The South African Times has officially named Jeremy Awori, Group Chief Executive Officer of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, Southern Africa CEO of the year 2025, following a comprehensive data-driven assessment of the region’s most influential business leaders.
The award recognizes outstanding executive leadership that combines financial performance, strategic clarity, organizational resilience and measurable socio-economic impact across Southern Africa and the rest of the world.
The full announcement can be found in the Business & Leadership section of the Southern African Times.
Data-driven evaluation framework
This year’s CEO of the Year process was determined using a globally benchmarked methodology, drawing on the frameworks used by the Financial Times Executive Rankings, the Forbes Leadership Index and the African Business Leadership Awards.
Each candidate was evaluated based on five weighted pillars:
Financial and strategic performance (30%) Regional and sectoral impact (20%) Innovation and transformation (20%) Governance, ESG and social impact (20%) Peer reputation and market position (10%)
The process was overseen by the South African Times Editorial Board and supported by independent analysts using verified financial and regulatory data from 2024 to 2025.
Why Jeremy Awori is ranked #1
Under the leadership of Jeremy Awori, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated reported group revenues of over US$2.3 billion in 2025, achieving double-digit growth in key Southern African markets while maintaining strong capital adequacy ratios.
Currently accounting for more than 60% of customer transactions, the Group’s digital transformation strategy has expanded financial access, reduced operating costs and strengthened Ecobank’s position as a leading pan-African financial institution.
Awori’s strategic expansion of small business and trade finance financing has strengthened cross-border commerce and enhanced liquidity in underserved markets. Reflecting our deep commitment to inclusion, millions of new customers were brought into the formal financial system through digital onboarding in 2025.
“Jeremy Awori’s leadership demonstrates the scale, discipline and inclusiveness that characterize a new generation of executives in Africa,” said the South African Times Editorial Board. “His vision and execution have set the standard for corporate excellence in a changing regional economy.”
Top 10 Executives in Southern Africa 2025
The 2025 review highlighted the region’s diverse leadership talent and its influence across finance, infrastructure, technology and industrial sectors. The final rankings are as follows.
Jeremy Awori – Group CEO, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (Award Winner) Armstrong Tatsung – CEO, Ministry of Finance Incorporated Stephen Saad – Group CEO, Aspen Pharmacare Mteto Nyati – Business Leader and Chairman Lincoln Mali – Lesaka Technologies (Southern Africa) CEO Kenny Fihla – CEO, Absa Group Ntombi Msiza – CEO, Raubex Group Patrick Dlamini – CEO, Public Investment Corporation Natascha Viljoen – Incoming CEO, Newmont Fundi Sithebe – Former CEO, 4Racing
A detailed analysis of the performance and influence of top executives can be found in Southern African Times’ 2025 CEO feature.
Broader signals to the market
The Southern Africa CEO of the Year Awards highlighted a regional shift in how leadership is assessed. The award recognizes executives who combine profitability with ethical governance, innovation and inclusive growth. These attributes are becoming central to investor confidence and organizational stability.
“South Africa’s future will be determined by leaders who can reconcile scale and sustainability,” the editorial board noted. “Executives like Jeremy Awori represent the next generation of strategic leadership who can guide organizations through complexity and uncertainty.”
