ANT KATZ

Don’t miss the 2014 Absa Jewish Achiever Awards. Our website will be bringing users a constant stream of updates of information and photographs starting on the red carpet, at 16:00, through the social interactions, the entertainment, and the awards themselves.

As each of the Humanities awards are announced and handed out, the live blog will publish information about the winners – and, later, interviews with them.

During the dinner and entertainment we will sketch the glitz and glamour, constantly adding pictures and interviews.

Friday breakfast event

The weekend of festivity kicked off with a swish Absa-hosted breakfast for all the finalists in the sixteenth Achiever Awards on Friday. Event chairman, Howard Sackstein thanked sponsors and finalists for their continued support. “Through this,” he said, “we are able to keep publishing a free newspaper and website for the community.”

RIGHT: Howard Sackstein on Friday morning: “All I can think of is that the event is 56 hours and 36 minutes away”

Explaining the appropriateness of the “Where Great Minds Meet” theme of the sell-out 2014 event to be held on Sunday, Howard said: “If you put the right people in a room together, magic things happen.”

To our friends at Absa, he said, “an enormous thank you for your continued support.” The bank will be the naming sponsor for the eleventh consecutive year. He specifically mentioned CEO Maria Ramos for her ongoing backing and Banie Claasen who, once again, made up part of the distinguished judging panel.

The 2014 event had seen 280 people nominated, said Sackstein, 30 more than last year. In the end there were 38 entries in the business categories, the winners of which will only be announced on the night.

The 2014 nominees ranged from captains of entire industries to an 18-year-old schoolboy who is currently writing his matric exams.

LEFT: Team picture of Howard Feldman, non-executive chairman (right) and Karen Knowles, business manager of the Jewish Report with board member and Achievers chaiman Howard Sackstein (left)

This year also adds another record, said Howard, for both the event and the venue. “We have 644 people in the room – our biggest guest list, and the largest ever audience at Vodaworld for any event!”

When it comes to the Business Awards, as the 38 finalists in four categories are introduced to the celebrity audience, so will they be to SAJR users at home. As the winners are announced, you’ll read about it in the comfort of your own lounge.

Business finalists and winners

Finally, once all is said and done, we will publish the spectacular glossy 72-page event magazine (which will also be inserted into all newspapers next week.)

Be able to say: ‘I was there too!’

And, by the time your snobby friends call you on Monday to tell you how great it was, you’ll be able to say: “I was there too!”

So, expect the red-carpet arrivals from 16:00, events starting at 18:00, finalists and winners being announced through the evening between 18:30 and 22:30, interviews afterwards and the release of the digital copy of the glossy 72-page event magazine in low- or hi-res versions of 8- or 20-megs.

A free copy of the magazine will also be bagged in each copy of the Jewish Report newspaper this week – as well as a picture spread of the event.

Plan your Sunday around our live blog. 

Why not have some friends or family around, plug your laptop into your TV and make a home event out of it? Popcorn et al! All you have to do is push the refresh button on your PC every now and then.