VEUVE CLICQUOT ANNOUNCES
WINNERS OF THE 50th BOLD WOMAN AWARDS
Veuve Clicquot has a long-standing commitment to female leadership, which began in 1805 with Madame Clicquot, a trailblazer who took over the reigns of the House after her husband's passing, securing its success against all odds. This year marks the 50th year in which Veuve Clicquot has formally celebrated the Bold Woman Awards, honouring the legacy of its founder, with alumni past and present reflecting her tenacity across the centuries.
Mel Smith impressed the Bold Award judges with her inspired stewardship of Ocado Retail, which under her leadership became the UK’s fastest-growing grocery retailer. She recently stepped down as CEO after spending three years at the company’s helm, having overseen the initial setup of the joint venture between Ocado and Marks & Spencer. Moving from a partnership with Waitrose to a joint venture with M&S, Mel led the largest change in range of any UK retailer, with Ocado switching out over 10% of its product range overnight. Judges praised her tremendous vision for the firm, which resulted in Ocado increasing its market share by over 40%, as well as her leadership during the COVID-19 crisis, when she personally directed the firm’s strategy to keep the UK fed during the early phases of the pandemic.
“I am thrilled to have been awarded the prestigious Bold Woman Award, an achievement I dedicate to the women and men who have provided support, guidance and allyship throughout my career. I believe in the power of curiosity, bringing my best self, and daring greatly. I hope that resonates and inspires the next generation of female and indigenous leaders in retail and beyond.”
Mursal Hedayat MBE, founder of Chatterbox, has won the Bold Future Award by Veuve Clicquot, which celebrates female entrepreneurship and up and coming leaders. Chatterbox is a corporate language training provider, helping companies like the British Red Cross, BNP Paribas and Unilever provide language learning services to staff. The employees are taught by coaches from marginalised communities such as refugees. Judge’s praised Mursal’s demonstration of entrepreneurial daring - in just six years, Chatterbox has raised more than £2m in investment and works with the world’s leading organisations. Judges were also impressed by Mursal’s commitment to championing better representation - a former refugee herself, Mursal came to the UK as a child from Afghanistan and has become a leading proponent of encouraging refugees into skilled work.
“Platforming mine and Chatterbox’s work to integrate refugees and career re-starters into the workforce as language coaches supports our efforts to smash glass ceilings for professionals marginalised for reasons beyond their gender - which means the world to me. Thank you to the BOLD judges for bringing us into the spotlight.”
The awards continue to take inspiration from a woman whose innovative thinking and creativity led to entrepreneurial success, Madame Clicquot.
