Sogeti and PlaNet Finance: Ten Years of Empowering the Underprivileged
The Arab World Institute in Paris and a magnificent exhibition around Napoleon Bonaparte and Egypt were the backdrop to a very special celebration for Sogeti, on Wednesday October 28, 2008, as international NGO PlaNet Finance toasted to its tenth anniversary. Sogeti, has accompanied PlaNet Finance since the very beginning and was there to take part in the festivities and pay tribute to the people who have made it all happen.
A big day
The afternoon began with a conference on ‘Financial Crisis and Microfinance’ and was followed by a discussion panel with participants from the microfinance and development sector – notably public and private granters, microfinance institutions and networks, and investment funds.
Later in the day a number of PlaNet Finance Awards were presented to micro-entrepreneurs from across the globe. There were six awards categories: Education, Women, New Technologies, Innovation, Environment and Health. The jury was made up of some prestigious names, including Abdou Diouf, General Secretary of the International Organization of the Francophonie and former President of Senegal, and Bernard Kouchner, French Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Also present at the event were, of course, Jacques Attali, President and founder of PlaNet Finance, and Arnaud Ventura, Vice-president of PlaNet Finance, who gave presentations around the themes of poverty trends, microfinance perspectives and PlaNet Finance’s ambition.
New Technologies award
Luc-Francois Salvador, Sogeti Chairman and CEO, presented the New Technologies award to the two laureats: Mr Alain Kaplan, from France, who in February 2007 created Neocaster, producer of interactive media solutions, and Mr Lu Chaoshuang, from China, who in 2006 created Harbin Hong Rui Electric Co. Ltd, which develops new technologies in the automobile sector.
Luc-François Salvador (center) presents the New Technologies award
to Mr Lu Chaoshuang. On the far left is PlaNet Finance President Jacques Attali.
In sponsoring this award, Sogeti wanted to underline its conviction that new technologies will be not only at the heart of microfinance development but also a fantastic distribution tool to facilitate access to microfinance for would-be entrepreneurs right across the globe.
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Luc-François Salvador
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Luc-François was invited to address invitees, and he looked back over what has become an exciting passion for the Group. He also highlighted the values that PlaNet Finance and Sogeti have always shared. "We are absolutely convinced at Sogeti that there is no freedom without the right to entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship and empowerment are the means of mastering one’s own destiny, of standing up to the world and not bowing down to it. Capgemini’s team members are lucky enough to live that freedom every single day in their working environment. |
"PlaNet Finance contributes, through micro-finance, to enabling underprivileged populations to make their dreams to create something come true. For this, and many other reasons, the Capgemini Group and Sogeti are extremely proud to be a part of this."
Luc-François closed his speech by paying tribute to the members of Capgemini, Sogeti and PlaNet Finance. "You have every right to be proud of all that has been done in the last ten years, and I look forward to standing here again in another ten years’ time for the same reasons," he concluded.
To find out more about the organization, visit the PlaNet Finance website.