Affiong Williams emerges Winner of the First-Ever Bold Woman Award by Veuve Clicquot In Nigeria

A bold woman innovates, transforms, and she is a pioneer for others to follow and to do so despite the entrenched challenges that women face. In a memorable event held at Alliance Francaise on November 6th, Affiong Williams was named the winner of the esteemed Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award.

The ceremony, in its unique format, provided an opportunity for finalists and leading bold businesswomen from across the country to network, connect and engage in authentic conversations around entrepreneurship.

Launched in 1972, the Bold Woman Award is one of the longest-running international awards of its kind, and this year is the 50th year of paying tribute to audacious businesswomen.

It’s an award that not only commends the work of fearless female business leaders, but also seeks to change the way that business is done – calling for higher ethical standards, transformational practices, and wider inclusion through the overarching Bold by programme.

By emboldening generations of audacious female leaders, the 250-year-old champagne house is securing an impactful future for female entrepreneurs globally.

“The Bold Woman Award continues to pay tribute to a woman whose tenacity and creativity led to entrepreneurial success – Veuve Clicquot’s very own bold woman, Madame Clicquot. Her story is one of audacity, and entrepreneurial spirit – in 1805, widowed at the age of 27 years old, she went on to revolutionise an entire industry. An exceptional achievement in a time when women couldn’t open their own bank account, let alone independently own or run businesses,” says Jean-Marc Gallot, CEO of Veuve Clicquot.

She went on to say,

“It’s in her spirit that we work to identify and elevate these women’s journeys, emboldening successive generations of females to lead with audacity. As such, this is so much more than an accolade for their contribution, it’s an engine for revolution.”

Veuve Clicquot has a concrete role to play and a societal contribution to make by recognising women entrepreneurs, and supporting these remarkable women is more imperative than ever before.

According to Veuve Clicquot’s global barometer study on women entrepreneurship, vital indicators like 90 percent of Nigerian women entrepreneurs believe that in order to succeed, they need the support of a network of other women entrepreneurs. Findings such as this are the foundation of the Bold by Veuve Clicquot programme.

Selected from a pool of 250 visionary Nigerianbusinesswomen, Reel Fruits’ Affiong Williams now joins the ranks of an illustrious list of 410 winners in 27 countries worldwide. The 2022 winner and finalists collectively represented in Nigeria are impressive.

Their conviction in the businesses they are building and their audacity to plow ahead is a testament to their resilience and fearless leadership. For that reason, Veuve Clicquot pays tribute to them as they pave the way for future bold entrepreneurial women.

To qualify for the Bold Woman Award, entrants had to be the founder or CEO of a business that has been in operation for more than three years and in that time have shown an aptitude for transformation, evolution in their field, and an ethical approach to business, having also supported growth for at least two years.

Affiong Williams has proved herself to be all of the above as she believes enterprise is the only way to lead the continent out of poverty. Through ReelFruit, she has demonstrated a model for creating higher-value markets that increase the use of otherwise wasted fruit, and which will ultimately increase the production of high-quality fruit available for processing, which increases farmer incomes.

As this year’s Bold Woman Award winner, Affiong will travel to Reims, France – the home of Veuve Clicquot for an immersion in the history, tradition, and luxury of the Maison.

This year’s judges comprised some of the finest leaders of the Nigerian business landscape:

• • Olatowun Candide-Johnson, CEO & Founder, GAIA AFRICA  
  • Bolanle Austen-Peters, Founder, Bolanle Austen Peters Productions 
  • Adenike Ogunlesi, Founder & CRO, Ruff ‘n’ Tumble 
  • Tokunboh Ishmael, Managing Partner, Alitheia Capital 
  • Carole Bildé, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer Maison Veuve Clicquot, LVMH  
  • Sébastien Chouen, General Manager, Moët Hennessy Nigeria
  • Eniola Onimole, Head of Human Resources Africa & Middle East at Moët Hennessy
    

These powerhouse jury members were behind the selection of the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award winners – female entrepreneurs whose names will now become synonymous with boldness.

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