CONNECTING WoMEN

What CONNECTING WoMEN does

CONNECTING WoMEN is a Paris-based professional services firm (cabinet) founded in 2004 by Emmanuelle Gagliardi, specializing in career strategy consulting for women executives targeting COMEX (executive committee) and board positions. The firm serves two primary client segments: individual women executives and high-potential professionals seeking career strategy, board positioning, and executive transitions, and corporate enterprises seeking advisory on gender mixity (mixité), internal female professional networks, and diversity governance. Its service portfolio comprises Trajectoires COMEX (career strategy for C-level profiles), Stratégies BOARDS (governance trajectory construction for board mandates), a 9-month Blended Learning Programme (covering Leadership, Creativity, Visibility, Negotiation, and Network), Conseil Entreprises (corporate consulting on mixity strategy), Conférences (speaking engagements), and authored publications.

The business model is professional services, quote-based and not publicly priced, with revenue derived from individual executive coaching, corporate advisory mandates, cohort-based leadership programs, and book royalties. Distribution is sales-led and regional (Europe/France), relying heavily on thought leadership: TEDx speaking, three books published by Eyrolles on professional women's networks, contribution to Pouvoir(E), co-founding of the Forum de la Mixité (first annual economic, political, and academic mixity event), and recurring press coverage in Capital, L'Express, Le Figaro, Madame Figaro, La Croix, Le Monde des Grandes Ecoles, and Challenges. Named enterprise clients include Allianz and La Poste. The firm is privately held, bootstrapped, with no disclosed external funding and ownership concentrated with the founder.

There is no underlying software platform or proprietary technology; the offering is human-delivered advisory, coaching, and training. The firm's competitive position rests on the founder's 20+ years of specialized expertise, published authority on glass ceiling mechanisms, and category presence in the French-speaking women's leadership market. The firm operates from a single Paris headquarters at 52 rue Saint Louis en l'Ile, 75004.

Name

CONNECTING WoMEN

Legal name

CONNECTING WoMEN

Website

https://connectingwomen.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Paris-based professional services firm founded in 2004 by Emmanuelle Gagliardi, providing career strategy consulting, coaching, and training to women executives targeting COMEX and board roles, and advising enterprises on gender mixity strategy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Coaching & Advisory Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Human Resources Consulting Services (541612)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Strategy, Decision-Making & Business Acumen Coaching (EDABANAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Performance Management & Productivity Consulting (BPAHAGAL)

Keywords

• Executive career coaching
• Board advisory services
• Leadership development training
• Gender diversity consulting
• Career strategy consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Executive Career Strategy Consulting: Individual coaching and career strategy services for women executives targeting COMEX and board positions
2. Corporate Diversity Consulting: Advisory services for enterprises on mixity strategies, internal female networks, and governance
3. Leadership Development Programs: 9-month Blended Learning transformation program covering Leadership, Creativity, Visibility, Negotiation, and Network skills
4. Publications: Author of books on professional women's networks published by Eyrolles

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Professional services firm providing career strategy consulting, individual coaching, and training programs to women executives targeting COMEX and board positions. The firm also advises enterprises on gender mixity strategies and internal female professional networks. Offerings include a 9-month Blended Learning leadership development program, board trajectory construction services, and corporate diversity consulting, supported by published works and speaking engagements.

Product overview

CONNECTING WoMEN offers a portfolio of career strategy services focused on advancing women to executive and board positions. The core offerings include Trajectoires COMEX (career strategy for C-level executives), Stratégies BOARDS (board positioning and governance consulting), a 9-month blended learning Programme, and corporate consulting services (Conseil Entreprises) on gender mix strategies. Additional services include conferences and published works drawing on 20+ years of expertise.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Trajectoires COMEX Career strategy program for C-level profiles targeting internal power advancement, executive repositioning, governance transition, and strategic exposure, designed for senior women executives aiming at COMEX roles.
• Stratégies BOARDS Governance trajectory construction service for female executives seeking access to board positions, including strategy, governance posture, narrative redesign, market mapping, and targeted activations.
• Programmes (Blended Learning) 9-month Blended Learning transformation program preparing N-1/N-2 women for executive trajectories, covering Leadership, Creativity, Visibility, Negotiation, and Networking skills.
• Conseil Entreprises Strategic consulting on gender mixity and internal female professional networks, helping companies develop diversity strategies, promote high-potential visibility, and implement gender equality governance.
• Conférences Speaking engagements on leadership, power, governance, and executive trajectories delivered by the firm's leadership for corporate events and conferences.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Forum de la MixitécoreOthersCo-founded by Emmanuelle Gagliardi, this is the first annual economic, political, and academic event focused on gender mixity. CONNECTING WoMEN is the co-founder rather than a partner in the traditional sense.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Center for Creative Leadership (CCL): Nonprofit leadership-research and executive-education organization with deep programs for senior leaders. Comparable through its executive development curricula and women's leadership research, paralleling CONNECTING WoMEN's Programme and Trajectoires COMEX offerings.
• Development Dimensions International (DDI): Specialized leadership development and assessment firm focused on mid-to-senior executive development programs. Comparable to CONNECTING WoMEN's 9-month blended-learning Programme and corporate Conseil Entreprises engagements.

Others

• Hays Executive: Executive search and HR services firm with operations in France. Adjacent to CONNECTING WoMEN as an ecosystem participant serving senior hiring needs, though focused on recruitment rather than coaching/strategy.
• Women on Boards (association): Pan-European association promoting women on corporate boards. Adjacent ecosystem participant to CONNECTING WoMEN's Stratégies BOARDS practice — not a competitor but a complementary community and referral source.

Broad incumbents

• Egon Zehnder: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with a strong practice in board advisory and executive coaching. Comparable to CONNECTING WoMEN through its Stratégies BOARDS-equivalent offering and C-suite/board clientele, though at vastly greater scale and geographic reach.
• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm with executive search, leadership development, and talent-management practices. Overlaps with CONNECTING WoMEN on senior-executive coaching and corporate leadership-development mandates.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with board and CEO succession practices. Comparable through its work placing executives into boards and C-suite roles — directly adjacent to CONNECTING WoMEN's Trajectoires COMEX and Stratégies BOARDS offerings.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global leadership advisory and executive search firm with dedicated board and executive-coaching practices. Overlaps with CONNECTING WoMEN's COMEX/board positioning services for senior executives and corporate governance clients.
• Spencer Stuart: International executive search and leadership advisory firm with one of the longest-standing board practices. Comparable through its board placement and CEO succession work that mirrors CONNECTING WoMEN's Stratégies BOARDS offering.

Direct peers

• Potentia Conseil: French boutique consultancy specialized in women's leadership development and gender diversity strategy. Closest direct comparable to CONNECTING WoMEN in terms of geography (France), target audience (women executives and corporate clients), and service mix (executive coaching + corporate mixity advisory).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/connecting-women

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CONNECTING WoMEN