On 23rd January 2011, the judges of the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award announced the Australian Shortlist for the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award 2012, bringing together five shining examples of female entrepreneurship and business success across sectors fanging from fashion to food to industrial products. The finalists are:
- Lorna-Jane Clarkson, Founder and Creative Director, Lorna Jane
- Elena Gosse, Director and Company Secretary, Australian Innovative Systems
- Ronni Kahn, Founder and CEO, OzHarvest
- Kris Lloyd, CEO and Head Cheesemaker, Woodside Cheese Wrights
- Maryanne Shearer, CEO, T2
Regarded as the ‘Oscar’ of female entrepreneurs and business leaders, the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award, now in its 40th year, is held in 16 countries and is the first international award created specifically to recognise the contribution that women have made to business life. In addition to the financial results and commercial success of the nominees, judges around the world take into consideration a number of other important factors such as each business’s commitment to the community, employees and the environment.
Janet Holmes à Court, Chairman of the Award, commented: “This year, on the 40th international anniversary of the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award, the finalists are an extraordinary group, all leaders and true innovators in their chosen fields who conduct their businesses in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. They are an inspiration to other female entrepreneurs, and to us all. Every one of them would be a worthy winner of the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award.”
The Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award was established in France in 1972 to commemorate Madame Clicquot, the legendary founder of Veuve Clicquot, and to honour women who also possess her qualities of vision, innovation, entrepreneurial drive, leadership, individuality and tenacity.
The Australian winner of the Veuve Clicquot Business Women Award 2012 will be announced on International Women’s Day, Thursday 8 March, 2012, at a lunch attended by 100 of the country’s most influential businesswomen. The winner will receive return business class travel to Reims, France, to join past and present laureates from other countries at the Annual Veuve Clicquot International Businesswomen’s Forum, where a vine will be christened in her name. Each year on Madame Clicquot’s birthday, she will receive a gift of La Grande Dame champagne.
