On International Women’s Day, we are thrilled to announce our support to the tri-national mountaineer Sophie Lavaud, known as ‘The 112,000 Lady’.
Who is the 112,000 Lady?
Sophie Lavaud, born in Lausanne and a resident of Geneva for over 20 years, defines herself as a ‘Himalayist’. On 26 June 2023, she climbed Nanga Parbat (8,126 metres), marking her fourteenth summit over 8,000 metres, hence ‘The 112,000 Lady’. This achievement makes her the first French person, the first Canadian, and the first Swiss woman to reach this milestone.
Her career began in luxury hospitality as Sales and Marketing Director at the Hotel Richemond, followed by a role at Clarins, and later working with her brother to lead a company organising financial events.
A women inspiring others
‘In realising my dreams, I try to help women – especially in Nepal and Pakistan – to achieve theirs.’
Beyond her mountaineering achievements, Sophie is dedicated to helping others. As an ambassador for Terre des hommes, she has supported the ‘Prayaas’ project in Nepal for over three years; this project enhances survival rates for pregnant women and newborn children through improved rural midwife training. In 2019, she participated in a week-long trip with four gynaecologists to the country’s Bardiya region to train midwives. Neonatal mortality has been significantly reduced in this area thanks to her efforts.
Another initiative in 2025 is ‘Blue School 2.0’, a programme that fosters healthy educational settings and introduces Nepalese students to sustainable technologies and practices. Through training that is integrated into the school curriculum, Blue School 2.0 inspires students to promote sustainable solutions which make better use of resources and protect the environment. In Nepal, six schools in two municipalities in the Bardiya district have already become Blue Schools through the implementation of a road map for the programme.
She has also recently lent her support to the Fondation Yves Pollet-Villard, an organisation that trains Nepalese mountain guides by bringing them to Chamonix for ski training.
UBP supports her next project: Celebrating the Annapurna mountain range
On 23 April 2019, Sophie reached the summit of Annapurna I at 8,091 metres. To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first ascent of this mountain, Sophie wishes to honour the Annapurna mountain range as a whole in 2025. As a first step, she is embarking with her team, which includes Dawa Sangay Sherpa, on an expedition to reach the summit of Annapurna IV at 7,525 metres. UBP is delighted to support her project, as it aligns perfectly with our core values: driving effective strategies and high performance to achieve ambitious goals.
Sophie Lavaud's journey is a testament to her perseverance and passion, which has inspired countless individuals. Stay tuned to follow her adventures during this year of new challenges.
