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Women of influence

Women of Influence

An international event dedicated to the influence of women leaders in society
28.10.2024

Over 100 women entrepreneurs gathered in Brussels on October 9 for the inaugural edition of “Women of Influence,” organized by BNP Paribas Wealth Management at the BNP Paribas Fortis headquarters.

 

This federating event, promoting exchanges & networking, had several inspiring testimonials from committed women engaged in various sectors.

The day’s program included:

 

A visit to the workshop of Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave, internationally renowned for her colorful paintings and paper sculptures. 

 

A roundtable discussion moderated by Isabelle Giordano, General Delegate of the BNP Paribas Foundation and Head of Philanthropy for the Group, featuring a panel of women with exceptional career paths who came to share their commitments, beliefs, and key levers of influence.

 

  • Inna Modja, artist, founder of Code Green, UN Ambassador, committed to fighting violence against women through her art, music, films, and her activism on climate issues and desertification.
  • Maud Sarda, Director and co-founder of the Emmaüs Label, whose mission is to create an innovative marketplace with a positive environmental, social, and solidarity-driven impact. 
  • Françoise Chombar, CEO of Melexis, who shared her efforts to increase the representation of women engineers.
  • Sarah Ourahmoune, Olympic champion and the most decorated female boxer in France, ambassador of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, entrepreneur, and advocate for transforming businesses and the sports world into more inclusive and responsible spaces. 

 

Interactive workshops co-hosted by women entrepreneurs and experts from the Group to provide insights into women’s influence:

 

  • In Impact Businesses, with Marie Eloy, President of the women’s networks Bouge ta Boite, Bouge ton Groupe and Femmes des Territoires along with Maha Keramane, Head of the Positive Impact Business Accelerator at BNP Paribas.
  • Via Social Networks, with Yasmin Vantuykom, Founder of the Efluenz Agency & Marie-Sophie Joubert, Head of Influence, New Media & Social Media at BNP Paribas. 
  • In Tech, with Laure Cohen, Co-founder of Certideal (FrenchTech120), Audrey Soussan, General Partner at Ventech Capital and Dominique Fleury, Co-sponsor of the BNP Paribas Women in IT program.

 

Women’s entrepreneurship is a powerful growth engine to support innovation, employment, and impact-driven businesses. An event like this reflects our commitment to being closely connected to the entrepreneurial ecosystem, to better support these women entrepreneurs in both their professional and personal needs, while also gaining a deeper understanding of their expectations. It also allows us to unite women’s networks and create a space where female leaders can share their experiences, encourage each other, and explore new approaches.


Virginie Delaunay

Deputy CEO of BNP Paribas Wealth Management