BNP Paribas Wealth Management and the Women Initiative Foundation have announced that they will hold the 4th edition of the Women Entrepreneurs Program at Stanford Graduate School of Business from 8 to 13 July 2018.

40 talented women entrepreneurs from 14 countries will attend a week-long program on leadership and accelerating business on the Stanford campus (California, USA). This exclusive customised programme aims to offer a mix of knowledge, skill acquisition and development. The entrepreneurs were selected for their experience and their growing companies with a broad international appeal.

Over the course of this 4 year-long initiative, BNP Paribas Wealth Management will have provided more than 150 women with training from the Stanford Graduate School of Business along with personal and professional development.

In partnership with the Women Initiative Foundation, BNP Paribas Wealth Management will gather leading international women entrepreneurs from Belgium, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Morocco, Poland, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the USA. These entrepreneurs represent various sectors of activity including education, hospitality, health, wholesale, fashion, film production, ultra-cleans, data capture, navigation solutions, consulting, OTA, manufacturing,  real estate, food & beverage.

Carole Muller, CEO of Fischer S.A., Luxembourg

Carole Muller started her career as a Junior Expert at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since 2006, she joined the family business Fischer S.A., a Luxembourgish Bakery founded in 1913. Since 2014, Carole Muller is CEO of Fischer S.A. In this position, she manages and develops the Fischer bakeries in Luxembourg and in France. She holds a Master in Management as well as in European Studies. In 2009 she obtained a Diploma from Lenôtre Bakery in Paris. Furthermore since October 2017 she is secretary of Luxembourg Federation of Young Leaders (Fédération des Jeunes Dirigeants au Luxembourg) and will be their President in October 2018.​

“As a leading private bank, we create connections to empower entrepreneurs, in finance and beyond. This program is all about connecting these talentful women with new ideas, new people, new places and actually new business opportunities!” explained Sofia Merlo, Co-CEO of BNP Paribas Wealth Management. “This 4th edition also underlines our commitment to support them in the long term to accelerate their growth”.

This content-rich week is built on three pillars:

- Academic insight with faculty from Stanford Graduate School of Business.
- Company and incubator site visits in the Silicon Valley.
- Networking sessions among participants to explore potential business opportunities.

What’s new this year:

- A roundtable discussion chaired by the former President of the Chamber of Commerce in San Francisco with women having succeeded in setting up in Silicon Valley
- A fireside chat and dinner with Jeff Clavier, Founder and Managing Partner of ‘Uncork Capital’, one of the original seed venture capital firms in Silicon Valley.
- Visit of ‘Hive Data’, an incubator specialized in artificial intelligence

"Through educational programmes, mentoring and outreach activities, the Woman Initiative Foundation is a resource for women entrepreneurs, employers and public policy makers. We are proud that The Stanford Program contributes to the global discussion on gender diversity and to the promotion of women in the entrepreneurial space", added Martine Liautaud, president of the Women Initiative Foundation. "Plus, it's an incredible opportunity to discover the vibrant campus and intellectually challenging atmosphere of this world-renowned academic institution."

The Stanford Program highlights BNP Paribas Wealth Management's commitment to understand, serve and celebrate women entrepreneurs.