Thursday 12 May 2011, more than 300 people were gathered together for the Talents of Women. Organised by the  magazine Objectif Languedoc-Roussillon, in partnership with the Montpellier Business School, this first edition was the opportunity to highlight the value of numerous creative and talented female entrepreneurs.

« Innovation is essential, declared Jean-Claude Gallo, director of the magazine Objectif Languedoc-Roussillon, and putting female decision-makers in the limelight is an idea that pleased us. Judging by the number of participants, we can deduce that this idea pleased you too. » The evening began with a conference-debate of the Eco Club on the contribution of women to managerial innovation with Stéphanie Andrieu-Giraud (President of Urbasolar), Geneviève Tapié (President of the Languedoc-Roussillon Parity Watchdog), Soumia Malinbaum (President of the French Association of Diversity Managers - AFMD), and Marie-Christine Caubet (President of the VOLKSWAGEN France Group).

A female management style?

Before debating the question of innovation, the very existence of a female management style was questioned by the speakers. For Marie-Christine Caubet, more than female management, what is important is « managerial diversity ». Nevertheless, the woman manager is perhaps more concerned by the balance between her personal and professional activities, so time becomes essential: « which indeed leads to a management style more oriented to action, decisions, fast decisions which will be participative », qualifies the President of the Volkswagen Management Board.

Quotas ?

Soumia Malinbaum wonders if women « are not going to bring with them a new management style which will be rightly more human? ». Since for the President of the AFMD, still today « there are women who succeed, women who are entrepreneurs, but there are very few of them ». A real problem for Geneviève Tapié, who considers that far from wanting to be ahead of men, women who  « represent half the planet (…) want to be side by side and advance together ».
As for Marie-Christine Caubet, she militates for cooptation and « breaking this glass ceiling » which prevents certain women from thinking that they can have access to certain professions. Geneviève Tapié, states that we should not forget the quotas which she calls « "invisible" (…), and cooptation is the networks (…). And I think that these aspects – over and above the proportion of women to be imposed in this or that organisation – should not be neglected.”
As for Soumia Malinbaum, quotas are compulsory but not only quotas. It is necessary to work on « management training, awareness-raising actions for managers, but also, to be able to evaluate (…) a company in which there are women on the executive committee. »

A performance factor ?

Stéphanie Andrieu-Giraud, graduate of theMontpellier Business School underlines the fact that there is « a slightly different management method which is related to the genetics of women and their environment, and that diversity is very favourable, in this case, for the company's performance». A point of view that the AFMD attempts to demonstrate by carrying out performance studies according to managerial diversity. « Men today need to understand that it is not simply for factual equality;  it is also because it is an answer to  the business challenges », insists Soumia Malinbaum.

A great vintage of prize-winners

The evening of the Talents of Women continued with the prize-giving ceremony. Sophie de Menthon, national president of ETHIC (Companies of Human Size, Independent and Growing) but also company director , and  « Grandes gueules » (Loud mouths) on RMC when she has time, sponsored the first edition. « I have a passion for entrepreneurship. I created my company to be free when I was expecting a baby. I brought them both up at the same time », she recalls, before handing over to the prize-winners.

A heck of a businesswoman

Claude Vialade, president of the Domaines Auriol was awarded the « Talents of Women » prize 2011. She captured the unanimousattention of the jury, notably on the criterion « how is she an ambassador of Languedoc-Roussillon? ». With a turnover of 10 million euros, achieved 95 % by exports, the company of 13 employees is very healthy. Claude Vialade is an entrepreneur who takes risks that pay off. She launched into organic agriculture about 15 years ago, at a time when the AOC (Certified Origin) did not recognize organic wines. A few years later, she associated with INRA researchers to produce low-alcohol wines… « I come from a family of winemakers. What my parents did in production, I am doing the same in economy », explained the company director. And she does it very well !

A young entrepreneur

The « Most Promising Woman » prize, for companies with less than 3 years' existence, was awarded to Anne Rossignol, president of Oléos, a company that manufactures a new generation of natural cosmetic active ingredients with organic certification. Oléos does research, develops and produces. Anne Rossignol-Castera decided to change her career at almost 50. « It took a long time to mature, a series of encounters and circumstances, she explains, I wasn't ready before ». The CEO observed the market and found an innovative idea « which I made mine ». Today, the young company produces a turnover of 450 K€, of which one third in exports.

Find the written version of the Eco Club and the video of the event: https://www.objectif-lr.com/languedoc-roussillon/Actualites/Joli-succes-pour-les-tout-premiers-Talents-au-feminin_1256.html

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