World's Top Female Entrepreneurs to be Honored in New York

International Women's Entrepreneurial Challenge's June 3 Event to Recognize
Outstanding Female-led Businesses which are Expanding Globally

NEW YORK, June 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Twelve of the world's most successful
female entrepreneurs will be recognized as winners of the second annual
International Women's Entrepreneurial Challenge (IWEC) on June 3 at the
Harvard Club in New York. The competition celebrates the accomplishments of
outstanding female-led small businesses that are expanding on a global basis.
This year's IWEC champions represent a wide range of sectors -- from
consumer goods and manufacturing companies to financial services and
arts-based businesses -- and hail from six countries, spanning across four
continents. Many of the businesses are also focused on addressing social needs
in their home countries.
Female-led businesses, especially those from developing countries,
confront significant challenges when taking their companies cross-border.
IWEC, founded in 2006, was created specifically to draw attention to
successful strategies and business models that help women-led businesses tap
into international markets. As part of their award, IWEC winners participate
in an intensive, four-day networking program that introduces them to
investors, commercial partners, trade officials and more than 500 other
entrepreneurs.
"IWEC awardees have the potential to catapult their businesses to the next
level and our event aims to connect these women to individuals who are willing
to help them do just that," said Nancy Ploeger, President of Manhattan Chamber
of Commerce and host of the 2008 event. "We're thrilled to welcome and honor
this inspiring international group as well as our own hometown honorees."
IWEC is the brainchild of the Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona and is a
joint project with the Indian Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry,
and the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Department of State. Adela
Subirana, the Barcelona Chamber's Commissioner of the Presidency for
Institutional Affairs, champions IWEC as a "means for empowering women by
giving them the international exposure, credibility and visibility to make a
difference in the global economy." Primary sponsors include La Caixa, Spain's
third-largest financial institution, and IESE Business School at the
University of Navarra (Spain).
Juan Maria Nin, CEO of La Caixa, a founding sponsor of IWEC, will address
the conference from the Indian Consulate on the afternoon of June 3 in a
speech, "Challenges for Women Business Owners in the Global Marketplace."
"Supporting women entrepreneurs has been an important part of La Caixa's long
history of community philanthropy," Nin said. We are proud to support IWEC
and applaud these women for their achievements in business as well as their
commitment to giving back to their communities."
"The success of our MBA program relies on bringing the real-world
experience of business people into the classroom and using that to stay at the
leading edge of the global marketplace, which is why we are thrilled to offer
one of the IWEC awardees a scholarship for an IESE MBA this year," Professor
Eric Weber, associate dean of IESE said.
IWEC looks forward to continuing to expand its international reach.
Ambassador Ruth Davis, Chief of Staff in the Africa Bureau of the Department
of State, is responsible for engaging Africa this year. IWEC is also
supported by leading financial institutions, trade associations and
educational institutions including: HSBC, Action Carting, BSC Travel,
Blackrock, Citibank, Eisner Lubin, Sovereign Bank, Rennert Bilingual, QED
National, Weissman Center for International Business/Baruch, Spanish American
Chamber of Commerce, State Bank of India, Port Authority of NY/NJ and Etihad
Airlines.
The 2008 winners are:

* Ibukun Awosika, MD/CEO, The Chair Centre Group, Lagos, Nigeria
* Nuria Basi, President, Armand Basi, Spain
* Cheyyann Bodington (Anni), Managing Director, TESA Palisade Fencing and
Security Systems (PTY) Ltd, South Africa
* Donna Childs, Founder and CEO, Childs Capital, U.S.A.
* Deepika Jindal, Austenitic Creations Pvt. Ltd., India
* Leni Schwendinger, Founder, Leni Schwendinger Light Projects, LTD.
U.S.A.
* Nalini Sharma, CEO, Nalini Sarees, India
* Vidhi Singhania, Proprietor, M/S VIDHI, India
* Nani Marquina, Founder, Nanimarquina, Spain
* Sneh Mehtani, Owner, Mehtani Restaurant Group, U.S.A.
* Winifred Mwendia, Winnie Gitau - Founder & President, Pure Health
Products, Kenya
* Maria del Pino Velazquez, General Manager, Unisono Soluciones de
Negocio, Spain

Contact: Katie Foley or Lauren Levin-Epstein, Brunswick Group
Tel: 212-333-3810
iwec@brunswickgroup.com

SOURCE International Women's Entrepreneurial Challenge (IWEC)

Katie Foley or Lauren Levin-Epstein of Brunswick Group, +1-212-333-3810,
iwec@brunswickgroup.com