Celebrating compliance excellence – Highlights from the 2025 CISA Awards
The Compliance Institute Southern Africa (CISA) marked a milestone this year as it hosted the annual Compliance Awards on 28 August 2025 at its annual conference and gala dinner, themed ‘Shift Happens’.
The awards have become a flagship platform for recognising professionals and teams who are raising the bar for compliance across Southern Africa.
Designed to honour excellence, innovation, and integrity, the awards shine a spotlight on compliance leaders who not only ensure adherence to regulatory requirements but also drive strategic value and ethical cultures within their organisations.
Submissions are assessed by an independent panel, ensuring objectivity and credibility in selecting the professionals and teams.
Compliance Officer of the Year: Leadership in action
Reserved for senior executives shaping the compliance profession, the Compliance Officer of the Year award honours individuals with proven leadership, regulatory achievements, and industry influence.
Ruan Botha, COO and Co-Founder of Provenance Compliance, was recognised for his pioneering work in the digital asset industry.
A globally respected voice in crypto security, Ruan is one of only 19 professionals worldwide certified as a CryptoCurrency Security Standard (CCSS) Auditor.
His leadership has advanced operational safeguards for virtual assets to match the rigor of traditional finance.
From regtech integrations that boosted efficiency by 25%, to supporting decentralised organisations navigating sanctions exposure, Ruan has proven himself a thought leader in a fast-moving field where innovation, ethics, and governance intersect.
AML Inkanyezi Award: Recognising Anti-Financial Crime Excellence
The AML Inkanyezi Award celebrates extraordinary anti-financial crime professionals who have made remarkable contributions to combating money laundering and related risks.
This year’s winner, Mperi Chilume, serves as a Money Laundering Reporting Officer in Botswana and Namibia while also contributing at a group level in South Africa.
Mperi has demonstrated dedication to financial crime prevention, leading Namibia’s response to amendments in the Financial Intelligence Act and contributing to regulatory consultations in both Namibia and Botswana.
His proactive engagement and policy impact reflect both his technical expertise and his passion for safeguarding financial systems.
Compliance Officer to Watch: Rising talent with lasting impact
The Compliance Officer to Watch award recognises rising stars who are redefining the compliance landscape.
Freddy Kido, from Namibia, with over a decade of experience across financial services, insurance, aviation, and FMCG, was honoured for transforming compliance from a “box-ticking” function into a strategic business enabler.
Over the past three years, Freddy has led initiatives that strengthened audit outcomes, reduced regulatory breaches, and embedded ethical culture within his organisation.
He is also actively shaping the profession by mentoring junior compliance officers and contributing thought leadership on topics such as ESG integration and cyber risk governance.
Innovative Compliance Team of the Year: Driving organisational change
The Innovative Compliance Team of the Year award highlights teams that deliver measurable impact through creative approaches to compliance challenges.
The Afgri Group Holdings: Afgri Compliance Department stood out for its comprehensive and forward-looking compliance strategy.
Tasked with ensuring alignment to more than 236 Acts across diverse sectors, the team has established a culture of accountability and proactive risk management.
Their implementation of a centralised Compliance Risk Management Platform has transformed compliance oversight, consolidating legislation and risk matrices into a real-time digital system.
With over 2,200 compliance items successfully assessed in the last reporting cycle, AFGRI’s compliance function has become a benchmark for excellence in governance, sustainability, and industry leadership.
Raising the profile of the profession
The 2025 CISA Awards demonstrate how compliance professionals are evolving from guardians of rules into strategic leaders and innovators who shape the sustainability and resilience of organisations.
From anti-financial crime leadership to digital asset governance, ESG integration, and systemic innovation, the winners represent the very best of the profession.
As the compliance landscape grows increasingly complex, these awards remind us that the field is not only about protecting organisations from risk, it is also about creating value, building trust, and enabling businesses to thrive responsibly.
By recognising leaders like Mperi Chilume, Ruan Botha, Freddy Kido, and the AFGRI Holdings Compliance Department, the Compliance Institute Southern Africa is ensuring that compliance continues to earn its place at the centre of sound business practice in Southern Africa and beyond.
Click here to learn more about the Compliance Institute Southern Africa.
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