Yoanna “Pepper” Chikezie

Yoanna Chikezie is a creative economy consultant and fashion business and brand expert.

Founder of The Assembly, a platform that unites creativity and entrepreneurship in fashion. Here, Yoanna has been bridging the gap between young entrepreneurs and communities in fashion and design to build businesses that can thrive, through access to quality and affordable training, business support, and mentoring. In 4-years The Assembly has supported over 2000 entrepreneurs whilst securing partnerships with the likes of the British Council, Cultural Enterprise Office, Scotland, Facebook, AFFORD, Dalberg and University of The Arts.

A serial entrepreneur, Yoanna has worked in Fashion production, marketing and branding for over 10 years. In 2013, Yoanna’s was recruited to take on the role of Head of Channel of the first 24hr international African fashion and lifestyle channel, SPICE TV. In her role as the Head of Channel, she led a team of 30+ in content creation television and event production and maximised audience and strategic business relationships with brands such as; Unilever, Johnnie Walker, Jumia, Samsung, Nokia and Vlisco, leading teams to co- create numerous brand consumer experiences and content for TV and Digital platforms.

Yoanna worked as a trainer and consultant for 12-months TFOCanada a Trade and Export agency as a National Export Coach and Trainer under the ITC, SheTrades Initiative. In this role she trained and provided coaching to over 200 female owned businesses across agriculture and textiles and apparel.

Yoanna is currently an Executive Masters Student on the International Trade programme at the ie School of Public & Global Affairs. She has a social science degree from the University of Birmingham and Masters in Strategic Fashion Marketing from the London College of Fashion.

Yoanna enjoys mentoring young start-ups and consulting for the tech and creative sector and working with projects that require branding, marketing and production with clients such as Sales Gossip, Nairabox, Tremendoc, FranklynTill and AFA Sports.

An Acumen Global and Yunus & Youth Fellow, Yoanna is passionate and creative with a strong interest in pushing the agenda of social development through the arts.