Chronicle EditorHerald Reporter
NetOne public relations and special projects executive Mr George Manyaya was on Friday named the best Public Relations Practitioner (2017) during the Marketers Association of Zimbabwe 9th Annual Marketers Convention in Victoria Falls.
The Convention was held from November 1 to 4 and attended by over 190 marketing professionals from various corporates around the country.
It ran under the theme “The Changing Face of Marketing: Towards Organisational and Economic Transformation.”
The first runner-up was Harare City Council head of communications Mr Michael Chideme, while Zimpapers public relations manager Ms Beatrice Tonhodzayi, was the second runner-up.
Speaking after being conferred with the accolade, Mr Manyaya said the award belonged to all NetOne stakeholders who played a major role in changing the fortunes of the company.
“This award belongs to all stakeholders as success breeds success and I won’t take personal glory as my job is to simply package and project the good work that is being done by everyone along the value chain, so this is indeed recognition for all of us,” he said.
“This past year has been challenging, but I applaud the entire team for their aggression and sustained enthusiasm in lifting the NetOne brand with unflagging vitality.”
Mr Manyaya urged public relations practitioners and marketers to continue working closely together as both played significant roles.
Speaking during the official opening of the convention, Industry and Commerce Minister Mike Bimha acknowledged the role marketers play in their organisations and challenged them to join hands with Government in protecting the image of the country so that there is a good perception.
“I would like to applaud you for the good work you are all doing for your organisations,” he said. “You should now team up with Government in a bid to benefit the economy. We need you to provide a think tank for the Government, so that we have collaborative efforts to create wealth so that Zimbabwe gets its rightful position in Africa and the world .
“There are so many positive things being done in this country, but the world does not know. We need to manage perception and protect that image.”
Mr Manyaya joined NetOne in January 2017 and has helped open up the firm to the public by establishing a rapport with people from all walks of life.
He served on the board of the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) in 2014.
In 2013, the Ministry of Tourism appointed him a Tourism Brand Ambassador for the UNWTO 20th General Assembly which was successfully co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Zambia and he was part of the organizing team responsible for resource mobilisation.
In the same year, Mr Manyaya was conferred with an award for the Outstanding Public Relations and Marketing person of the year by the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce Manicaland Chapter.
Apart from being a member of the Marketers Association of Zimbabwe, Mr Manyaya is also a member of the Zimbabwe Institute of Public Relations (ZIPR) and the Project Management Institute of Zimbabwe (PMZ).
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