Two of Ghana’s top screen actresses, Jackie Appiah and Nikki Samonas has been honoured by the Women’s Choice Awards for their contributions to the country’s entertainment industry.
The annual awards scheme seeks to reward outstanding and industrious women in the country.
The theme for this year’s event was “Digitalization — the New Phase of Women Empowerment, the Unstoppable Woman, Breaking the Bias to Advance Inclusive Leadership and Elevation”.
This year’s Women’s Choice Awards came off at the plush Labadi Beach Hotel. The night saw the presentation of awards to female personalities and brands in the fields of finance, marketing, community advocacy, entertainment, fashion, and food etc.
In a media interview, CEO of Global Ovations, and organizer of the event, Mr Gideon Raji thanked and acknowledged unending contributions of women in the development of the country.
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“The Women’s Choice Awards Africa, a Global Ovations event aims at inspiring the next generation of women who will be a force of positive change and excellence in the world.
That is why this year’s edition is under the theme: “Digitalization— the New Phase of Women Empowerment; the Unstoppable Woman, Breaking the Bias to Advance Inclusive Leadership and Elevation.” Yes! this is a mouthful. But every word in this theme is noteworthy to the purpose we are running this year.
Our commitment is to continue the cause of empowering women in every good way possible. We do not see women’s empowerment as a celebration, but as a movement – an everyday operation channelled at liberating women and girls in Ghana, in Africa, from the mental chains of inferiority and limitation,” Mr Raji Said.
Mrs Freda Yahan Duplan, board chair for Zenith Bank was honoured for her astounding leadership in the banking and finance sector over the years.
She joined a host of other awardees including Antoinette Kwofie – CFO MTN, Actress Jackie Appiah, General Manager of Zenith Bank, Maebelle Denya Nortey, Marketing Director of Uniliver, Nana Yaa Owusu Ansah, media and community advocate, Oheneryere Gifty Anti and Penelope M. Jones Mensah, founder of the 40 Roses Foundation.
Outstanding brands such as Unilever, Komos Innovation Centre and Access Bank were also awarded for their contributions to the development of Ghanaian women.
In all, 64 awardees were presented on the evening.
Below is the full list of winners;
Excellence in leadership and sustainability
NANA YAA OWUSU-ANSAH (Marketing Director, Beauty & Personal Care, Unilever Ghana Limited)
Excellence in FMCG Award
FATIMA ALIMOHAMED (CEO, African Brand Warrior)
Excellence in Social Protection
LAURETTE KORKOR OTCHERE, Esq. (Deputy Director-General of SSNIT)
Excellence in Corporate Communications Award
SOPHIA KUDZORDJI (Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Jospong Group of Companies)
Events icon of the year
AFI AMORO (Chief Executive Officer, Jandel Limited)
Youth Empowerment Organization of the Year
KOSMOS INNOVATION CENTRE
Empowerment of Rural Women
UNILEVER SONGTAA PROJECT
Ultimate woman in leadership award of the year – banking
FREDA YAHAN DUPLAN (Board Chair – Zenith Bank (Ghana) Limited
Ultimate woman in leadership – health insurance
MAAME AFRIYIE BOACHIE (CEO, Glico Healthcare)
Transformational leader of the year – Banking
PEARL NKRUMAH (Executive Director, Retail and Digital Banking, Access Bank Ghana Plc.)
Media excellence award
OHENEYERE GIFTY ANTI (Journalist/ Author)
Excellence in Event Logistics
SENA CHERI (Proprietor, Cheriel Rentals)
Woman-Led Innovative Company of The Year
SAMBUS GEOSPATIAL
Women Empowerment Brand of the Year
SUNLIGHT SHERO
Woman-Led Company of the Year – Sanitation
AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION CONSULT (AfES Consult)
CFO of the year
ANTOINETTE KWOFIE (Chief Finance Officer at MTN Ghana)
Star with purpose award
JACKIE APPIAH (Actress/Brand Ambassador)
Woman of Impact Award
PENELOPE M. JONES-MENSAH Esq. (Founder, 40 Roses Foundation)
Excellence In Legal Relations
JOYCE A. BAWAH MOGTARI Esq. (Special Assistant to H.E John Mahama)
Excellence in leadership award – Marketing
PATIENCE OFORIWA MPEREH (Marketing Director, Wilmar Africa)
Excellence in diaspora affairs
MARINA LAMPTEY (Head of the Diaspora Investment Desk, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC))
Women’s Choice Brand of the Year –
PEPSODENT
Excellence in Promoting Women Leaders
JOSPONG GROUP OF COMPANIES
Transformational leader of the year – youth empowerment
BENJAMIN GYAN-KESSE (Executive Director of Kosmos Innovation Center
Transformational Leader of The Year – Finance
MAEBELLE DENYA NORTEY (General Manager – Zenith Bank (Ghana) Limited)
Exemplary woman in leadership
NANA YAA OWUSU-ANSAH (Marketing Director, Beauty & Personal Care, Unilever Ghana Limited.)
Outstanding creative director of the year
LAUREN HANSON (CEO, Laurenhaute Couture)
Exceptional Woman of The Year
SHARON ACHEAMPONG (CEO, Eya Naturals)
Media icon of the year
BERLA MUNDI (Media Personality)
Woman of Excellence – Film Production
SAMIRA YAKUBU (Movie Producer)
Women’s Banking Initiative of the Year – Womenpreneur Pitch-a-ton
ACCESS BANK GHANA PLC
Ultimate woman of the year – entrepreneurship
JANE REASON AHADZIE (CEO, JRA Cosmetics)
Trailblazer in cosmetology award
FAUSTINA ADOFO ADJAGAR (CEO of First Choice Hair & Beauty)
Voice of women award
AKUMAA MAMA ZIMBI (Television and Radio Broadcast Journalist)
Brand communication personality of the year-culinary
EVA NJERI (Culinary Category Lead, Promasidor
The woman behind the scenes award
AFEAFA NFOJOH (TV Producer/Director)
Excellence in leadership – medical laboratory services
GEORGETTE MARFO PEPRAH (Head of the Diaspora Investment Desk, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC))
Excellence in Event Management
JANETTE DUAH (Chief Operations Officer and Lead Creative of Jandel Limited)
Excellence in Promoting Women Leaders
JOSPONG GROUP OF COMPANIES
Man, Empowering Women Award YOFI GRANT (CEO, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC)
Excellence in sanitation advocacy
ABENA ASOMANING ANTWI (Managing Director and Lecturer – Africa Environmental Sanitation Consult (AfES Consult))
WINNERS FOR VOTING CATEGORIES
SUPERWOMAN OF THE YEAR
Menaye Donkor
WOMAN CEO OF THE YEAR
Stacy Amoateng
CORPORATE LADY OF THE YEAR
Belinda Yaa Dankwaa Tinkorang
NEXT RATED WOMAN OF THE YEAR
Rabby Bray
HER – ABILITIES
Anne Sena Fordie
AGENCY FOR CHANGE AWARD
Pink for Africa
AGENT OF CHANGE AWARD
Hannah-Lisa Tetteh
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Aurelia Sowah-Mensah
YOUNG ACHIEVER
Yaa Birago
MEDIA PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Serwaa Amihere
DISCOVERY OF THE YEAR
Princess Fathia
FASHION BRAND OF THE YEAR
Mislyn Kreation
SPORT PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Doris Boaduwaa
BEAUTY BRAND OF THE YEAR
Susan Chanel Beauty
ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Nikki Samonas
MODEL OF THE YEAR
Flower Edem Nukator
MAKE-UP ARTIST
Venda Jules
HAIR STYLIST OF THE YEAR
Strands & Mirrors
ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
Baaba Ankrah
HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR
Dr. Jennifer Donkor
SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER OF THE YEAR
Zubaida Abdel Rahman
HEALTH PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Louisa Ansong Satekla
WOMAN IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Chichi Yakubu
CREATIVE CHAMPION
Georgina Tandoh
