Strive Masiyiwa Named UK Spear Awards Entrepreneu...

Strive Masiyiwa Named UK Spear Awards Entrepreneur Of The Year

Forbes lists Strive Masiyiwa as a 'British' billionaire, have we lost one of ours? – Provoker Magazine

Audrey Galawu

Dr Strive Masiyiwa was on November 2 named Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2022 Spear’s Awards held at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London, the United Kingdom.

The awards celebrated entrepreneurs, philanthropists and leaders of the private client world at a ceremony hosted by Nicholas Owen.

He was rewarded for his work with two pan-African technology companies Econet and Cassava Technologies and his philanthropic activities.

Named ‘Britain’s first black billionaire’ by The Sunday Times, Masiyiwa is executive chairman of Cassava Technologies which, through its business Liquid Intelligent Technologies, is now the largest data centre provider across Africa.

Masiyiwa was also recognised by Spears, the media brand, for high-net-worth individuals, for his work as a co-founder of the Higherlife Foundation and Delta Philanthropies, a United Kingdom (UK) registered impact investment charity promoting development initiatives across Africa.

He is also a signatory of the Giving Pledge, an initiative backed by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett through which the world’s wealthiest people commit to give the majority of their wealth away.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Masiyiwa also chaired the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team.

The event acknowledges and honours entrepreneurs, philanthropists and others for their innovation, success and outstanding contribution to the wealth management world and beyond.

The Spear’s Wealth Management Awards provide a platform for over 500 of Europe’s most influential and wealthiest individuals to celebrate and meet the best and most innovative individuals and companies across the world.

The Awards ceremony was attended by 400 people and co-hosted by broadcaster and journalist Nicholas Owen.

Attendees included leading figures from the worlds of wealth management, law, property, business and philanthropy, including a host of advisers to high-net-worth individuals.

The Spear’s Awards were sponsored by Aero, Blackstone, Calculus Capital, McDowell Properties, Risk Assured Life Insurance Specialists, Stewardship, Thuso, and The Royal Mint.

In December 2020 Masiyiwa was named by Bloomberg as one of the 50 world’s most influential people. He was also included in the list as one of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2020 by the New African Magazine, and in Mail and Guardian’s 100 Africans of the year for 2020.

In May 2021, Masiyiwa was named by Fortune Magazine on the list of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders.