The five most promising businesses managed by women received the annual Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards, prize money of USD 20,000 and one full year of coaching with business experts on 16 October in France.
Nominated on the basis of their business plans, the laureates were selected from each continent based on criterion of creativity, sustainability and social impact.
The international jury included Michelle Sassoon, CEO of Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Singapore; Lan Yang, Chairperson of Sun Media Group and Sun Culture Foundation, China; Sheikha Lubna AL Qasimi, Minister of Foreign Trade, UAE; Nell Merlino, Founder and CEO of count-me-in for economic independence.
Michelle Sassoon stated that the award is the perfect platform where seeds of business ideas from women are nurtured to fruition under expert guidance from Insead Business School and Mckinsey & Company. According to her, Cartier aims to create very thoughtful women entrepreneurs with this initiative.
Singapore-based Fillipino Kimberley Ong is one exemplary award winner. One of the five laureates of the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards 2009, she took part with her own startup, a social entrepreneurship venture known as Algaventures. The company has developed a low cost spirulina enriched bread called Pandelina to combat malnutrition problems caused by protein deficiency in diet,and a new decaffeinated coffee.
The 2010 edition of the Cartier Women’s Initiative awards will be available from www.cartierwomensinitiative.com, available from November 10, 2009 to March 10, 2010.
