility, and visibility whilst showing their support in a highly competitive market.
Our members have preference over certain sponsorship slots but those who opt for the Gold and Silver Award sponsorship will gain visibility and media coverage thoughout 2022 on our website and other social and press media.
Key Speaker
Professor Stephen Chan OBE
The keynote speech from Professor Stephen Chan, OBE, Professor of World Politics at SOAS, on the subject “SA Today, SA Tomorrow – Risks and Opportunities”.
South Africa is experiencing VUCA, (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) in response to global changes, but also as a result of its own internal issues. On top of economic challenges and an energy crisis, the country is in the run up towards a major political contest in December for the leadership of the ANC, which will have a fundamental impact on the direction the country takes. That, in turn, will impact institutional governance, energy and water crises and the view of SA from the international investment community.
Will the various possible outcomes for the ANC leadership results affect how South Africa is able to meet its obligations to global and local markets, build confidence amongst investors, and step up to the challenges of climate change, national emergencies like the recent pandemic, and future economic growth. Additionally, the government faces challenges of inclusion, with many of the population, particularly youth, still existing outside of the mainstream economy.
It is against this backdrop that we shall hear the reflections of Professor Chan, Professor of World Politics, highlighting the risks and the opportunities in South Africa’s near future.
SOAS describes Professor Chan as “… an international civil servant involved with several key diplomatic initiatives in Africa, helping to pioneer modern electoral observation, and continues to be seconded to diplomatic assignments today. He has twice been Dean at SOAS and has published 35 books and supervised 40 successful PhD theses. He won the 2010 International Studies Association prize, Eminent Scholar in Global Development and broadcasts and lectures internationally.”
- Professor of World Politics at SOAS (School of Oriental & African Studies)
- Former Dean at SOAS
- Author of 36 books
- Filmed several documentaries
- International karate medallist and instructor
- Lived in Zambia for some years in the 1980s
- Provided safe houses for children of ANC exiles
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