The Clicks Group is, for the second year running, awarded the number one Publisher’s Choice ranking in CRF South Africa’s leadership research project: SA’s Leading Managers. The CRF Institute together with the panel of moderating judges consisting of industry, academic and business luminaries identified the Publisher’s Choice Top 10.

GM of CRF, Sam Crous, says: “Assessing leadership and managerial ability is no small task, and must vary dependent on an organisation’s size; complexity; and industry. Financial; human capital; and market management and the all important area of corporate governance must also take a front seat when we determine just how well an organisation is performing under the leadership of the CEO, and the executive management team. Importantly, we should ensure we are vigilant in reviewing the qualities, valued and mores by which the CEO and/or team lead the organisation and if those are extend from the boardroom to the deepest recesses of the company. By all accounts, this one final area of assessment is critical when comparing leadership style and its efficacy.”

In line with this, leadership and management of the following business issues during an economic downturn were the central focus of this year’s research underpinning both the ranking and ultimate choice of which companies to publish in the sixth edition of SA’s Leading Managers, such as,

a. The vision of management (CEO) or executive team and execution of this within the organisation (the mobilisation of people around the vision)
b. The management of organisation during the current recession
· Financial and market management and success
· Human capital management
· Communication and leadership

The Clicks Group Limited's David Kneale; Keith Warburton; Bertina Engelbrecht; and Michael Harvey; are joined by the following outstanding organisations in the Top 10:

2. Accenture, William Mzimba;
3. Cashbuild, Pat Goldrick;
4. Berco Express, Bernie Cox, Andy van der Velde, Stuart Maxwell and JB Joubert;
5. Coca-Cola South Africa, William Egbe, Ilan Sobel and Jonathan Muthige;
6. Medihelp Medical Scheme, Anton Rijnen;
7. Exxaro Resources Limited, Sipho Nkosi;
8. Nestlé South Africa, Yves Manghardt ;
9. SAP Africa (Pty) Ltd, Pfungwa Serima; and
10. Shell South Africa, Bonang Mohale, Leon Lizamore, Ndivhu Nepfumbada, Wayne Kingwill, Stephanie Brown, Paul O’Dwyer, Morvin Subban, Buyiswa Mncono-Liwani, Fatima Shaik, Elton Fortuin, Kenan Yildirim, Farouk Farista, Momodou Bah, Andrew Dallas, Jay Koovarjee, Karl Fourie and William Solliez.

The moderating panel consists of the following lumanries:
- Mervyn King SC: Chairman of Brait Societe Anonyme;
- Phylicia Oppelt: Sunday Times Business Times Editor;
- Michael Louis: Director: Strategic Initiatives – Louis Group;
- Jonathan Cook: Senior Lecturer – Leadership: Gordon Institute of Business Science;
- Dr Norris Dalton: CEO: South African Institute of Management;
- Adriaan Groenewald: CEO: Leadership Platform;
- Grant Ashield: CEO: Leadership Works; and
- Rob Nagel: Senior Portfolio Manager, Cadiz Africa Harvest Asset Managers.

This year, CRF South Africa and the judging panel of industry experts, academics and leadership stalwarts nominated some 150 business leaders to profile their organisations in this edition of the publication and we are proud to share their leadership and management insights, successes and case studies with up-and-coming leaders, MBA and executive students, the African Leadership Academy, financial media and broader financial community both locally and in the European market.

The project works in unity with invited executive leaders in South African business and its various specialist partners, to strengthen business leadership in South Africa, assist in sustaining stakeholder confidence in the economy and to develop the next generation of business leaders.

The overall SA Leading Managers for 2009/10 (listed alphabetically):
- Accenture, William Mzimba;
- Accordian Investments, Alphonso (Phonnie) Cilliers, Christo Engelbrecht, Warren Harris, Francois Griesel, Arnold Pienaar and Francie Lubbe;
- Berco Express, Bernie Cox, Andy van der Velde, Stuart Maxwell and JB Joubert
- Cashbuild, Pat Goldrick;
- Clicks Group Limited, David Kneale, Keith Warburton, Bertina Engelbrecht and Michael Harvey;
- Coca-Cola South Africa William Egbe, Ilan Sobel and Jonathan Muthige;
- Denel Aviation, Ismail Dockrat;
- ETDP SETA, Nombulelo Nxesi;
- Exxaro Resources, Sipho Nkosi;
- FirstRand Group, Sizwe Nxasana;
- ICC Durban, Miller Matola;
- Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market, Kgosientso Ramokgopa;
- Johannesburg Tourism Company Lindiwe Mahlangu, Jaco Engelbrecht, Phelisa Mangcu, Steve Lwanda and Sharon Peetz;
- Khula Enterprise Finance, Setlakalane Alfred Molepo;
- Medihelp Medical Scheme, Anton Rijnen;
- MTN Group Limited, Nozipho January-Bardill;
- Nestlé South Africa, Yves Manghardt;
- Rectron, Dean Prinsloo, Cheslynne Britz, Gerhard Malan, Sebastian Isaac and Martin Roets;
- Sanofi-aventis, John Fagan;
- SAP Africa, Pfungwa Serima;
- Shell South Africa, Bonang Mohale, Leon Lizamore, Ndivhu Nepfumbada, Wayne Kingwill, Stephanie Brown, Paul O’Dwyer, Morvin Subban, Buyiswa Mncono-Liwani, Fatima Shaik, Elton Fortuin, Kenan Yildirim, Farouk Farista, Momodou Bah, Andrew Dallas, Jay Koovarjee, Karl Fourie and William Solliez;
- Wits Business School, University of Witwatersrand, Professor Mthuli Ncube.

CRF South Africa has been publishing this compendium of leadership and management case studies on SA companies (local and multinational) for six years in response to the continued questions regarding business leadership and management in South Africa. “There can be no doubt, that leadership in business faces continuous scrutiny and this annual publication offers its objective, even-handed perspective on a cross-section of the leading companies operational to the broader business and academic community,” says Crous.

The profiled leaders and their companies will be awards an Accreditation Leading Managers stamp; market launch; global visibility through the website www.leadingmanagers.co.za, national coverage through Sunday Times Business Times.

Sunday Times Business Times being the official media partner for South Africa’s Leading Managers, will publish the findings of the research project during the launch period. “The partnership between SA’s Leading Managers and Sunday Times Business Times is ideal since the publication has one of the most successful management and leadership profiling projects in the country today,” says Oppelt. Organisations that endorses this project includes Businesswomen’s Association; Leadership Platform; Leadership Works; Afrikaanse Handelsinstituut (AIH); Institute for People Management (IPM); and South African Institute for Management (SAIM).

SA’s Leading Managers provide an authentic and respected third party leadership performance indicator of a cross-section of SA's executive leaders 'getting it right'. The accreditation and publication:
· Profiles the country's exceptional leaders and the people that inspired and worked with them to drive organisational success
· Inspires those with leadership aspirations
· Enhances the corporate and employer brand of participating companies
· Provides critical insight into company performance from the CEO and executive management team shareholders, future leaders and customers.