Nominations for 2024 Business Trendsetters’ Awards launched in Kampala
Mpanga in an interview with Charmar News at the press conference revealed that the upcoming Awards will have more categories than last year.
The search for outstanding business trends and innovations in Uganda for recognition under the 2023 – 2024 Business Trendsetters’ Awards was launched on Thursday, October 25 2023 by the accolades organizer Business Trends Galore at Onomo Hotel in Kampala.
Yvonne Mpanga, the Executive Director and Founder of The Business Trends Galore invited the public to nominate business trends that have stood out this year.
Mpanga in an interview with Charmar News at the press conference revealed that the upcoming Awards will have more categories than last year.
She also revealed that they are looking at expanding beyond the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area so that they can recognize trendsetters across the country.
“This will require physical visits, where possible, to find out what trends are they setting; are they scalable, can the trends impact the community?” Mpanga said,
Edgar Tabaro, the Founder of KTA Advocates, who was the main Trends Tracer at the launch, noted that a trend starts in the mind which is the biggest capital any can have.
Irene Birungi Mugisha, who won the Business Trendsetter (Hero) award at the 2022/2023 Business Trendsetters Awards ceremony which recently took place at the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala described the recognition as outstanding.
“I want to thank people out there who take their time to recognize outstanding Ugandans. We all need to believe in ourselves. We are all designed to be winners,” Birungi said.
The 2023 Business Trendsetters Awards saw Ramathan Ggoobi, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance winning the category of Business Trendsetter (Public Sector); Miraj Barot, the Co-Managing Director of Tirupati Group winning the Business Trendsetter (Private Sector); and Irene Birungi Mugisha, the Ideator Presidential CEO Forum winning the Business Trendsetter (Hero).
Amb. Birigwa Wasswa, who started the first telephone company in Uganda; Peter Sematimba, who revolutionized the music (Dungeon Studios) and radio content creation (Semat Productions); Robert Kabushenga, who diversified the New Vision Group; and Josephat Macheta, who revolutionized electronic records keeping in East and Central Africa were recognized as the Business Trendsetters (Lifetime Achievement).
Commenting about the time of setting up Celtel (now Airtel), the first-ever mobile telephone company in Uganda, Amb Birigwa said the country had to change some laws to allow the investment to take shape.
He elaborated that this was done through the cabinet since the country had no parliament. Celtel launched cellular services in 1995 as the first cellular operator in Uganda.
