From technology to travel to food: the long journey to becoming a leader
For Elise, Isabel and Hyojeong, the first step was to be shortlisted among the 30 women selected for the Cartier Women’s Initiative, which has been selecting and promoting women-led projects for the past twenty years.
‘Leadership is not a personality trait; it is a journey. It is a mistake to think it is innate. You start with a goal, you learn, you grow, and you become a leader through time and hard work. Witnessing the journey of so many women as they develop their managerial skills is a source of great inspiration.’ The words of Cyrille Vigneron, current chairman of Cartier Philanthropy, encapsulate the profound meaning of the Cartier Women’s Initiative , which for twenty years has been selecting women-led entrepreneurial projects worldwide and supporting them not only financially, but also through mentoring and networking activities. “By lighting their path, we help them grow, and by witnessing their progress, we too become better,” adds Vigneron. Thirty projects are awarded prizes each year: three from each of nine geographical regions and three in the Science & Technology sector. For each category, there is a third, second and first prize, and the awards ceremony will take place in Bangkok on 10 June. The thirty selected female entrepreneurs take part in a fellowship with a one-year scholarship. The programme has so far supported 330 women from 66 countries, with a total investment of $14 million. It has also created an international network with more than 520 members. ‘Today, only 3–4 per cent of venture capital funds are allocated to women-led businesses, because they are considered risky,’ says Vigneron. ‘Women still have less access to education, are victims of domestic violence and shoulder the bulk of the housework. Even the world of luxury remains predominantly male. But many of our fellows have reached unimaginable positions over the past twenty years: one of them, for example, has become President of Iceland.” She is referring to Halla Tómasdóttir, the 2009 winner.
Among the thirty women who passed this year’s (rigorous) selection process, each with their own business ventures, are Elise Thorel, Hyojeong Kim and Isabel Pulido.
MARIE CURRY'S INCLUSIVE CUISINE
Elise Thorel, a 34-year-old Frenchwoman, talks about Marie Curry, the all-female, multi-ethnic catering and street food project of which she is a co-founder. “We have four main objectives: to showcase women’s talent in the kitchen; to offer professional opportunities to people from migrant backgrounds; to create a safe working environment; and to encourage the sharing of culinary traditions from different countries.” The idea stems from the realisation that there is still a great deal of gender inequality in the catering industry, particularly to the detriment of immigrants. “In France, women make up 50 per cent of the workforce in the sector, but only 10 per cent go on to become chefs, despite their talent and passion,” explains Thorel. “I share with my partner Sandrine Clément the desire to contribute to the creation of a more inclusive society. I have always been struck by the gap between the immense potential of certain individuals and the limited space afforded to them in the professional world. Meeting many women with a migrant background gave rise to an idea, a challenge: what if a knowledge as intimate and powerful as culinary skills became a lever for economic and social emancipation? The project was born out of the conviction that we could build a model that brings together gastronomic needs, social impact and economic sustainability.” Particular attention is paid to women’s safety in the kitchens. “The catering industry is an environment where violence, both physical and psychological, is frequent and often downplayed.”
We have created a safe and respectful environment through clear guidelines, a strong focus on group dynamics, and a more horizontal and collaborative way of working. For us, the concept of a safe space is not an abstract idea, but an essential condition for enabling every female employee to gain self-confidence and fully reveal her talent. In the kitchens of Marie Curry, where dishes from around the world are prepared for catering and street sales in Bordeaux, environmental sustainability is not forgotten. ‘We use seasonal and local produce. We want to show that it is possible to offer high-quality cuisine, with care for people and the planet,” Thorel adds. Today, eight women work there, hailing from Gabon, Senegal, Congo, Indonesia, Iraq and Réunion; the business is now thriving, but there have been difficulties and challenges in the past. “Three years ago we had already submitted an application for Cartier’s Women’s Initiative, but the application was rejected. At the time we had a strong vision and plenty of energy, but the model wasn’t fully developed: that rejection prompted us to structure the business project more effectively,” she says. Among the many dishes on Marie Curry’s menu, according to Thorel, the most distinctive is the reimagined hummus. “It’s the dish that best embodies the DNA of our project: a simple, universal recipe, yet one that reinvents itself across cultures and seasons, with beetroot, sweet pumpkin, peas...,” she says. “Beyond any single dish, however, the true hallmark of our cuisine is the coming together: every recipe encapsulates a woman’s journey, a heritage, a memory.”
