I usually use my editor’s column as my personal soapbox on issues currently grating my cheese. However, in the spirit of the holiday season, I will refrain from going into a tirade about things such as good ole Julius’ slating of the opposition as “cockroaches” (sigh), and focus on the good things.

First and foremost – Leadership has done it again!

The 2010 MPASA Pica Awards took place in mid-November and are considered the annual Oscars of the magazine industry.

This year saw the Magazine Publishers’ Association of South Africa setting out to align the Picas with international standards by streamlining categories and revamping the judging process and panels.

Last year, 78 awards were handed out, including those to runners-up and the highly commended. This year, there were 2 500 votes, 472 entries (up over 70% from last year), 23 judges and three chief judges. There were only 29 awards to be given across all sectors: consumer, custom and business.

Leadership walked away with the Best Business-to-Business Magazine of the Year and I was thrilled to win the Best Business Editor of the Year award again.

To top it off, we won a third Pica for Best Annual Supplement or Special Issue of the Year for Leadership in Sport. (Well done, Greg Simpson!)

Leadership further clinched two nominee places in the final four contenders for Best Cover of the Year and Best Overall Design of the Year 2010.

This is the second year in succession that Leadership has taken the highest accolades in the business publications sector.

Following our international Gold Award at the Tabbies in the United States earlier this year (chosen as best business magazine in the world out of 500 global entries), I think it is fair to say that Leadership has certainly proven that its title matches its stature in the magazine industry! Well done to the team (a special mention must go to Brent, Zaid, Tania and Yusrah).

Besides ending the year on that fantastic high note, I am extremely happy to reach December for another reason. That being finally shaving off the beast that has lived on my top lip for the entire month of Movember in aid of cancer charity. (For a wonderful insight into this, do not miss out on Daryl Ilbury’s column, “Nothing to be snor-ed at” on page 94.)

For those of you who participated, well done; and for those who did not – shame on you! Be sure to plan for next year – just try not to arrange any social events in that month...

I will not bother to enlighten you with my thoughts on 2011 and what we should be doing – our new columnist Gareth Cliff, who needs no introduction, does that for us all on page 92.

Thanks to all our readers for your support and have a wonderful festive season and a joyous New Year!