Finalists & Awards Categories 2023

CFO of the Year award
The CFO has demonstrable experience and expertise in the areas of managing growth, achieving operational efficiency, providing sound counsel to internal and external stakeholders of the company, is a strategic thinker and has great communications skills. Societal contributions will also be considered.

Controller of the Year award
A great financial controller must have a keen attention to detail and comfortable working with the big picture. The Controller of the Year must have proven experience in financial management and regulatory compliance. He or she is trustworthy, detailed-oriented, a problem solver, an effective communicator, unquestionable skills in accounting, and capable of meaningful financial analysis and reporting.

FP&A Leader of the Year award
The Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) has become a very strategic function within the finance function, more so in times of unpredictable and unrelenting crisis. The FP&A leader is analytical, inquisitive, detail-oriented, self-motivated, good at managing internal stakeholders, strong communicator, and enjoys using Excel and PowerPoint.

Finance Team of the Year award
A high-performance finance team comprising professionals from diverse backgrounds, have high emotional intelligence, have a strategic focus, driven to improve efficiency, holistic view as to how their function fits the broader business model, see themselves as strategic partners with the leadership team, and bring undeniable value to the organization.

Leadership in Competencies and Capabilities
A great leader is skilled in what he or she is tasked with, knows his or her capabilities and limitations. He or she is relentless in finetuning and harnessing his or her capabilities. Acutely aware of personal limitations, you are able to bring the right resources from others to achieve the desired outcomes.

Leadership in Digital Transformation
A success digital leader understands the vision behind the digital transformation and knows how his or her job responsibilities support it. Aware of the digital resources available to the job, you draw upon the necessary resources to maintain a competitive advantage. This digital leader explores how technology can be used to help the business become much more responsive to the needs of customers amid the changing business requirements.

Leadership in Mergers and Acquisitions
M&As are high-profile, high-risk events. The leader in this category has a strong track record in environments characterized by sky-high expectations and tight timelines. He or she is able to steer the efforts of organizational members towards achieving mutual goals during M&A integration. You will have proven skills navigating complex situations successfully, building cross-functional relationships and bridging cultural gaps.

Leadership in Risk and Regulation
Against the backdrop of unpredictable risks and evolving regulation, the leader in this category sees courage as the most critical quality, is willing to challenge others, and make tough choices. As a leader, you will have spearheaded the development and execution of risk management strategies that proactively identify, assess and protect the company from internal and external risks.

Leadership in Sustainable Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
An ESG program is a form of risk management. A wide range of stakeholders — from investors, lenders, and government agencies, to communities, customers, employees, and others — is looking at corporate ESG performance.

Excellence in Audit, Compliance and Governance
The winner has demonstrated effective internal control and independent assurance mechanisms, including Internal Audit; External Audit; Risk Management; Annual Statement of Accounts; Corporate Governance Framework.

Excellence in Financial Planning & Analysis
The winner has demonstrated excellence in the planning and budgeting, integrated financial planning, management and performance reporting, and forecasting and modeling.

Excellence in Operational Accounting and Control
The winner has demonstrated excellence in the planning, directing and controlling of the company’s finances.

Excellence in Self-service
The winner has successfully introduced self-service within the finance function, ranging from budget queries to report production. Over time, smart agents will learn what kinds of business information an individual needs and deliver that information proactively.

Excellence in Shared Services
The winner has developed a successful shared services organisation, including accounts payable, accounts receivables, travel and expense, payroll, and time collection and reporting.

Excellence in Talent Management
Recovering recruitment, training, and retention, the winner has developed practices that not only facilitate the hiring of new talent but the development of current staff.

Excellence in Tax Management and Optimization
The winner has demonstrated excellence in planning and implementing effective taxation strategies.

Excellence in Treasury and Cash Management
The winner has demonstrated excellence in modernising their treasury management, whether in the deployment of funds across borders or investment of idle funds.

Most Innovative Use of Artificial Intelligence
Innovative application of artificial intelligence towards the solving of specific finance challenges including, but not limited to, predicting the competitive landscape, mitigating risks associated with fraud, detecting money laundering, and make better business decisions.

Most Innovative Use of Automation
This award recognizes a finance organization’s innovative use of automation on core processes including bookkeeping, accounts payable, invoicing and accounts receivable, tax compliance, payroll, and expense management.

Most Innovation Use of Big Data
This award recognizes the creative and effective use of big data in the finance function, be it in performance measurement, strategy formulation, risk management, revenue growth and financial management.

Most Innovation Use of Business Application
This award recognizes the use of a business application to transform the way a finance process is performed.

Most Innovation Use of Cloud, Platforms and Ecosystems
This award recognizes the adoption of clouds or platforms or ecosystems to modernize or transform the finance function.

Most Innovation Use of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
This award recognises the adoption and use of ERP including reporting, accounting, and financial management.