WRITER, EDITOR, SPEAKER, CONTENT STRATEGIST, ENTREPRENEUR
Of Ghanaian/German heritage and raised in Lesotho, I have worked and run businesses in a range of sectors including Retail, Management Consulting, Publishing, Events, IT and Media (Television & Print). I have a B.Commerce (with majors in Economics, Marketing and Business Administration) and, being a professional ‘jack of all trades’, I speaks and writes on a broad spectrum of topics.
At the heart of everything I speak about, my focus is on the building and sustainability of the African, whether it is individually, in business, in culture or in society. It is about being able to explore ways in which Africans can redefine and explore the world on our own terms at a micro level, including technology, innovation, sustainability and the green economy, media, etc.
I have facilitated, hosted and spoken at a range of events, conferences, workshops and seminars across sectors, including for Glenfiddich, Allan Gray, Old Mutual, Bisquit, Standard Bank, Microsoft, SA Tourism, FCB Johannesburg, Monash University, Weber Shandwick, Travel Indaba, Billionaire Italian Couture, Global Expo (Botswana), Club Med, Philips SA, Fashion Tech Africa, amongst others. Some of the highlights are live conversations I had with Russell Simmons at the Destiny Forum, Jabu Mabuza, Stafford Masie, Mokena Makeka and actor and activist, Idris Elba, former Oudemeester Global Ambassador.
I had a stint as a poet and was poet laureate for Gordon Institute of Business Science. I also performed extensively over the years having been part of the poetry movement, particularly in Johannesburg, in the late 90s/early 00s. This included for corporate, arts and other events as well as writing commissioned pieces for brands, campaigns and the like. I published two collections of poetry in 2005, have been published in poetry collections in the US, Brazil and Europe, have facilitated poetry workshops and run various poetry properties.
I was part of the team that created and produced Afro Cafe (a music show), Emcee Africa (a pan-African reality music show), Making Moves (an entrepreneurial show), Zooming In On Men (a men’s lifestyle show) and Zwahashu (a lifestyle show).
I was a judge for the Business Arts South Africa (BASA) Awards from 2012 to 2020, serving as chairperson of the judging committee for 3 of those years. I also judged the MTN Business App of the Year Awards, the Apple In Education Awards and Miss South Africa 2014, 2015 and 2016 as well as on the reality television show, She’s The One, Seasons One (SABC3) and Season Two (ETV).
I was founding editor of Blaque Magazine, editor of DESTINY MAN magazine for four years from 2010 to 2014 and editor of Afropolitan magazine. I have, and continue to, write for various publications including as a columnist (2009 – 2011) for City Press’ lifestyle supplement, 7, Wanted magazine, GQ Style, Mamas & Papas, Forbes Africa, TravelStart, Mama Magic Milestones, Sawubona magazine and Wanted Online. I also blog – albeit erratically – on my own platforms and have contributed to a number of digital magazines/platforms.
I was the host of the weekly Kaya FM Radio Show, Life With Kojo Baffoe, from 2016 to 2019, where I explored the full breadth of life and lifestyle, through conversations on everything from fatherhood, renewable energy, sustainability, watchmaking, archiving and African history to freelancing, retail, green economy, theatre, cybersecurity, music, poetry, industry disruption and technology.
I have collaborated with a number of brands on campaigns, such as Nescafe, BRUT, Liberty, Standard Bank, Absa, BBC Brit, Nedbank, Acer and VISA.
I have gradually shifted my focus to consulting within the editorial/content space, working with brands and companies to develop their own narrative, using the various platforms available to them. This includes, but is not limited to developing editorial strategies, plans and content creation, across mediums.
I am founder and chief storyteller for Zebra Culture, an African content agency, focused on both telling Africa’s stories, through editorial consulting, developing of its own platforms and sourcing writers and stories continentally for clients. I have developed and manage a network of writers from Africa and Asia contributing to Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance. I have developed editorial strategies and written for various companies, including Africa Foresight Group, Momentum Metropolitan Group, OPPO, Johannesburg Business School and ABSA, amongst others.
I was a board member of Business Arts South Africa from 2019 to 2021.
I also serve as editor of Ogojiii, pro-bono. Ogojiii is being built to be a writer-supported, community-driven platform focused on African innovation, culture and design, across the board.
I work with Basiq Blaque, an experiential events and project management company, to deliver these services, supporting them from a content strategy perspective for their clients.
I am author of the Listen To Your Footsteps, a collection of essays, reflections and poems and the host of the Listen To Your Footsteps podcast.
I live a fluid, ‘tapas’ life and he brings that fluidity, broad understanding, empathy and curiosity to everything that he engages with.
