NSW lockdowns did not dampen the excitement for the 2021 BOLD by Veuve Clicquot Awards, which were held tonight as a virtual ceremony. The awards, which celebrate female entrepreneurs and business leaders, featured keynote speaker Rose Byrne.
Winners of the prestigious awards are selected for their entrepreneurial spirit, transformational abilities and ethical approach to business. In 2021, the two recipients were Kristy Chong, founder and CEO of Modibodi, who recieved the Bold Woman Award, and Manuri Ganawardena, founder of HealthMatch, who recieved the Bold Future Award.
Chong started Modibodi in 2013, and the brand is now a leader in the sustainable period underwear space, offering a broad range of environmentally-friendly options. The brand has also championed inclusivity and conversations around women’s health issues and rights.
Manuri Ganawardena founded HealthMatch in 2017, as a method of assisting patient recruitment to clinical trials and connecting people with the latest treatments around the world.
“When I founded HealthMatch, I knew that being bold and taking risks was going to be part of the entrepreneurial journey,” said Ganawardena.
“What I didn’t know was if these risks were going to pay off, and without taking that leap, I would never had had the chance to find out. I’m honoured to be named the winner of the 2021 Bold Future Award, and looking forward to a world where many more female entrepreneurs are willing to make bold bets, especially in the world of STEM.”
Global CEO and President of Veuve Clicquot, Jean-Marc Gallot, said the awards were a continuation of Madame Clicquot’s own resilience, 250 years ago.
“Today more than ever, Veuve Clicquot has a concrete role to play and a real societal contribution to make by supporting women entrepreneurs. Our nearly 250 years of history are built on optimism,Madame Clicquot was resilient and she rebounded from any setback with her audacity and solid faith in creativity. Driven by our House’s resolutely optimistic and forward-looking vision, we want to continue inspiring generations of women to be even bolder.”
