This Thursday, October 11, 2012, at the 8th Women’s Forum held at the Centre International de Deauville on the theme of 360°C growth, the Cartier Women’s Initiative awards were presented to 6 women entrepreneurs.
This magnificent ceremony took place in the presence of Fleur Pellerin , France’s Minister for the Digital Economy (whoseinterview you can find here), Véronique Moralli, President of the Women’s Forum, and Bernard Fornas, President and CEO of Cartier International.
I had the honor of being invited to this unique event, dedicated to the place of women in the economy and society, thanks to Orange’s Blog Live. For 3 days, I was able to bring my point of view and fresh perspective to the Women’s Forum by blogging on this dynamic medium: read our reports here.
In my first article, I wrote about my encounter with the talented and passionate Kresse Wesling, winner of the 2011 Cartier Prize. Her luxury accessories brand, Elvis & Kresse, 100% eco-friendly and partly for-profit, is now a must-have.
With over 1000 candidates and 18 finalists from 15 different countries, representing the 6 main economic regions, this competition is rooted in Cartier’s values. For 165 years, Cartier has“drawn inspiration and creativity from dynamic, enterprising women“.
“This year, many of our projects emphasize the importance of art and heritage, cultural imperatives that Cartier defends,” explains Bernard Fornas. Education and transmission remain at the heart of the stakes. Of course, projects in the fields of health, assistance, hygiene, employment and community mutual aid (notably via the Internet) illustrate the very concrete actions undertaken by these brilliant women.
Through these Awards, Cartier, the Women’s Forum andINSEAD are supporting them, encouraging their peers to take the plunge by promoting these models of success, and creating a powerful international network for sharing experiences.
Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards Ceremony in the presence of Bernard Fornas, President and CEO of the brand (© Cartier International. All rights reserved)
Here are the 2012 winners: Gabriela Flores for South America, Ting Shih for North America, Cécile Réal for Europe,Iba Masood for the Middle East and South Africa, Julienne Ingabire and Elizabeth Scharpf for Central Africa, and Lianna Gunawan for Asia.
These entrepreneurs, in the midst of their development phase, each receive $20,000 in funding. For 1 year, they also benefit from personalized business coaching, in addition to the visibility they gain and the networking intrinsic to such an initiative.
The evening continued with a marvellous gala at the Casino Barrière de Deauville – which is celebrating its 100th anniversary – whereAfrica was in the spotlight. Nearly 1,500 participants were invited to take part in this wonderful moment of discovery and celebration, under the banner of generosity and sharing!
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