In a remarkable celebration of female entrepreneurship, South Africa proudly lauded its 2023 Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award winners, Claire Blanckenberg and Zama Ngcobo, at an eagerly anticipated event held at The Forum in Johannesburg on 19 July.
The prestigious Bold Woman Award, launched in 1972 to honour the legacy of the visionary Madame Clicquot, recognises audacious women who embody the spirit of innovation, fearlessness and determination in their ventures.
With an impressive 51-year history, the Bold Woman Award has become an invaluable tribute to today and tomorrow’s entrepreneurial role models, honouring over 450 businesswomen across 27 countries.
As the first and longest-running international award of its kind, it provides a powerful voice and a global platform for the awardees, fostering connections within an inspiring community of like-minded achievers.
Also read: The Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award 2023 finalists
Jean-Marc Gallot, President of Veuve Clicquot, emphasised the importance of South Africa’s female entrepreneurs as national assets. Claire and Zama exemplify the spirit of boldness, making significant strides in their respective industries while positively impacting their communities.
The award ceremony brought together leading businesswomen for networking, meaningful conversations and inspirational performances.
Female pioneers like MC Jo-Ann Strauss, international ballerina Kitty Phetla and South Africa’s first female fighter jet pilot Major Mandisa Mfeka graced the stage, inspiring the audience with their remarkable stories of success against all odds.
This year’s Bold Woman Award winner, Claire Blanckenberg, has revolutionised the home food cultivation sector through her innovative Reel Gardening venture.
Her patented Garden in a Box, a simple colour-coded seed tape system, has not only transformed family nutrition but also provided food security to an estimated 48 100 households.
Recipient of the Bold Future Award, Zama Ngcobo, is breaking barriers in a male-dominated industry with her boutique black female-led commercial law firm, WMN Attorneys Inc.
Also read: Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award laureates share their journey in Reims
The 2023 Bold Barometer by Veuve Clicquot revealed encouraging signs of improvement in female entrepreneurship in South Africa, with 61% of women surveyed identifying as entrepreneurs – a number on the rise since 2019.
However, the survey also highlighted that many women believe they need to emulate men to succeed in business, emphasising the importance of initiatives like the Bold Programme in fostering collaboration and mentorship among businesswomen.
In conjunction with the award ceremony, Veuve Clicquot officially launched the Bold Open Database of female entrepreneurs in South Africa. This initiative aims to stimulate social and economic development by connecting women entrepreneurs from all walks of life.
The platform has seen remarkable engagement from South African women, showcasing their eagerness to connect and learn from fellow women role models.
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