Keroche CEO wins CNBC Africa Business Woman of the Year award

Tabitha Karanja, CEO nad founder of Keroche Brewaries displays a bottle of of Summit Malt during it launch. Ms. Karanja scooped the prestigious Business Woman of the Year at the CNBC Africa All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA) at an award ceremony held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on Friday, November 14. PHOTO | CHARLES KAMAU

What you need to know:

  • The award recognised her unfailing resilience and matchless business sagacity over nearly two decades in growing a company that now employs over 300 people and gives back to the community by educating the country’s youth. 
  • Tanzania’s Dr Reginald Mengi, CEO of IPP Limited, won Lifetime Achievement Award for his commendable contributions to worthy causes for positive change in underprivileged communities, education, health and environmental conservation. 

Tabitha Karanja, founder and CEO of Keroche Breweries, has won a continental award.

Ms. Karanja scooped the prestigious Business Woman of the Year at the CNBC Africa All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA) at an award ceremony held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on Friday, November 14. 

The award recognised her unfailing resilience and matchless business sagacity over nearly two decades in growing a company that now employs over 300 people and gives back to the community by educating the country’s youth. 

Mrs Karanja  from East Africa trounced West Africa’s Arunma Oteh, who is the Director General of Securities and Exchange Commission, Nigeria to bring home the coveted Africa Business Woman of the Year title.

FIVE WINNERS

Tanzania’s Dr Reginald Mengi, CEO of IPP Limited, won Lifetime Achievement Award for his commendable contributions to worthy causes for positive change in underprivileged communities, education, health and environmental conservation. 

AABLA seeks to pay homage to the boldest innovators and business leaders on the African continent in a process that began over two months ago, with regional finals in West, East and Southern Africa.

The regional winners were pitted against each other with only five game-changing individuals winning in their respective categories.

Kenya had received two nominations with Karanja nominated alongside fellow Kenyan Technobrain CEO, Manoj Shanker in the Entrepreneur of the year category. 

Other winners were Group CEOs of South Africa's leading activations agency, The Creative Counsel, Gil Oved and Ran Neu-Ner; Asher Bohbot ,CEO of Enterprise Outsourcing Holdings (EOH) Limited who emerged the Business Leader of the Year and Fred Robertson, Executive Chairman of JSE-listed brokerage, Brimstone Investment Corporation, who won the prestigious accolade of Entrepreneur of the Year.

The CNBC Africa All Africa Business Leaders Awards Presented is now in its seventh edition and it  looks ahead to 2015, anticipating the emergence of new industry leaders and the continued success of business stalwarts on the continent.