21 November 2017

Outpaced only by trophy winner Richfield Graduate Institute of Technology, Stadium Management South Africa was lauded as the Highly Commended runner-up for the prestigious National Business of the Year Award at the 15th annual National Business Awards (16 November, Emperors Palace).

The organisation’s achievement at the renowned “Oscars of South African business” resulted from the unanimous verdict of the awards’ Judges, a collective of industry heavyweights. There to hear the accolade announced – for the evening’s highlight award – were a host of business & government leaders, VIPs and media representatives. Also watching, via live social media updates, were thousands of South Africans whose engagement kept the awards trending for several hours.

Commenting on the accolade, CEO Jacques Grobbelaar said, “This is a phenomenal achievement for the whole team at Stadium Management South Africa. I was honoured to take home the Top Performing Business Leader of the Year Award on the night, myself, but this additional accolade means I can share the celebrations with everyone who has worked so hard to make Stadium Management SA the force it is. We also share both of our accolades from the night with the thousands of South Africans who fill our stadiums with their energy and spirit, year after year.”

Stadium Management South Africa is the country’s leading stadium management group, in charge of the iconic FNB Stadium, historic Orlando Stadium, Dobsonville Stadium and Rand Stadium.

This year’s 15th anniversary awards marked a decade and a half of showcasing the achievements of both companies and individuals (CEOs, entrepreneurs) at the forefront of South Africa’s economy. While host organisation Top Media and Communication’s use of integrated digital data analysis tools has grown exponentially since the first awards, in terms of qualifying and ranking contenders, it is still professional human interpretation of the quantitative and qualitative data – by both Top Media’s Research division and the Judges’ panel – which informs final outcomes.

Respected speakers at this year’s awards included Norman Mbazima, Deputy Chairman of Top 500 Company of 2017 Anglo American; Professor Brian Kantor; economy stalwart, thought leader and author of Get South Africa Growing, and group co-CEO of The Creative Counsel Ran Neu-Ner – himself the winner of the Top Performing Business Leader trophy at last year’s ceremony.

Top Media CEO Ralf Fletcher, who gave the evening’s Welcome Address, commended the achievement of the night’s finalists and winners, saying that “In my 20 years of immersion in the science of business performance recognition, I have seldom seen such a powerhouse collective of innovators, job creators and drivers of the economy all together on the same roster. Tonight has only deepened my belief in the global competitiveness and drive in evidence across our economy’s primary, secondary and tertiary sectors. I can’t wait to see what this year’s National Business Awards champions will do next.”