The Leonardo da Vinci Prize
This is the story
The Leonardo da Vinci Prize was created in 2011 on the initiative of the Henokiens Association of family businesses in existence for more than two hundred years and the Château du Clos Lucé - Parc Leonardo da Vinci, historical and cultural institution as the last residence of Leonardo da Vinci.
The mission of the Château du Clos Lucé is to pass on the legacy, universal memory and knowledge of Leonardo da Vinci and to promote the value of highly skilled know-how.
The Henokiens Association
The Henokiens Association, founded in
1981, devotes itself to standing up for and promoting the passing on of the
intangible and living heritage of two-hundred-year-old family businesses all
over the world.
The missions of the Château du Clos Lucé and Henokiens Association meet and
converge in the tradition and passing on of an intangible, living heritage in
the name of the figure who was the greatest possessor of universal talents.
The Leonardo da Vinci Prize
The prize is part of the process of
passing on our heritage in the sameway that Leonardo da Vinci passed on his
skills to his pupils in the spirit of the Renaissance.
The Leonardo da Vinci Prize is awarded to a family business for its outstanding
ability to pass onto future generations a set of cultural values and know-how
and particular techniques that together make up an intangible and living
heritage which are an essential guarantee of its continuity.
This heritage is expressed in the fidelity of these businesses to their
traditions, their industry, a product or cause, a region or local area, and
above all their family history..
Fundamental values
Five fundamental values are necessary for the success of a heritage business and to enable it to be long-lasting.
- History and tradition
- Business and family
- Fidelity and commitment
- Memory and passing on of heritage
- Innovation and modernity
Selection Criteria
Quantitative criteria
Target : family businesses of which the owner-directors are the main shareholders, either on their own or with members of their family.
Business longevity criterion: more than two generations
Turnover criterion: more than three million euros.
History and tradition: tradition is at the heart of the mission of the heads of family businesses.
Business and family: founding a family and founding a business involve similar commitments, which involve an ethical approach to business common to the whole family.
Fidelity and commitment: the family business undertakes to ensure the continuation of a set of cultural and humanist values, skills and particular technologies that make up an "intangible and living heritage" that is an essential guarantee of continuity.
Memory and passing on of heritage: the director of a family business does not simply leave a business to his or her successor but passes on a personal and original vision of his or her profession in a relationship with time that is considered to be a "raw material".
Innovation and modernity: Preparing for the future is about anticipating. Like Leonardo da Vinci, family businesses must strive resolutely to innovate to remain competitive.
"Leonardo da Vinci Prize" award
On Septembre 23, 2011, the first "Leonardo da Vinci Prize" has been awarded the firm Salvatore Ferragamo in the presence of the French Secretary of State for the Family, Mrs. Claude Greff, Henokiens Association's President, Mr. Christophe Viellard, and Mr François Saint Bris, President of the Château du Clos Lucé, last residence of Leonardo in Amboise.
On October 5, 2012, the second "Leonardo da Vinci Prize" has been awarded Professor Hans Georg Näder, President of the firm "Otto Bock HealthCare GmbH" in the presence of Mr. Klaus Wowereit, Governing Mayor of Berlin and Mr. Daniel Bahr, Minister of Health of the Federal Republic of German, the co-founders of the Leonardo da Vinci Prize, Mr. Christophe Viellard, President of the Henokiens Association and Mr. François Saint Bris, President of the Château du Clos Lucé, last residence of Leonardo in Amboise
On October 18, 2013, the 3th "Leonardo da Vinci Prize" has been awarded Mr.Patrick Daher, President de la company DAHER in the presence of Mr.Jean-Pierre Chevènement, Senator of the Territoire de Belfort and former minister, and Mrs. Claude Greff, Deputy of Indre-et-Loire and former French Secretary of State for the family that co-creator of the « Leonardo da Vinci Prize », Mr. Christophe Viellard, President of the Henokiens association and Mr. François Saint Bris, President of the Château du Clos Lucé-parc Léonardo da Vinci
On September 24, 2014, the 4th "Leonardo da Vinci Prize" was awarded to Mister Koji Endo, president of the Kai Corporation company, by the Imperial Princess Akiko de Mikasa, Mister Willem Van Eeghen, president of the Hénokiens association and Mister François Saint Bris, president of the Château du Clos Lucé - Parc Leonardo da Vinci, in the presence of Mister Hirofumi Nakasone, member of the japanese parliament, former Ministry of Education and Foreign Affairs.
On June 18, 2015 the 5th «Leonardo da Vinci Prize» was awarded at the prestigious Bibiena Theater to Mr. Fulvio Renoldi Bracco, Head of the Global Business Unit Imaging of Bracco Imaging S.p.A., by Mrs. Emma Marcegaglia, Vice President of Marcegaglia SpA, President of ENI, former Head of Confindustria and President of Business Europe and Messrs Willem van Eeghen, President of the Henokiens association and François Saint Bris, President of Le Château du Clos Lucé - Parc Leonardo da Vinci.
On June 9, 2016 the 6th «Leonardo da Vinci Prize» was awarded to Mr. Pieter van Oord, CEO of the Dutch company Van Oord, by the Mayor of Rotterdam, Mr. Ahmed Aboutaleb, in the presence of Messrs Willem van Eeghen, President of the Henokiens association and François Saint Bris, President of Le Château du Clos Lucé - Parc Leonardo da Vinci.
On June 22, 2017 the 7th « Leonardo da Vinci Prize » was awarded within the prestigious frame of the Stadtpalais Liechtenstein to Mrs. Marisa Schiestl-Swarovski, Chairwoman of the Shareholders’Meeting and 5th generation member of the family of the same name, by Mr. Karl Heinz Fischer former President of the Austrian Republic int he presence of the Henokiens President, Willem van Eeghen, François Saint Bris, President of le Château du Clos Lucé-Parc Leonardo da Vinci, the Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna, Mr. Georg Kapsch, President of the Austrian Federation of Industries (Industriellenvereinigung), the ambassadors of Italy and UK, her HRH Princess Marie Liechtenstein, all the guests of the Henokiens association and of the LGT Bank.
On June 28, 2018 the 8th « Leonardo da Vinci Prize » has been awarded in the famous Deutsches Museum of Munich to Mr. Sebastian Schwanhäußer, Executive Board Member Schwan-STABILO, member of the 5th generation Schwanhäußer family, by Dr. Markus Söder, Prime Minister of Bavaria, Mr. Tokuichi Okaya, President of the Henokiens Association, Willem van Eeghen, vice President of the Henokiens Association, François Saint Bris, President of the Château du Clos Lucé- Parc Leonardo da Vinci.
On September 26, 2019 the 9th « Leonardo da Vinci Prize » has been awarded in London in the prestigious Two Temple Placeby Lord Wilson of Dinton, former Head of the British Civil Service to Mr. Christopher Thomson, Deputy Chairman of DC Thomson, member of the 5th generation of the Thomson family, in the presence of Mr. Tokuichi Okaya, President of the Henokiens Association, Willem van Eeghen, vice President of the Henokiens Association, François Saint Bris, President of the Château du Clos Lucé- Parc Leonardo da Vinci