Newswatch 3rd Annual 50 Notable Leaders In Corporate Nigeria
Prologue:
Leadership is all about excelling and being ahead of the pack whether in a family setting, political group, or in a business environment. More often, the business leader is the man or woman accepted or looked upon to have the powers of fundamental understanding and organisation of people; the rare ability to inspire followers or subordinates and the style to create a climate that develops desired results. He takes responsibility for the success or failure of group efforts.
In business leadership, the search is often for an entrepreneur who conceptualises a project and sees it through to final concretisation of providing products and services profitable to customers or maybe studying a top manager employed to run a new or existing company efficiently for compensation. In 1995, realising the importance of good corporate government to national development, we instituted the " Fifty Notable Leaders in Corporate Nigeria" as a way of celebrating the leading lights in managing the economy.
The idea is to project those responsible for the growth in the country's enduring and viable economy inspite of all the odds of distress in the banking industry, low capacity utilisation and poor purchasing power among manufacturers as well as low venture in 1995. Again in 1997, a second attempt was the made to update the top performing managers of the economy given the vagaries that throw-up whiz-kids while diminishing old hands. This too was a huge success.
This year's addition is, therefore, the third attempt at periscoping the nation's business high flyers. Like the two previous ones, some names have kept recurring through sustaining their efforts at producing innovative products and services at reduced costs to keep ahead of the competition. Some have re-organised and restructured previously poorly performing companies into lean, mean and profitable ventures. Other are totally new entrants that have come into the scene by challenging the status quo. But that is exactly what makes the business environment dynamic and vibrant. As usual the selection hinged on the following criteria:-
1 Concrete Personal Achievement: This should manifest in the nominee's character, commitment and competence and should be exemplified by his selflessness, clear-mindedness and a sense of history.
ii Consistent Good Corporate Performance: This should be evident in his ability to create better value or customers, shaping the direction and development of the (specific) industry and the building (on) the company's strength to be able to open up new opportunities for profitable growth.
iii Outstanding Performance In One's Chosen Career/ Profession or Industry: This should be visible in his contribution to the development sustenance and progress of his line of business an indeed the nation's economy.
iv Unwavering Commitment to the Common Good: Moral rectitude and Patriotism.
Newswatch June 29, 1998
" Newswatch 1998