Accra, March 2, GNA - Ghana's Most Respected Company and CEO Awards 2010, which

aim at encouraging executives to address corporate governance and leadership issues in

their organisations, was launched in Accra on Tuesday. Instituted by PriceWaterHouseCoopers (PwC), an accounting firm, and Business and

Financial Times newspaper, the awards are to serve as the benchmark for assessing

business leaders, draw on their experiences and re-shape the business agenda for

corporate organizations. It is also to motivate companies and Chief Executives Officers (CEO), who had

performed creditably in areas of good corporate governance practice, leadership style,

social responsibility and excellent business culture, among others. Ghana's Most Respected Company and CEO Awards is an opinion survey conducted

among CEOs in Ghana. CEOs will be asked to choose three companies and CEOs they

respect and give reasons for their choice. An independent research company, Synovate, will conduct the survey and collate the

results. The first award was held in 2007 with Prince Kofi Amoabeng, Chief Executive of UT

Financial Services, emerging as the most Respected CEO with DataBank taking the

Company category. Mr Felix Addo, Country Senior Partner PwC, said the initiative was to get companies to

not only focus on profit but to be alive to their responsibilities to stakeholders and

communities where they operated. He said commitment to issues of corporate governance and social responsibility was

key for companies to maintain excellence in their dealings, especially in the face of

increased competition. "Short-term profit is no longer the means to success but pushing towards good

corporate relationship in the long-term is a way to sustain excellence," he said. Mr Addo said in the competitive business world, it was important businesses paid

attention to the environment and the community. The theme for this year's event is "Achieving Excellence" and the highest nominee for

each category will be presented with the award on May 8, 2010. 2 March 10