ICGN Achievement Awards 2023 Awardees

ICGN presented four awards to recognise outstanding corporate governance and investor stewardship leaders at the ICGN 2023 Annual Toronto Conference on 20 June 2023.

The Judging Panels expressed appreciation for the Nominations that were received for these Awards. The Panels considered the quality of the Nominations that were submitted, the testimonials offered, the work highlighted on behalf of the Nominees, the impact of their work, and the criteria for the Awards.  

Our press release lists the deserving winners, whose presentation with their awards you can see in the video and photos below. ICGN would like to thank all the members of the judging panels and the ICGN Awards Committee for their diligent work in the judging process.

Nominations for the 2024 ICGN Awards are open until 29 March.

ICGN Awards 2023

Rients Abma

I feel very honoured, grateful and humbled to receive the ICGN Lifetime Achievement Award. Not only because ICGN is the leading international organisation in the field of corporate governance and sustainability, but also because the nomination was made by individual members of ICGN. Over the past 20 years I have devoted myself with great enthusiasm and conviction to shaping better sustainable, corporate governance rules and practices in the Netherlands and Europe. Good corporate governance is the precondition for prosperity and well-being in society.  

I feel this recognition is not only for me as an individual but also for the institutions I have worked for and am working for. In the first place, this is the Dutch Ministry of Finance, which took the initiative to establish a corporate governance committee in 2003 and appointed me as its secretary. This resulting code revolutionised Dutch business and was also a model for the many other codes that were to follow.  

Secondly, of course, Eumedion, of which I have been proud to be the executive director since 2006. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Eumedion and its predecessor, the Corporate Governance Research Foundation for Pension Funds.  

I am also grateful to the Eumedion Staff for the continued commitment and to the Eumedion Board for supporting me in doing my work and giving me trust to drive forward. I would like to thank my nominators (Eszter Vitorino, Lars Dijkstra and Carola van Lamoen), the ICGN Awards Committee and the ICGN Board for the recognition of the achievements. And last but not least I would like to thank my earlier mentor, Mr Morris Tabaksblat – who sadly passed away in 2011 – for stimulating me in doing this job, challenging me on the, sometimes, wild ideas and for learning how to manage difficult situations. 

I am sure that the ICGN Award will inspire me and my organisation, Eumedion, to continue the mission to make companies and institutional investors truly responsible corporate citizens who contribute to resolving major environmental and societal challenges.  

Nga Pham

I am incredibly honoured and deeply humbled to receive the ICGN Rising Star Award. This recognition holds a special place in my heart, marking a pivotal moment in my professional journey. As the co-chair of the Financial Capital Committee at ICGN, I have been passionately committed to making a tangible impact on corporate governance practices globally. 

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the ICGN Awards team and committee for this prestigious accolade. Receiving this award has significantly broadened my professional network, connecting me with influential leaders in the field. It has also enhanced my credibility and visibility in the industry, paving the way for engaging in more impactful projects and discussions around corporate governance. 

This award is more than a recognition; it is an inspiration and a powerful motivator, encouraging me to continue striving for excellence and innovation in my role. I am deeply appreciative of this honour and the opportunities it presents. 

WomenCorporateDirectors Korea (accepted by Lila Han on their behalf)

Women Corporate Directors Foundation (WCD) is honored to have our chapter in Korea recognized by ICGN. WCD shares ICGN’s mission to be a leading voice for the highest standards in corporate governance. We believe that women corporate directors have a critical role to play in achieving that objective. WCD’s network includes 2500 women corporate directors serving on over 8500 corporate boards across six continents. Every country is at a different stage in their path to women’s representation in the leadership of their economy and I am so proud to see WCD Korea recognized for their dedication and support for women corporate directors in Korea.” 

Jennifer Reynolds, CEO, Women Corporate Directors Foundation 

“It was a great honor and privilege for me to accept this award on behalf of WCD Korea. We greatly appreciate this award as a recognition for the efforts we made to advocate for improving gender diversity in boardrooms in Korea. I have no doubt that this award will open new doors for women in my country. When we first founded WCD Korea chapter in 2016, we realized there were only a small number of female board members. We wanted policy reform to make a difference. So we met with legislators to advocate for laws mandating that companies have female members on their board. Finally in 2020, the National Assembly of Korea passed legislation which requires companies with assets of more than $1.5 billion USD to have at least one female board member. Since then, we have seen a significant increase in gender diversity on corporate boards. Female board members remained at a mere 3% for many decades in Korea, but now it has more than doubled to 8%. 

There is a still long way to go, but we will continue to advocate for, and support, women corporate directors in Korea. I am grateful for the passionate and hard-working WCD Korea members who made this change possible together! “

Boksil Lee, Member and past co-chair WCD Korea 

Carol Storey, Climate Engagement Lead, Active Ownership Manager, Schroders Plc (UK)

Andrea Tweedie, Acting Head of Stewardship, Financial Reporting Council (UK)

The shortlisted nominees were as follows:

Rising Star Award

• Oliver Wilcock, ESG Stewardship Analyst, HSBC Asset Management, United Kingdom                                
• Nga Pham, Senior Research Fellow, Monash Business School, Monash University, Australia  (Winner)                      
• Nana Li, Head of Sustainability & Stewardship, Impax Asset Management, Hong Kong    

Excellence in Corporate Governance Award

• Women Corporate Directors, South Korea  (Winner)  
• Sunday Ekwochi, Corporate Secretary, Access Bank, Nigeria    

Excellence in Stewardship Award

• Andrea Tweedie, Acting Head of Stewardship, Financial Reporting Council, UK  (Winner)
• Carol Storey, Climate Engagement Lead, Active Ownership Manager, Schroders Plc, UK (Winner)

Congratulations to all the shortlisted nominees!