NZ Women Eligible For Global Veuve Clicquot Award

New Zealand Women Eligible For Global Veuve Clicquot Award 2008

Nominations open as New Zealand joins award programme for international business excellence.

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin today announced the addition of New Zealand to the prestigious global Veuve Clicquot Award with nominations opening tomorrow, (8th December).

The award, which was launched in France in 1972, is presented in 18 countries including New Zealand.

Cécile Bonnefond, who is the first female President and CEO of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin since Madame Clicquot’s era, explains that the Veuve Clicquot Award 2008 aims to identify and celebrate the achievements of a New Zealand businesswoman who exemplifies the extraordinary qualities of Madame Clicquot; entrepreneurship, audacity and vision.

“If we could bottle the extraordinary qualities of Madame Clicquot, that is the woman we are looking for: an entrepreneur, with proven success in business, daring and innovative in many ways, determined in changing the rules of the game, in short a real leader,” she said.

“If you think you know the winner, we invite you to nominate her. She can come from anywhere in New Zealand and it does not matter if her business is global or national. While she may operate, lead and influence in the corporate world, she more probably runs her own entrepreneurial business, created, acquired or inherited and then developed under her lead,” she continues.

The winner will be announced at the Veuve Clicquot Award luncheon in Auckland on 11th April 2008.

As well as the honour of winning the coveted award in New Zealand, the recipient will travel to Champagne, France, to join past and present laureates from other countries at the Veuve Clicquot Businesswomen’s Meeting.

The symbolism of the prize is as significant as its value. The winner will christen a vine in her own name and enrol as a Friend of the Widow. Each birthday she will receive a gift of La Grande Dame champagne, the company’s prestige cuvée release, produced from the vineyards owned by la Veuve Clicquot during her lifetime.

The person who nominates the successful candidate will receive 12 magnums of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut to celebrate. Nominations close on 18th February 2008.

David Ridley, General Manager of Veuve Clicquot’s local subsidiary, said the company’s commitment to the New Zealand market has paved the way for the introduction of the award to New Zealand.

“We regard the award as recognition at the highest level and expect its introduction to attract significant interest this year,” he said. “In the long-term, we are committed to fostering it as New Zealand’s most prestigious award to honour outstanding female achievement in business.”

“We want the New Zealand public to nominate New Zealand businesswomen who truly embrace the ideals and values of Madame Clicquot; She will be a woman who displays entrepreneurial drive; leadership skills; an ability to motivate and inspire others; to meet challenges, take risks and overcome obstacles to achieve success; with experience in managing a profitable company or organisation that has shown consistent financial success; a woman with charisma, individuality, style and tenacity.”

Members of the New Zealand judging panel include Rosanne Meo OBE, Chairman of Briscoe Group Limited, Chairman of AMP New Zealand and Deputy Chair of Baycorp Advantage, Sally Synnott, founder of Pumpkin Patch, Wellington’s Catherine Savage, CEO of CMS Capital Ltd – an investment company specializing in private equity, Brenda Ward, Editor of Next magazine; and on behalf of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, David Ridley.

“We are seeking a New Zealand woman of vision ... innovative and tenacious ... a risk taker ... a leader ... a woman who has broken new ground and achieved extraordinary success in business ... a woman who exemplifies the values of La Veuve (the widow) Clicquot, a forward thinking, entrepreneurial woman ahead of her times.”- Cécile Bonneford, President of Veuve Clicquot

ENDS

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