Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) Registrar General, Mercy K. Kainobwisho (pictured) has won the inaugural Africa Brand Leadership Award. The award recognizes corporate, industry and public service leaders who have been a catalyst for growth and development of made in Africa brands.
On Africa Day, 25 May 2022, Brand Africa announced the 12th annual global results of Brand Africa 100 | Africa’s Best Brands. Subsequent to the global results, on 03 June 2022, Brand Africa in partnership with Publics Africa released the best brands in East Africa and Uganda at the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala, Uganda.
Announcing Kainobwisho’s award, Thebe Ikalefeng, Founder & Chairman of Brand Africa wrote, ‘We are very pleased to inform you that our committee has unanimously agreed that in recognition of your work in driving and championing the intellectual property of Ugandan and broadly African brands through your work, we will be honoured to celebrate you with our inaugural Africa Brand Leadership Excellence award’.
Ikalafeng added it was important for Africa as a continent to recognize that brands and individuals that drive the growth, reputation and competitive identity of nations to inspire a brand-led African renaissance to transform the continent’s image, drive its competitiveness and inspire its growth. Over the past 10 years, on average only 20% of the brands Africans admire are made in Africa. In 2022, African brands have rebounded to 17% share of the Top 100 brands in Africa. Across the continent, Nike is the #1 brand overall, MTN, the #1 African brand, GT Bank is the #1 financial services brand, DStv is the #1 media brand and Dangote the #1 brand that symbolizes African pride. In 2021, Coca Cola, Mukwano, NBS, Centenary Bank and MTN led the rankings of the Best Brands in Uganda.
In 2019, Kainobwisho was named among the Best 40 influential Women in Africa by the African Diversity and Inclusion Center – a non-profit that aims to make increased diversity and inclusion on the African continent. In 2017 she was voted the best corporate lawyer in government/public service in Uganda, she was also named among the best under 40 influential ladies in Uganda by the New Vision in 2018. She has received several recognitions in Rotary for her outstanding leadership. Kainobwisho has also won awards of being the smartest employees at URSB.
The URSB Team Leader while receiving her latest award said she was thrilled with the recognition, but also thanked Brand Africa for the recognition. ‘I am extremely happy to receive the inaugural Brand Leadership Excellence Award. It is nothing less than an absolute honor, and I must admit it took me aback. I am grateful for being recognized and I intend to live up to the level of professionalism this award demands’ Kainobwisho said
Since 2011, Brand Africa has been surveying and ranking the most admired brands in Africa. The rankings are based on a Pan-African survey covering over 25 countries which collectively account for an estimated over 80% of Africa’s population and 80% of the continent’s GDP. The research is conducted by GeoPoll, the world’s leading mobile surveying platform, with strategic analysis, insights and ranking conducted by Kantar, the world’s leading data, insights and consulting company and Brand Leadership Group, Africa’s foremost branding, strategic communications and intellectual property advisory firm.
