Continental Reinsurance Plc has named the panel of judges for the seventh edition of the pan-African (re)insurance journalism awards. Two of the new judges are representing the continent’s Maghreb region after the organisers added a new category for entries in Arabic last year.
This comes moments before the closing date for submitting entries in English, French or Arabic, which is Monday, January 31, 2022.
“The eight members of the jury bring a wealth of experience across journalism and insurance, bringing insights from within and outside the sector,” said Continental Reinsurance in a statement.
Read: MCK Industrial Placement Programme Kicks Off
The judges are:
- Michael Wilson, Business & Finance Journalist
Mr Wilson joined Sky TV at its inception in 1989 and for more than 20 years he was a main anchor for Sky’s coverage of major business events. Since leaving Sky, he has broadcast for the BBC, ITV, Fox News, Al Jazeera and Arise Networks, a global television service aimed at Africa.
2. Nadia Mensah-Acogny, Journalist, Forbes Afrique
Ms Mensah-Acogny is a journalist and columnist at Forbes Afrique, where she is the author of the annual ‘100 Most Influential Women in Africa’ report. She has more than 30 years of experience as a communications expert and is the co-founder of Acosphere, a business consultancy.
Ms Mensah-Acogny is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Africa Centre in London and a member of the Council of Women in Africa WIA.
Read: Top 3 excuses people use to postpone home insurance
3. Kenneth Igbomor, Market News Editor (West Africa), CNBC Africa
Mr Kenneth Igbomor is a seasoned financial journalist and business news television producer and is currently the Market News Editor for CNBC Africa, where he heads the West Africa editorial team. He is also a development economist previously working as a financial planner in the insurance industry in Nigeria. He remains an “unrepentant optimist” about development outcomes in Africa.
4. Gareth Stokes, Founder, Stokes, Media Group
Mr Gareth is a professional freelance journalist and writer who specializes in the financial services industry. Based in South Africa, his work has been published in magazines and newspapers, including Daily Mail & The Guardian, Financial Mail, FA News, FIA Insight and others. He is the author of a basic guide to stock market investing and co-author of ‘Short Term Insurance in South Africa 2016’. Gareth currently writes on risk management and insurance topics.
Read: Equity ventures into insurance market through equity life assurance
5. Shiamdass Appannah, Lloyd’s General Representative in Mauritius
Mr Shiamdass has more than 40 years of experience in Africa’s insurance industry. He is currently the Lloyd’s General Representative in Mauritius and the Founding Partner and Director/Consultant, former CEO and former Chairman of Reinsurance Solutions Group companies in Mauritius, Kenya and Cote D’Ivoire. He’s skilled in reinsurance programme structuring, designing risk finance vehicles and captive Insurance.
6. Chakib Abouzaid, GAIF Secretary-General (new)
Mr Chakib Abouzaid is the Secretary-General of the General Arab Insurance Federation (GAIF) since 2019. For over 30 years Mr Abouzaid served in various positions in the insurance industry including Vice Chairman of Global Takaful Group (GTG).
A first time judge in 2022, he is an ambassador for the International Insurance Society (IIS). Mr Abouzaid holds, amongst others, a Masters degree in Emerging Economies from the university in Grenoble (France) as well as a Masters degree in Finance & Insurance from IFID Tunis.
Read: BAT Recognised As Top Employer For The Fifth Time In A Row
7. Samia Heeda, former Managing Director Willis Towers Watson Re (Egypt) – New
Ms. Heeda has been involved in insurance and reinsurance in Egypt for over 45 years, including roles as Managing Director at Willis Towers Watson Re (Egypt) and vice chairman at Egypt Re. Retired in 2021, Ms. Heeda holds a Bachelor of Commerce “Insurance Section” from Cairo University. Being a native Arabic speaker and joining the jury in 2022, Ms.Heeda offers a rich understanding of insurance matters, particularly for the newly launched Arabic award category.
8. Sr. Prof. Agnes Lucy Lando, Associate Professor of Communication and Media Studies at Daystar University – NEW
Sr. Prof. Agnes Lucy Lando PhD is a seasoned communications academician, working as an Associate Professor of Communication and Media Studies at Daystar University, Nairobi. A George Gerbner Excellence Award winner (2013). The author of five books, Sr. Prof. Lando regularly covers subjects such as media ethics, crisis communication and new media. Joining the jury in 2022, Sr. Prof. Lando holds a PhD in Social Communication from La Pontificia Università Gregoriana, Roma, Italia.
Read: Death of a Boda Boda rider birthed NABOSA Sacco housing scheme
“Even in the face of the ongoing global pandemic, the Journalism Awards are going from strength to strength. This year’s high calibre of the judging panel is not just a reflection of the quality of the entries which increases every year, but also our commitment to the diversity and vibrancy of the African continent. Inclusivity and having a voice matters more than ever, and we know our judges are experts at spotting those voices so we can recognize their talent,” said Lawrence Nazare, Group Managing Director at Continental Reinsurance Plc.
Chair of the judging panel, Michael Wilson, added, “It’s an honour to be chairing the judging panel and I am excited to welcome our latest three judges to our diverse panel. As we are hopefully returning to a live event to crown the winners, we are encouraged by the progress made over the last six years despite the difficult period of the Covid-19 pandemic. All of our judges are looking forward to reviewing and assessing the 2022 entries. It’s our way of helping to achieve the awards’ goals of supporting independent journalism while rewarding stories from the (re)insurance industry that have never been told.”
A shortlist of nominees for the 2022 awards will be announced in April 2022, followed by the actual award ceremony a month later. While the ambition is for a return to an in-person event format the organizers are monitoring the situation in regards to Covid-19 carefully.
Read Next: Entry Of Equity Bank Into The Insurance Sector: What It Means