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The Maison Veuve Clicquot celebrates female audacity: Caroline Franckx and Lou Garagnani, winners of the Bold Woman Award and Bold Future Award.
Brussels, February 5, 2026 – Within the iconic TheMerode, this Wednesday, February 4, 150 guests vibrated in unison during the ceremony of the 4th Belgian edition of the Bold Woman Award, orchestrated by the Maison Veuve Clicquot. An event where female daring and innovation were honored, highlighted by the extraordinary journeys of two women.
In the presence of Kim Gevaert, Olympic champion, enriched the evening with an inspiring testimony on the power of the collective, the demands of high performance, and the place of women in elite sports. Words that echo the values of determination and mutual support embodied by the two winners.
Caroline Franckx, CEO of CHU Brugmann, received the Bold Woman Award.
From international consulting at Accenture to hospital leadership, Caroline paves her way with a deep conviction: authenticity, creativity, and collective impetus are the keys to any sustainable transformation.
At the head of Brussels' largest public hospital since 2021, she unites 4,000 employees around a close, authentic, and visionary governance. Her leadership has enabled CHU Brugmann to regain operational balance in 2024, despite successive crises. Her ambition: to make the hospital a model of excellence, innovative and humane, placing patients and caregivers at the heart of all decisions.
The Bold Future Award was given to Lou Garagnani, founder of L'Univers d'Ayden.
Inspired by her son Ayden, who has a rare multiple disability, Lou transformed her personal story into a collective and supportive adventure. She created inclusive, sensory, and immersive leisure centers where children with and without disabilities meet, grow, and flourish together.
Today, these centers already welcome thousands of families and employ over 65% of people with disabilities, embodying a vision resolutely focused on inclusion and social innovation.
Founder of Efarmz
Founder of Insentials
Founder & CEO Beabee Business Club
Chairman of the Board of Solvay Co-Founder Belgium's 40 under 40
CEO finance & invest.brussels
Founder Zoonotic
Repreneurship and company scale-up
Co-founder of Orta
Co-founder of Dockflow
Their journeys and entrepreneurial audacity were saluted by Jean-Baptiste Billiet, General Manager of Moët Hennessy Benelux, and the nine jury members.
The two winners thus join the Bold community, an international network of over 500 women entrepreneurs, all driven by daring, creativity, and the desire to build a better future. Initiated by the Maison Veuve Clicquot in 1972, the Bold program continues Madame Clicquot's legacy by honoring the bold journeys of women entrepreneurs, women committed to shifting the lines of our society.
Through the strength of its actions, the Bold program encourages young generations to undertake and supports women entrepreneurs in the development of their companies, in Belgium and worldwide.
Among these inspiring women who have opened doors: Elodie Ouedraogo, Rori, Typh Barrow, Alix Battard, Pauline Haon, Emilie Duchêne.
NATHALIE D’HARVENG – FOUNDER OF NATS RAWLINE
At the age of 15, Nathalie d’Harveng realized that what we eat has a direct impact on our energy and overall well-being. After studying economics and spending several years in Vancouver, where she discovered a lifestyle fully aligned with her values, the idea of starting a food project became clear following the birth of her daughter in 2015. From her kitchen came the first raw desserts simple, wholesome, and delicious which laid the foundations of Nats Rawline, launched in 2017. Today, her vegan, clean-label creations are available in over 30 countries and produced in Liège with her partner Michael Labro. Her driving force remains unchanged: inspiring people to eat differentlyless, but better, and always with pleasure.
ANNELEEN VANDER ELSTRAETEN – CO-FOUNDER OF FOUR & FIVE
A lawyer and entrepreneur, Anneleen Vander Elstraeten holds a law degree from Ghent University and Université catholique de Louvain (Louvain-la-Neuve). She began her career at Loyens & Loeff before continuing as a partner at Ligé. She discovered the technology sector while serving as Head of Legal at Clear2Pay. In 2018, she co-founded the law firm Four & Five. Specializing in the technology sector, the firm experienced rapid growth under Anneleen’s leadership, where she serves as Managing Partner, becoming the market leader in Flanders within seven years and now employing 50 people.
Highly sought after as a mentor for start-ups and scale-ups, Anneleen also sits on several boards of directors
MATHILDE RIGA – KULT KEFIR
Mathilde Riga aims to redefine the soft drinks industry through the magic of fermentation. At just 28 years old, she leads a fast-growing company whose beverages are now distributed across more than 3,000 points of sale throughout Europe. What began in her kitchen with a few kefir grains has evolved into an ambitious mission: to make fermented, low-sugar, and better-for-you drinks both desirable and accessible.
Mathilde’s personal journey has strengthened her belief that leadership is rooted in authenticity, a sense of purpose, and human connection. Beyond growing KULT, she strives to create an environment where every team member can thrive and grow.
MARGOT WUILLAUME – eBLOOM
After graduating, Margot Wuillaume co-founded eBloom, an HR Tech company that is transforming the way employee engagement is cultivated at work through an innovative platform that connects organizations with the real needs of their employees, creating engaging and high-performing work environments.
In 2024, Margot authored Leader NextGen, a book that provides the keys to becoming an engaging leader in a rapidly changing world.
Bold by Veuve Clicquot is an international program born in 1972 and designed for greater inclusion, greater impact, and greater visibility for women business leaders.
Built around numerous moments of exchange and inspiration, Bold by Veuve Clicquot encourages generations of women to be ever bolder.
