Officials from ACCA Uganda and Deloitte launch CFO Awards 2026 in Kampala on Thursday.ACCA Uganda and Deloitte have announced the 10the edition of the CFO Awards under the theme: A decade of excellence; A legacy of leadership, shaping the future.Making the announcement in Kampala on Thursday, Charlotte Kukunda, Country Managing, ACCA Uganda, said nominations start on Thursday, August 6, 2026 up to September 18, 2026 at midnight.The Awards Gala will be held on Friday 16 October 2026 at the Kampala Serena Hotel. Kukunda said there will be ten categories including the overall CFO winner.“Today, as we stand on the cusp of this milestone tenth year, we look back at a legacy of excellence where we have benchmarked, recognized and elevated institutional financial leadership across the nation and look forward to an era of transformation,’’ said Kukunda.Over the last nine years – 50 professionals have been recognised, total of 76 awards; 33% of these professionals being female taking – 28% of the awards with a sector split of 52% to the BFSI (46% banking, 3% SACCOs and 3% insurance), 3% to corporate sector, 13% to public sector, 12% for SMEs and 10% to the Not-for-Profit sector.‘’Every past winner of these awards represents a story of resilience, integrity, and visionary leadership that has kept Ugandan businesses sustainable and profitable,’’ added Kukunda. ‘She added: “We have reported year on year growth in interest and participation, increasing the recognition categories from 5 to 10, notable increase in first-time participants, transitions to chief executive and regional leadership roles for most winners and Nominees.’’Some of the CFO Awards winners who have since climbed to CEO/MD positions include Godfrey Byekwaso, Chief Executive, Centenary Bank, and Irene Mwoyogwona, Executive Director, Brac Uganda. They were not CEO/MDs by the time they won the award.‘’The awards have highly amplified the profile and role of CFOs, emboldened CFOs to engage more strategically, inspired the younger finance professionals to aspire for finance leadership with understanding of the skills and capabilities to develop and created a community of CFOs who learn and improve each other through quarterly networking forums,’’ said Kukunda.She added: “Ten years is a significant journey’’ and that over the past decade, the role of the Chief Financial Officer in Uganda has fundamentally shifted, with the macroeconomic landscape experiencing unprecedented volatility.”She added that the mandate of the Chief Financial Officer has transformed fundamentally from gatekeepers to growth drivers.“CFOs are no longer just custodians of numbers and compliance. You (CFOs) have become strategic co-pilots navigating complex economic waters, and have successfully steered organisations through global pandemics, supply chain disruptions, and digital disruptions,” Kukunda said.To align with contemporary corporate imperatives and global market trends, Kukunda said that the CFOs must reflect on two non-negotiable operational drivers for modern enterprises including digital transformation and the ESG mandate.“The deliberate integration of advanced automation, cloud computing, and predictive AI within enterprise resource planning to optimize cost structures and operational efficiency. The transition of Environmental, Social, and Governance criteria from a standard compliance checklist to a core driver of capital allocation, risk management, and investor relations,’’ she said.She added: “We invite colleagues, chief executives and corporate stakeholders across the public, private, and non-profit sectors to click on the link and submit entries or encourage their CFOs to nominate themselves. The evaluation process led by a team esteemed judge, will remain stringent, objective, and independently audited to ensure strict compliance with international judging standards.’’Joseph Ssekabira, the Associate Director, Audit & Assurance at Deloitte Uganda, said that “This is an opportunity not only to celebrate outstanding achievements but also to share best practices, inspire future leaders, and strengthen the finance profession as a whole.’’He added: “I encourage organisations across Uganda to participate actively in the awards process. The awards are open to the private and public sectors, not-for-profit organisations, SMEs, and all industries – from financial services, energy, telecom, media, real estate, and retail. The award categories are comprehensive and designed to reflect both individual growth and organisational impact.’’The awards categoriesYoung CFO awardPublic sector awardNot for profit awardSME awardCompliance and governance awardStrategy execution awardFinance transformation and technology awardSustainability awardLeadership awardCFO of the Year Award The post From CFO to CEO: Past CFO Award Winners Climb to Top Jobs as ACCA, Deloitte Unveil 10th Edition appeared first on Business Focus.