Sunday Times Business Times Top 100 Companies Survey 2009: Basil Read does it again!

The night of 20 October 2009, saw another glittering award ceremony held at the Rand Club in Johannesburg, where the Sunday Times honoured the Top 100 listed companies in South Africa.

Topping that enviable list and winning the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies Award for the second consecutive year - was Basil Read.

This prestigious award acknowledges those listed companies that have earned the most wealth for their shareholders. The share-price performance of every company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange is measured on the basis of R10 000 invested over five years, from 1 September 2004 to 31 August 2009. The company that earns the most for its shareholders in terms of share-price growth (taking into account normal and special dividends and bonus shares) is declared the winner. Since share-price performance is often a good way to measure value and indicates shareholder fortunes – it is also an indicator of the company’s operational stability. The calculations are based on share-price performance and reinvested dividends. All calculations are carried out by I-Net Bridge.

2009 marks Basil Read’s 57th year in business - and the financial difficulties it faced some five years ago serve as a reminder of how good communication, cohesion and strong management can turn a company around. It was chief executive officer, Marius Heyns that was called upon to spearhead the company’s 2004 turn around while developing and empowering the group. With a hands-on leadership style, and a handpicked group of Executive Directors and Senior Management, the Group’s turnaround to its current position in the construction industry today, has been nothing short of phenomenal.

Another landmark for Basil Read in October 2009 was the official handing over ceremony of the new Mbombela Stadium, near Nelspruit, to Mbombela municipality in the same month – Basil Read is not only achieving its strategic goals, but it is also contributing to South Africa’s vision for 2010.