Cartier has announced this year’s finalists of its annual Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards.
The 20 entrepreneurs, operating 18 businesses, were selected from more than 1,700 applications from 100 countries, and will now compete on the strength of their individual business plans.
The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony in Deauville, France, this October.
Three of this year's finalists are from the Middle East. The Morocco-born UAE-based Mouna Abbassy's company, Izil Beauty, produces cosmetics made of argan oil and other all-natural ingredients imported from Morocco.
Sarah Hawilo from Lebanon has created an app called SerVme. The analytic software provides managers of restaurants, clubs and bars with feedback from their patrons.
Jordanian Eman Hylooz runs Abjjad, an online and mobile social-network for readers, authors and publishers of Arabic literature. Cartier's initiative is staged with the Women's Forum, Insead Business School and McKinsey & Co.
• The Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards will be staged on October 15 in Deauville, France. They will be held in conjunction with the Annual Global Meeting of the Women’s Forum for the Economy and Society. Visit www.cartierwomensinitiative.com
rduane@thenational.ae
