NOMINATIONS for the 2010 Most Influential Women are closing tomorrow.

NOMINATIONS for the 2010 Most Influential Women are closing tomorrow.

The competition is open to businesswomen who make a contribution to South African society.

The awards are a recognition of women across South Africa who help transform the country's social, economic and political landscape.

Communications chief executive Annelize Wepener says this year they are looking specifically at "young and upcoming" women, but they still accepted nominations for more senior women.

Last year's Most Influential Women award event was held in three glittering events in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.

This year's gala event is scheduled to take place at the end of July and the beginning August and venues and exact dates will be confirmed soon.

"We are not only looking at women in senior corporate positions, but we are also interested in women who start their own businesses, women who have had success in heir own enterprises or women who inspire," Wepener says.

S he says they were looking at people who would leave an influential legacy behind.

Through a public-nomination process and in conjunction with industry bodies and an expert panel of judges who include former judge Willem Heath, Tina Thomson of The Epiphany Leadership, Tania Cleary of Jaguar, Manuela Sanchez Aragú of Wits Business School, Ria Phiyega formerly of Absa, Avroy Shlain, Terry Booysen, Shirley Zinn of Nedbank, Yvonne Finch of Yvonne Finch Consulting, the most influential women within the various business sectors of the South African economy were selected.

Previous winners of the Most Influential Women awards include Wendy Ackerman, Zarina Bassa, Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, Olive Shisana, Pam Golding, Elain Vlok and Gail Curtis.