VEUVE Clicquot has selected 6 entrepreneurial women as finalists for the annual Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award in South Africa.
For over 50 years, true to the heritage of its trailblazing leader, Madame Clicquot, the Bold programme has highlighted and empowered remarkable women in business.
In honour of her audacious spirit, the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award was launched to celebrate daring businesswomen like Madame Clicquot, who, at just 27 years of age, took over the reins of the House. In the year 1805, women were not allowed to work, yet her widow status permitted her to do so.
She seized the opportunity and dared to invent new processes such as the riddling table, the first vintage champagne, and the very first blend of rosé champagne. Within a few years Madame Clicquot made her name into a brand of excellence and irrevocably became the “Grande Dame of Champagne”.
The 6 finalists for 2023 have proven to be innovative and transformational within their industries, despite the challenges they face. These are the female entrepreneurs who prove, like Madame Clicquot, that leading with a clear vision and success against the odds, are possible.
To gather insights and provide concrete data on the evolution of female entrepreneurship, the Bold Barometer by Veuve Clicquot provides a unique, multicultural, and intergenerational dataset.
Now in its third year, over 49,000 women and men in 25 countries were surveyed.
The 2023 South African edition reveals, promisingly, that of the women surveyed, 61% are entrepreneurs, a figure on the rise since 2019. Further, 88% of South African female entrepreneurs believe that role models are a must-have element of entrepreneurial success.
This data provides a powerful litmus and is a compelling study that continually drives the Bold programme to support and champion the women who dare to become entrepreneurs.
To facilitate the essential connection highlighted by the Bold Barometer, the finalists took part in an immersive adjudication and mentorship process.
The esteemed jury panel who had the challenge of engaging with each finalist included: former Bold Woman Award winners Amanda Dambuza (Founder & CEO of Uyandiswa) and Gugu Sithole (Founder of Glamping Adventures); industry leaders Erik Kruger (Founder of Modern Breed and co-host of The Expansive Podcast), Nomndeni Mdakhi (Founder of Agenda Women) and Happy Ralinala (Director of Palesa Mbali Group); as well as brand representatives Carole Bildé (Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Veuve Clicquot) and Aimee Kellen (Head of Consumer Engagement, Moët Hennessy Africa and Middle East).
Through their Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award nomination, the 6 finalists will share their journeys with the world, inspiring others to follow suit.
The winners will join an influential community of bold businesswomen walking in the footsteps of Madame Clicquot – whose tenacity and creativity continue to define entrepreneurial success today.
The Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award ceremony takes place on 19 July in Johannesburg, and will reveal one winner in each of the two categories.
The laureates will join the ranks of an illustrious list of over 450 winners in 27 countries who have been elevated by this coveted global award.
Image supplied by Veuve Clicquot (2023 Veuve Clicquot finalists).
