eventsTHE BUILDERS’ Table
First edition of Sheek’s annual event
Written by Sheek
On the weekend of International Women’s Day, inside the intimate setting of Maison Michodière, a long table was set for something that sat somewhere between a dinner and a dialogue. The Builders’ Table, curated by Sheek Society, brought together women from across industries. Founders, creatives, executives, and cultural voices together not for a panel or a program, but for a shared conversation.
The setting was deliberate. A black and gold palette ran through the evening, from the table design to the way guests showed up, elegant but still warm. Champagne from Champagne Lejeune Bourgeois was poured as guests arrived, giving space for introductions to happen naturally before everyone took their seats.
Opening the Conversation
The evening was opened by Sophy Aiida, who introduced the intention behind The Builders’ Table. A space built around reflection on what each woman is creating, what she has had to unlearn along the way, and the kind of space she is carving out for herself and others.
From there, the structure shifted. The format was simple: the table would speak for itself.
The first voice came from Aïssa Maïga, one of the evening’s guests of honour. Her career spans film, directing, and writing, but it is her role in challenging representation within French cinema that has made her particularly influential. She has consistently used her platform to question who gets to be visible, and how. That perspective carried into her words, measured, thoughtful, and grounded in experience.
She set the tone for what followed: honest, reflective, and direct.
Around the Table
One by one, each guest introduced herself. Not with titles and summaries, but with context. Where they started, what shifted, what they are building now. There were conversations about entrepreneurship, leadership, and navigating industries that are still evolving. There were also quieter reflections on doubt, on transition, on figuring things out in real time.
The group itself reflected a wide range of experiences. Women working across media, finance, culture, community-building, and international business. Collectively, they represented different ways of building companies, platforms, networks, and ideas.
What stood out was the way the conversation moved. It wasn’t linear, and it wasn’t performative. People listened closely, responded to each other, and picked up on shared experiences. There was an ease to it, but also a level of attention that gave the evening its depth.
Recognising Impact
Towards the end of the dinner, the focus shifted to recognising a group of women whose work continues to shape conversations and communities in tangible ways.
Assa Traoré was honoured for her leadership in the fight for justice through the Truth and Justice for Adama Committee. Her work has become one of the most visible movements addressing systemic injustice in France, carried with consistency over years.
Frédérique Nanan was recognised for her role in media, leading ELLE Afrique and creating platforms that expand how African stories are told and seen globally.
Fatimatou Ousmanou Samba, Co-founder of Tap Tap Send & Founder of MBOA Paris, was honoured for her work in financial accessibility and community development, bridging entrepreneurship with impact across regions.
Sarah Samba-Dinard, International Public Relations and Influence Manager at Galeries Lafayette, was recognised for her influence in shaping relationships between brands, talent, and culture within the luxury space.
What Comes Next
There was a sense, throughout the evening, that the experience wasn’t about arriving at a conclusion. It was about creating a moment where different perspectives could exist side by side. Where women at different stages, in different fields, could speak openly about what they are building, and what it takes to sustain it.
The Builders’ Table is intended to continue beyond this first edition, evolving into an annual gathering and, over time, a broader platform to recognise women who are shaping their industries in meaningful ways.
Its strength lies in its restraint. The simplicity of a table, a shared meal, and a conversation given the space to unfold without interruption or expectation.
But what it creates is not simple.
It creates continuity between women who may not have otherwise crossed paths, but who recognise something familiar in each other’s experiences. It creates a record of voices, perspectives, and journeys that often exist behind the scenes. And it creates a standard for how these spaces can feel: considered, intentional, and rooted in substance.
As the evening came to a close, conversations didn’t end; they extended. Connections moved beyond introductions, with a sense that something had started rather than finished.
That is where the value of The Builders’ Table sits. Not just in gathering women, but in creating the conditions for something to continue building long after the table is cleared.
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