The 32 finalists of the 2023 Cartier Women's Initiative (Photo: Cartier)
Ever since the Cartier Women’s Initiative (CWI) was founded in 2006, the foundation has supported 297 entrepreneurs from 63 countries with a total of US$7.44 million (RM33.49 million) in grants given out to the deserving winners.
Hundreds of women entrepreneurs from all over the world vie for the coveted spots to be inducted into the annual entrepreneurship programme, where they stand to receive one-on-one mentoring and a chance to be a part of a worldwide network of impact entrepreneurs working to promote positive change.
The awards, which took place on May 10 in Paris, were hosted by Sandi Toksvig, a Danish-British writer, comedian, broadcaster and women’s activist who is known for speaking up for equality. Amal Clooney, the co-founder of the Clooney Foundation for Justice and a leading barrister in international law, kicked off the ceremony with a moving speech on her legal fight for gender parity.
Cyrille Vigneron, CEO and president of Cartier International, took the stage thereafter and said: “We are thrilled to host the 16th annual awards ceremony of the Cartier Women’s Initiative in Paris, celebrating our ever-growing community of impact-driven entrepreneurs. Cartier is proud to continue building on its commitment to women’s empowerment, thus leveraging business as a force for good.”
The celebration concluded with the announcement of the recipients for each of the 11 awards, nine regional (including Oceania and Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa, launched this year) and two thematic (the Science and Technology Pioneer Award launched in 2021 and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award created this year).
The first-place awardees took home US$100,000 in grant funding, while the second- and third-place awardees received US$60,000 and US$30,000 respectively. In addition to the grants, all 32 fellows will also benefit from tailored mentoring and coaching, media visibility and networking opportunities from Cartier Women’s Initiative and education courses from business school INSEAD.
The ceremony was attended by prominent leaders, entrepreneurs, public personalities and changemakers who are instrumental in empowering women and banding together to make a positive change.
Applications for the 2024 edition of the CWI is open until June 30. The 33 fellows selected will benefit from financial, social and human capital support to grow their businesses and further build their leadership skills.
For more information on the initiative, visit cartierwomensinitiative.com.
This article first appeared on May 22, 2023 in The Edge Malaysia.
