A Multifaceted Leader | Béatrice Cointreau

Honored by the French government, Beatrice received official titles of’ “Ordre du Merite Agricole” for her input in the agricultural industry and “The Legion of Honor” for her civilian activities.

Board member of various international banks and organizations such as Women of the Vine and Spirits in the US or La Maison Investment in Luxembourg; she developed a robust global network, including YPO/ World President Organization since 1993 or French Founders. Diversifying her portfolio since 2007, Beatrice Cointreau shares her experience and expertise through the BYBC Ventures investment firm, which she founded and manages with her team.

Leading with Creativity

Designing the future with a creative approach is a daily concern with a constant “think out of the box” motto. Awarded with 2 Oscars for packaging, Beatrice has been recognized for this strategy. “New Tech & CSR corporate social responsibility” modified business throughout the past years and decades. As a certified board member, being creative today with a global strategy and nurturing a diversified and motivated team is even more critical,” she says. “Still, creativity brings better margins and economic efficiency, as I could demonstrate over four decades, with a two-digit yearly growth.”

BYBC Ventures is a private equity firm dedicated to helping entrepreneurs turn their ideas and visions into successful companies by solving any critical issues facing both large and small clients. They provide a broad range of services and solutions to help organizations facilitate change, achieve their vision, and optimize performance and productivity. Their tailored approach is what differentiates them and what makes them successful.

Inspiring Leaders

As Chair and CEO, Beatrice left the company in every company she ran, with 40% of women at C-suite level, while there were none when she arrived. BYBC ventures invest in companies with female founders, Chair and, or key in the Executive Committee. “No company, for me, can be successful without a 360 degrees point of view and not being able to assess 51% of the population’s expectations and values,” she says. “As Board members of organizations and foundations such as Women of the Vine and Spirits, or American University in Paris, we give opportunities to women through education and scholarships to achieve their dreams. From Arts to New Tech, I believe everyone will get educated daily, and embrace different careers.”

She believes good leadership is demonstrating and not just giving orders, challenges, and objectives. Basically, “do what you say, and say what you do.” “And if you are in charge, failures are yours; successes are the team’s well-doing. Be aligned with your mission, set your goals, and be ready to adapt strategy in light of outside events. We believe in fair process leadership. Fairness is not an option, as intimately linked with sustainability (cf IMPAK’s and BiasSync within BYBC Ventures’ investments).”

The steadfast leader explains that success is important to achieve and can mean different things throughout the day. “Professionally, maintaining a two digits growth is thrilling, but more importantly, my focus has been on enjoying the adventure with happy teams. For me, it should be a personal assessment and not based on the other’s point of view,” elucidates Beatrice. “We call it retention rate; I consider it human being understanding and respect. And it starts by listening, to new ideas, to other’s feelings, and very often when the person knows she has been heard, she already feels better, just like going out from the doctor with the prescription in hand and already feeling better.”

The rest, such as Legion of Honor, National Merit, and other awards she” was blessed and grateful to receive”, are key recognition. “But they shouldn’t be the measure of success. Success is every daily step you take and choose to consider important.” Armed with such a unique ideology, Beatrice took the company to new heights.

Creating A Company

BYBC Ventures is a venture capital company. They believe in SIFT business practices: Safe, Inclusive, Fair, and Transparent. The continuing rise of certified B corps shows how the citizenry demands more than just profit. Businesses and “companies should not aim to silo power but aim to impact!”

Beatrice has invested in companies since the age of 18 and feels privileged to support great ideas and people. “I am a seasoned international entrepreneur, active impact investor, advocate for gender-balanced leadership and diversity.”

Among BYBC latest investments over the last couple of months as a VC company were in:

1. BiasSync company: Conscious management of unconscious bias. BiasSync is a science-based solution designed to help organizations effectively assess and manage unconscious bias in the work environment. Our purpose is to create a fairer and more respectful workplace.
2. Impak – a certified B corporation, Impak is an independent impact rating agency dedicated to redirecting capital towards the impact economy-stakeholder economy, generating an overall more positive contribution to society.

She joined other Boards supporting the same values, such as Women of the Vine and Spirits, both for-profit and foundation “as I pioneered in this industry as a woman”, and AUP- the American University of Paris- supporting diversity through education. “I joined more than forty boards along my professional life, with an average amount of years superior to 15 in them. I’m a certified board member in the USA and Europe,” explains Beatrice. “I am considering supporting companies through IPOs as a board member. And still, meet inspired managers, inspiring founders, I will support through their adventure. I feel excited when I share their positive evolution and success. I feel humbled and learn every day; it is fulfilling to bring my experience, dynamism, and energy to support their vision.”

She adds, “I was recognized to excel in good communication and demonstrate high integrity. As a board member, one must not let personal interest get in the way and retain independence in thinking. As a certified expert, I am also conscious of how important it is to be a team player.” Strong financial acumen is critical, as a company is based on the return of investment and sustainable developments, checking future ability and results throughout the process; and Beatrice believes in founder’s, CEO, and team’s talent and passion, for creating added value are even more important. Advising a young woman, she says, “Be self-confident, trust your guts and be fearless: Do not loose time being frighten, think about all you will do without fear. Think what if I fly, and not, what if I fail.”