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Media Release: March 2, 2007

AUSTRALIA’S LEADING BUSINESSWOMEN HONOURED

More than one hundred female business leaders will gather in Sydney on International Women’s Day, next Thursday March 8, to honour one of their own.

The occasion is the Australian presentation of the global Veuve Clicquot Award which honours women in 16 countries annually. The six Australian finalists are:

• Shelley Barrett, CEO & Founder, ModelCo
• Natalie Bloom, Founder and Managing Director, Bloom Cosmetics
• Leslie Butterfield, CEO, McLachlan Lister Pty Ltd
• Elizabeth Crundall, Chief Executive, Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation
• Dana Dupere, Director, Benedict Sand & Gravel
• Captain Suzannah Vaughan, Marine Superintendent/Offshore Installation Manager, Australian FPSO Management

Cécile Bonnefond, the France-based global President and CEO of champagne house Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, will announce the winner at a presentation luncheon. Also in attendance will be Wendy Erhart, co-founder of Withcott Seedlings who was honoured in 2005 and last year’s winner Sarina Bratton, founder of Orion Expedition Cruises.

“In Europe, this is the most coveted business award for women and it is an incredible honour to be recognized alongside so many outstanding achievers who cross such a broad range of business,” said Sarina Bratton. “Winning the award has made me very mindful that I personally, and my company, have been closely aligned with one of the world’s leading luxury brands and whilst I have always set the highest standards for my company, the Award has made that focus even more powerful.”

The winner will receive return business class travel to Reims, France, to join past and present laureates from other countries at the Annual Veuve Clicquot Businesswomen’s Meeting, where a vine will be christened in her name. Also, on every birthday she will receive a gift of La Grande Dame champagne. The nominator of the winner will receive 12 magnums of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut.

The Australian judging panel comprises Chairman of Heytesbury and a previous winner of the Veuve Clicquot Award in the United Kingdom, Janet Holmes à Court AO; The Honourable Justice Annabelle Bennett AO; Director of Corporate Relations and Events for PBL Media, Deeta Colvin; Chairman, Future Fund Board of Guardians, David Murray; Director, Paspaley Pearls Group, Marilynne Paspaley; and Managing Director of Moët Hennessy Australia, Robert Remnant.

The Veuve Clicquot Award was launched in France in 1972 to commemorate Madame Clicquot, and to honour women who exemplify the qualities that earned her an international reputation as ‘la grande dame de la Champagne’ – vision, innovation, entrepreneurial drive, leadership, individuality and tenacity.

Madame Clicquot was widowed in 1805, aged 27 and a mother of one. She defied the tradition of the day and took the reins of her husband’s business, building it into the international champagne house of today, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin. She overcame every obstacle that threatened her vision, including the Napoleonic trade blockade. Madame Clicquot also invented the ‘table de remuage’ - intrinsic to the riddling process that leaves champagne so brilliantly clear - adopted by all other champagne houses and still used today. La Veuve (the widow) died, aged 89, and remains an inspiration to businesswomen around the world.

More information about the finalists for the 2007 Australian Veuve Clicquot Award follows:

• Shelley Barrett founded Australia’s fastest growing beauty brand, ModelCo. ModelCo creates premium beauty products that combine cutting-edge creativity and technical innovation. In four years Shelley has led ModelCo’s turnover to an astonishing growth of over 350%. ModelCo is currently distributed in over 500 doors around the world.
• Natalie Bloom started Bloom Cosmetics 14 years ago in a spare room of her parent’s home. She was 22 and had just one product. Bloom has evolved into a full cosmetics line and includes more than 240 different products. Bloom is independently owned and has become an internationally recognized niche cosmetics brand.
• Leslie Butterfield has a degree in Civil Engineering and started her career working as a site engineer on construction sites in New York City and Boston. She now heads McLachlan Lister - specialist advisors in Project Strategy and Management in the business, property and infrastructure sectors, with a client base spanning Government, institutions, and large private sector companies.
• Elizabeth Crundall faced her greatest professional challenge when she took the reins of the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation - to turn a modest, unstructured and unbranded charity into a profitable, sustainable business that would support the Hospital’s ongoing needs. Her efforts have created a recognised brand that now generates $10.5 million (net) annually.
• Dana Dupere literally worked her way from the bottom to the top of her family’s quarry business, beginning her career on the weighbridge. In her 21st year at the helm, Benedict Industries is a leader in innovative and sustainable businesses in the Sydney Region. Benedict now spans three generations with Dana’s daughter Elke among the 150 staff employed across its quarrying, waste disposal and recycling operations.
• Captain Suzannah Vaughan: Suzannah, who is qualified to captain both oil tankers and square rig sailing ships, is the first female and youngest person in Australia to be appointed to each of the roles she holds with Australian FPSO Management. As Offshore Installation Manager she is fully responsible for all operations on board the floating oil production facility, Four Vanguard. Onshore, she is Marine Superintendent.

The Veuve Clicquot Award lunch will be held on Thursday, March 8, from 12.30pm. at The Wharf, end Pier 4 (Sydney Theatre Company), Hickson Road, Walsh Bay.

Media enquiries: please contact
BLACK Communications - 02 8399 3005
Brooke Tabberer - 0409 844 467

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