Contenders shortlisted for top company awards

New Zealand's top performing businesses, chief executives and chairpersons in 2005 are lining up to receive their gongs.

The finalists have been announced for one of the country's most prestigious business honours, the annual Deloitte/Management magazine Top 200 Awards. This is the sixteenth year the awards have been handed out.

Last year, Fisher & Paykel Appliances was voted the number one company in the country and Ralph Norris (then with Air New Zealand) was named the best-performing Chief Executive. 

Vying for the title of Company of the Year for 2005 are:

* Global-playing technology company Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, which judges describe as "an enterprise in great shape and delivering great results";
* Fletcher Building, a three-year in a row nominee for this award, "on the back of yet another strong business and profit performance in 2005", and;
* Waste Management, a former winner of this title back in 1996 and again in contention because of its "consistent and outstanding profit and performance record".

Lining up for the award of Executive of the Year are:

* Michael Daniell, managing director and CEO of Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
* Kim Ellis, managing director of Waste Management, and;
* Doug Heffernan, chief executive of Mighty River Power.

FINALISTS IN OTHER AWARD CATEGORIES:

Emerging Enterprise:

42 Below
Cadmus Technology
Rakon

Best Growth Strategy:

Navman
Vector
Waste Management

Business Ethics:

Fidelity Life
Honda
IAG
Mighty River Power

Most Improved Performance:

AFFCO
Mainfreight
New Zealand Post

Chairperson of the Year:

Wayne Boyd, chair of Auckland International Airport, Freightways, Meridian Energy and Vulcan Steel
Sam Lewis, chair of AFFCO
John Palmer, chair of Air New Zealand

Young Executive of the Year:

Simon Doig, Solid Energy
Therese Walsh, NZ Rugby Union
Grant Watson, McDonald's Restaurants

The 2005 Awards winners will be announced at a gala function at SkyCity Convention Centre in Auckland on Thursday 1 December.