JR, Absa sign another sponsorship deal

ANT KATZ

Champaigne flowed before the official announcement and speeches, which were in turn followed by an elaborate finger breakfast at the Absa Capital head office building in Sandton.

Banie Claasen, Absa’s Regional Managing Executive, Gauteng South, said how delighted the bank was to be associated with the event and how much value it had generated for both the bank and the newspaper during their long relationship.

The relationship gives Absa so much access to the Jewish market in South Africa and, on August 28, eight remarkable South Africans will once again receive one of the coveted trophies as winners in one of the categories in which they were nominated for.

Jewish Report Board Chairman Howard Sackstein said this year’s event will once again “showcase the remarkable and disproportionate contribution that the South African Jewish community has made to the country”.

The gala dinner at the Achievers function – which is the highlight of the annual Jewish social calendar – will, as always, be a glittering black tie affair where 600 crème de la crème from the community – and also a good proportion non-Jews – will celebrate the success stories of members of South African Jewry.

Claasen told the guests at the contract signing ceremony that Absa was proud to extend its sponsorship of the event. The bank, he said, values the relationship between itself and the Jewish Achiever Awards.

The theme for the 2016 event is “Igniting the soul of Africa”.

The August 28 gala dinner will have as master of ceremonies one of the country’s top comedians, John Vlismas. Sackstein promised guests at the sponsorship event that the 2016 gala “will be the best function and Achievers event so far”.

The wide array of nominations – and quality of nominees – bear testimony to the prestige attached to this annual event.

Claasen offered “a big thank-you to the Jewish Report, not only for the business relationship but also for the friendship”.

Sackstein echoed this, telling Claasen that relationships like this one only come with time. “I know marriages that haven’t lasted this long,” joked Sackstein.

The three Absa Jewish Business Awards are: The Absa Listed Company Award; The Absa Unlisted Company Award; and The Absa Entrepreneur Award.

The five Jewish Report humanities awards are sponsored by Chivas, Kia-SA, The Creative Counsel and Europecar.

A few seats and tables for the event are still available. Reservations can be made at RSVP@SAJewishReport.co.za