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Kampala, Uganda | ISAAC KHISA | MTN Uganda’s Non-Executive Directors have proven themselves to be a class apart in leading organizations as they won several awards in recognition of their contribution towards the growth of businesses, organisations and communities.
Mr George Egaddu, the chairperson of MTN Uganda Foundation won the Lifetime Achiever Award while Mr Charles Mbire was nominated in recognition for chairman listed company at the Non-Executive Director (NED) Awards held at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel on 29 November 2022.
The prestigious NED awards held annually since 2021 recognises the role of Non-Executive Directors who contribute daily to the success and growth of businesses and not-for-profit organisations across Uganda and East Africa.
The awards are organised by the League of East African Directors (LEAD), an organisation that nurtures boards and all directors, with an aspiration to promote better appreciation and recognition of NEDs.
“It is humbling and satisfying that my peers on their own assessment determined that I deserved to be awarded this recognition. It takes a long time to build that kind of a reputation,” he said.
He said individuals invited to serve on boards of various companies should be aware that it comes with obligations and that they should also always take decisions that are in the good interest of those companies and organisations.
Mr Egaddu joined the MTN Uganda Foundation as the chairperson since its inception in 2007 and has been instrumental in its success.
He has stirred the growth of the MTN Uganda Foundation budget from Shs 800 million to now approximately Shs5 billion annually, invested in numerous corporate social responsibility activities in various sectors and initiatives such as health, education, and youth empowerment among others.
Mr Egaddu has over 40 years of experience in financial, audit, strategic and risk management that has seen him offer transformational leadership as a Chairman and Non – Executive Director (NED) with leading institutions including Barclays Bank Uganda (currently Absa Bank Uganda), Bank of Africa, National Medical Stores, Lake Victoria Bottling Company Limited among others.
He has made significant contributions through the accounting profession including leadership at PricewaterhouseCoopers Uganda and the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU) – where he was instrumental in its founding and leadership to register sustainable growth, transformation and significance in the private and public sectors in Uganda.
On the other hand, Mr Mbire was nominated in recognition of his contribution to not only the establishment of MTN Uganda – which has since grown into a socially responsible corporate citizen – but also for steering MTN Uganda to its listing in December 2021 as chairman.
He is seen by his peers as a solid businessman with a zeal to deliver results and transform businesses and communities.
Nomination Process
The NED Award nomination and awarding process involve three stages. The first stage involves the nomination of the candidates with the help of Managing Directors or Chief Executive Officers and Company Secretaries. The second stage involves the selection of the best nominees with the help of the judges of eminent persons and corporate leaders.
The nominations for Chairman Listed Company and Lifetime Winner, meanwhile, are made by a cross-section of managing directors / CEOs and over 100 subscribed members of LEAD from Uganda and East African countries (Kenya and Tanzania).
The third stage involves the validation in which the judges’ selection is validated by Ernest and Young the assurance partner – to determine the award winners in each of the categories. This is followed up with an event gala.
The winners are selected from nine sectors of Financial Services (Banking, Insurance and Pensions), Manufacturing, Public Sector, Mass Communication, Not for Profit /NGOs, Utilities, Other Services (Education and Health).
Heroes in Health Awards
Meanwhile, Professor William Bazeyo, a trustee at the MTN Uganda Foundation won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Heroes in Health Awards (HIHA) held on 25 November 2022 in recognition for his contribution to the health sector.
The Heroes in Health (HIHA) Awards is organised by the Ministry of Health in partnership with Xtraordinary Media since 2019 to recognise outstanding individuals, entities, organizations, services, products, and programs in the health sector.
This is a public choice award, where members of the public nominate and vote for their heroes in the health sector.
Prof Bazeyo says he is proud to have been recognized despite having retired.
“I am proud to have been recognized and my prayer is that more and more are recognised for their contribution to the health sector,” he said.
He added: “The Heroes in Health Awards is a very good thing because it motivates people to work hard and encourages those who aspire to become scientists in the future to work hard because they are aware that their work is not in vain.”
Professor Bazeyo joined MTN Uganda Foundation as a trustee in 2021 and has played a key role in spotting healthcare initiatives focusing on maternal health especially in equipping Health Centre IIIs and Health Centre IVs countrywide. So far, MTN Uganda Foundation has supported close to 30 health centres.
He has worked for more than 28 years as a physician, public health specialist, academic, researcher, and academic administrator.
He served as the dean of the Makerere University School of Public Health and deputy vice-chancellor in charge of finance and administration at Makerere University.
Professor Bazeyo has also provided leadership to various grant-funded projects such as the African One Health University Network (AFROHUN), Resilient Africa Network (RAN) and Centre for Tobacco Control (CTCA).
Through such projects, he has worked tirelessly to build a workforce that effectively and efficiently responds to health emergencies in different communities.
MTN Uganda CEO Sylvia Mulinge congratulated the winners in this year’s awards for their contribution towards business growth and improving communities.
“These awards are a clear demonstration that MTN Uganda has solid directors that will always strive to deliver value for shareholders, customers and the government,” She said.
