Reshaping annual women’s award

THE organisers of the annual Businesswoman of the Year competition this week launched a new concept of the competition by adding four new categories to it.

Since the Namibia Economist newspaper took over the organisation of the competition in 1997, the award was only given in two categories – Entrepreneur and Corporate/Professional – and alternated from one year to the next. On Tuesday, Desere Lundon-Muller of the Namibia Economist announced that the combined 2006/2007 Businesswoman of the Year competition, to be held next year, would honour winners in four different categories with an overall winner announced as the Namibian Businesswoman of the Year.The four added categories are that of Business Owner Award, Private and Corporate Sector Award, Community and Government Award and the Young Businesswoman Award.Lundon-Muller said the Business Owner Award category is open to women with a 50 per cent share or more in a business with responsibility for key management decision-making.The Private Corporate Sector Award is for women employees in the private and corporate sectors or owners with less than 50 per cent share of a business.The Community and Government Award is open to female employees of Government departments, statutory bodies and not-for-profit organisations.The Young Businesswoman Award category is a special category and is open to all entrants in the abovementioned three categories, aged 30 or under.The winners of each of the three business categories automatically become eligible for the Namibian Businesswoman of the Year.The Namibian Businesswoman of the Year will be announced at a gala banquet scheduled for September 2007.The Namibian Businesswoman of the Year 2005 was Amalia Schmidt, who runs a property-leasing business in the North.On Tuesday, Desere Lundon-Muller of the Namibia Economist announced that the combined 2006/2007 Businesswoman of the Year competition, to be held next year, would honour winners in four different categories with an overall winner announced as the Namibian Businesswoman of the Year.The four added categories are that of Business Owner Award, Private and Corporate Sector Award, Community and Government Award and the Young Businesswoman Award.Lundon-Muller said the Business Owner Award category is open to women with a 50 per cent share or more in a business with responsibility for key management decision-making.The Private Corporate Sector Award is for women employees in the private and corporate sectors or owners with less than 50 per cent share of a business.The Community and Government Award is open to female employees of Government departments, statutory bodies and not-for-profit organisations.The Young Businesswoman Award category is a special category and is open to all entrants in the abovementioned three categories, aged 30 or under.The winners of each of the three business categories automatically become eligible for the Namibian Businesswoman of the Year.The Namibian Businesswoman of the Year will be announced at a gala banquet scheduled for September 2007.The Namibian Businesswoman of the Year 2005 was Amalia Schmidt, who runs a property-leasing business in the North.