Nominations for the 2026 CFO Awards are officially open. This is your opportunity to honour the finance leaders whose vision, resilience and innovation have helped steer their organisations, and South Africa’s economy, forward over the past year.
CFOs are tasked with navigating complex company and macro-economic landscapes and, with the onset of AI and additional regulatory pressures, many finance executives are showing their strong leadership skills and innovative abilities – all while contributing to the growth of their companies and the country. Do you know a CFO who has made great strides over the past year in leading their team and organisations?
If so, now is your chance to nominate them for the 2026 CFO awards and acknowledge their innovative thinking and hard work in helping companies to adapt and change. You could help them walk away with the annual “Oscars of Finance”!
The annual CFO Awards recognise CFOs of listed companies, large corporations, state-owned entities and government institutions, and award them for outstanding performance and leadership.
Now in its 13th year, the CFO Awards will, once again, celebrate finance executives who have proven to be excellent all-round leaders. Shortlisted CFOs will undergo interviews between January and April, so nominate your CFO now!
CFOs can be nominated in one, or more, of the following award categories:
CFO of the Year
The CFO of the Year is a proven financial leader who has consistently demonstrated exceptional performance over several years. The CFO of the Year has set the bar for others to strive for, displaying unmatched skills, attitude, and results.
Public Sector CFO of the Year
The Public Sector CFO of the Year is a leader who has displayed outstanding financial management by recognising innovative programmes and contributions to government finance. The Public Sector CFO of the Year emphasises practical, well- documented work that demonstrates leadership and promotes ethical practices and improved public finance.
Young CFO of the Year
The Young CFO of the Year is a young leader who has shown remarkable professional development and has been of great value to the board. Aged up to and including 40, this CFO has moved up rapidly through the ranks.
Strategy Execution Award
The Strategy Execution Award recognises a CFO who has demonstrated great leadership in creating the right financial conditions to execute the strategy while keeping the business financially healthy and competitive.
Transformation & Empowerment Award
The Transformation & Empowerment Award recognises a CFO who has achieved impressive results in supporting job creation and economic growth while improving the company’s performance. The CFO has looked after compliance with the Codes of Good Practice and is a promoter of transformation as a strategic imperative.
High-Performance Team Award
The High-Performance Team Award recognises a leader who has built a high- performing financial team that’s both efficient and customer-focused. With a clear vision, this CFO invested in talent development to align future needs with available skills.
Compliance & Governance Award
The Compliance & Governance Award recognises a CFO who champions open, honest, ethical and principled practices to help the business achieve its goals. The winner of this award has contributed significantly to building and implementing systems to detect and prevent compliance breaches.
Finance Transformation Award
The Finance Transformation Award recognises a leader who has significantly improved the finance function to meet future challenges. The winning CFO has redefined finance to become a cost-effective, service-oriented partner to the business, showing courage in radically rethinking its operation.
Finance & Technology Award
The Finance & Technology Award recognises a CFO who has invested in and unlocked technologies to transform the business and create new value. The winner is a technology-driven change steward, sharing their knowledge and know-how.
