Ahead of the 20th anniversary edition of The Performance, Earnings, And Returns Leadership (PEARL) Awards, plans are being put in place towards making it an epoch making event.
Instituted in May 1995, PEARL Awards Nigeria has over the past 20 years organized the Pearl Awards Nite annually as part of efforts aimed at contributing its quota to the growth of Nigeria’s capital market. Since inception and to date, the Pearl awards Brand have been highly acknowledge for its principles of fairness, transparency and objectivity in its selection process while its scientific approach in determining nominee companies has continued unabated.
Scheduled for Sunday, November 29, 2015 at the Convention Centre, Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, with the theme: “The Spirit of Excellence & Resilience”, president, The Pearl Awards, Tayo Orekoya disclosed that this year’s edition is billed to be an embodiment of all the trappings expected of the Pearl Awards Brand.
As a kick-start, a world press conference was organized to officially flag-off the 20th edition of the award ceremony. The press conference also featured the formal unveiling of the 20th anniversary Logo of the PEARL Awards as well as an intellectual presentation on “Dawn of a New Government in Nigeria: Implications for Capital Market Growth & Development” by renowned Economist & Capital Market Analyst, Biodun Adedipe.
Orekoya said that the Central Working Committee of the 20th Pearl Awards Nite have effectively initiated and deployed a massive mobilization of all relevant stakeholders of Nigeria’s capital market as well as other sectors of corporate Nigeria towards ensuring a top notch event.
“The 20th Anniversary Awards Nite, promises to be much more glamorous than previous editions. The landmark event is being packaged with special features and innovations to be a remarkable night of excellence and glamour, where captains of commerce and industries and major stakeholders of our economy will savour the joy of excellent operational performance of quoted companies in Nigeria,” he said.
According to Orekoya, “the PEARL Awards remains the only Awards in this part of the world that identifies and rewards quoted companies based on empirical data. This is the uniqueness of the Awards, which earned it an endorsement in 2003 by the apex capital market regulatory authority, the Securities & Exchange Commission. The Awards process is predominantly based on data sourced from audited financial reports of quoted companies, utilizing credible parameters and tools of data evaluation that meet international standards.
Interestingly, and in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the PEARL Awards, five new Awards have been added to the previous ones. Orekoya disclosed that the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) Plc, is partnering with the PEARL Awards by institutionalizing 2 New OTC Awards effective from this year’s Awards.
These are NASD Traded Security of the Year Award & NASD Participating Institution of the Year Award. In the light of the twin initiatives of broadening the Awards and institutionalization of 2 Awards by NASD, PEARL Awards would henceforth be in 3 main categories namely: Main Competitive Awards Category, Special Recognition Awards Category and Honorary Awards Category.
The Nigerian capital market in the recent past continues to strive towards stability and growth. As partner in progress to capital market regulators, Orekoya declared that Pearl Awards mandate is to continue to engender healthy competitiveness, reward outstanding performance, thereby enhancing vibrancy of the market.
“We are convinced that this will go a long way to enhance the concerted efforts being made by the regulatory authorities in restoring investors’ confidence in our capital market, deepen the market and return it to the path of sustainable growth. We would continue to identify with various initiatives by regulatory authorities and other stakeholders aimed at strengthening the market for enhanced performance, depth and sustainable growth”, he said.
Another major highlight of the 20th Pearl Awards Nite is the array of top capital market players and celebrities already confirmed for the event. While the event shall thrive under the chairmanship of Prince (Dr.) Samuel Adedoyin, OFR, Chairman, Doyin Group of Companies; other eminent personalities include MounirGwarzo, Director- General, Securities & Exchange Commission, Nigeria; AduAntwi, Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission, Ghana, Olusegun Osunkeye, Chairman, Lafarge Africa Plc; Yemi Akeju, President, Institute of Directors, Ngozi Chianakwalam, Executive Chairman, Investments & Securities Tribunal, Laoye Jaiyeola, DG/CEO, Nigerian Economic Summit Group and Nike Akande, former Minister of Industry, among a host of others.
