LEGACY IN MOTION
The belief in progress and shaping the future through innovation and ambition remains central to the legacy of Madame Clicquot – a philosophy that continues to define the spirit of Veuve Clicquot today. In 1972, the Maison established the Bold Woman Award in her honour, celebrating the 27-year-old widow who, in 1805, defied convention to lead her husband’s champagne business and build an international empire from Reims at a time when women were excluded from formal commercial life. Now spanning 27 countries and uniting nearly 500 laureates, the award reflects her enduring belief in innovation, expansion and fearless ambition. Today, that legacy continues with the fifth South African edition of the Bold Woman Award by Veuve Clicquot.
For those who are honoured, the journey extends far beyond national recognition. In June 2025, four South African winners – Claire Blanckenberg (2023 Bold Woman Award winner) and Zama Ngcobo (2023 Bold Future Award winner), alongside Morongwe “Mo” Mokone (2024 Bold Woman Award winner) and Refilwe Sebothoma (2024 Bold Future Award winner) – travelled to the Maison in Reims. There, they joined peers from across the participating countries for the Bold Woman Award Forum, a global convening rooted in the Maison’s legacy.
Reflecting on the experience, Founder of Hakem Energies, Refilwe Sebothoma, shared: “Every element felt intentional and elevated… what stood out most was experiencing the true spirit of Veuve Clicquot: boldness, excellence and legacy woven into every detail. It was an immersion into a standard of thinking and building that stays with you long after you leave.”
Their journey illustrates what follows recognition – where national visibility meets global perspective, and opportunity expands into lasting impact.
Reims Reframed: In the Footsteps of Madame Clicquot
There is a particular stillness inside the Crayères, the chalk cellars beneath Reims, where bottles rest for decades. For Morongwe “Mo” Mokone, Co-founder and Creative Director of Mo’s Crib, that stillness was poignant, taking her back to folding origami swans by hand at markets long before scaling into global manufacturing. “Walking through the cellars and seeing how one of the world’s most iconic champagne houses began and evolved reminded me never to underestimate small beginnings,” she reflected.
For the Founder of WMN Attorneys Inc., Zama Ngcobo, a construction and infrastructure lawyer advising across the continent, returning to the Maison felt deeply personal. Nearly a decade earlier, she had visited as an admirer of Madame Clicquot’s story. “It inspired me not only to keep going, but to think bigger,” she shared, particularly in relation to expanding her firm’s footprint beyond South Africa.
The Founder of Reel Gardening, Claire Blanckenberg, described the visit as a marker of growth, both tangible and symbolic. Meeting Bold women from across the world left her energised; she returned home with “a renewed energy for collaboration” and an expanded global outlook.
Rooted in Legacy: A Vine Bearing Their Names
In Champagne, vines are cultivated to endure for generations. To have one named in your honour is to be woven into that landscape. As part of the Bold Woman Award, each laureate has a vine named after them, embedding their legacy within the vineyards of Reims. It’s a powerful symbol of permanence and possibility.
When Refilwe saw her name etched in the vineyard, emotion took over. “I cried,” she admitted. Later, she phoned her daughter: “You will always be able to come here and see your mom’s name on this vine.” For her, the moment reached far beyond her professional achievements. “It unlocked a deeper conviction… that we are capable of building things that outlive us.”
Mo stood beside her vine with her sister and nieces. “It symbolised more than business success. It symbolised possibility,” she said. Legacy, in that instant, became visible.
In a country where 82% of women believe female entrepreneurs face more criticism than their male counterparts, according to the 2023 International Bold Barometer by Veuve Clicquot, such moments matter. They anchor confidence in permanence and reinforce the power of recognition.
Global Circles: The Power of the Bold Network
Across long tables in Reims, the South African winners joined founders building businesses across Europe, Asia and the Americas. This proximity is powerful. While 61% of South African women identify as entrepreneurs, according to the 2023 International Bold Barometer by Veuve Clicquot, many still believe funding and advancement are more accessible to men. A global network of audacious, like-minded women helps to close that gap by accelerating trust, credibility and access.
“Sharing a meal, stories and champagne together affirmed that I am exactly where I am meant to be,” said Mo, shifting the award from recognition to belonging.
Refilwe felt her ambition expand. “Being surrounded by women building across continents and thinking generationally forces you to raise your own ceiling,” she reflected. “It moves you from local excellence to global relevance.”
Claire left inspired by the calibre of women she encountered, while Zama began exploring advisory opportunities across Francophone Africa during her time in France, conversations that later evolved into a roadshow at the Investing in African Mining Indaba.
Beyond Champagne: Momentum in Motion
The return home marked the beginning of a new chapter. On her flight back, Refilwe found herself seated next to the CEO of a major company. “What started as a conversation became a meaningful door opening,” she shared. Since then, partnership discussions have gained pace, strengthened by the credibility attached to global recognition.
Mo observed that alignment with Veuve Clicquot has deepened international relationships and reinforced her company’s global positioning. Zama’s cross-border ambitions have grown with greater clarity and confidence, while Claire hints at developments still unfolding.
South Africa’s female entrepreneurs are resilient, increasingly risk-tolerant and determined to build on their own terms. Yet structural and perceptual barriers persist. The Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award addresses both, celebrating achievement while expanding access to a global ecosystem of visibility, connection and opportunity.
Madame Clicquot’s philosophy endures in every Bold laureate who chooses scale over safety and legacy over limitation. It is a lineage of bold leadership, one that honours those who plant their names where they can grow for generations.
About the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award
In 1805, Madame Clicquot took the reins of the House after the death of her husband, at a time when women did not have the right to work or even hold a bank account. Over the years, she revolutionised the sector. To mark its 200th anniversary, Veuve Clicquot decided to pay tribute to this great, daring woman, and in 1972 created the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award (Bold Woman Award), followed by the Clémentine Award (Bold Future Award) in 2014. For more than 50 years, the House has honoured and featured women who have built, taken on, or developed a business – to date, almost 500 women across 27 countries. In response to society’s evolution since 1972, starting in 2019 the award has been part of an international program: Bold by Veuve Clicquot, a series of initiatives to generate conversations around the world, designed for more impact and inclusiveness.
