Architect and entrepreneur Françoise Folmer receives BIL award

(CS) Head of architect firm Team-31 and founder of project management and consulting firms Alto and Expression(s) Françoise Folmer was awarded the Woman Business Manager of the Year Award by the Banque International à Luxembourg.

Folmer received the prize not only for her outstanding entrepreneurial record, but also for her involvement in social projects, such as the Association Thérapie Equestre (ATE), the Rotary Club or as former president of the Féderation des femmes cheffes d'entreprise du Luxembourg (FFCEL).

The prize comes with a 10,000 euro endowment and is aimed at promoting women leaders and equality in the upper echelons of businesses.

Equal opportunities minister Françoise Hetto-Gaasch said at the ceremony that “there is still a big inequality between men and women in the business world,” with a pay gap of around 10% between men and women.

Hetto-Gaasch also commented that women were still more reluctant in starting up their own companies, but that the nominees for Woman Business Manager of the Year Award had all shown courage and creativity.

“The prize means a lot to me,” said Folmer, a mother of two, encouraging other women to also go into business for themselves.

Folmer intends to donate part of the prize money to the ATE and the FFCEL, as well as funding a training session for the Team-31 employees.