Melissa Kariuki, Founder and CEO of Whip Music, has been invited to speak at the World Trade Organization (WTO) Public Forum 2025 in Geneva on 18 September 2025.
Recognized as one of the GRAMMYs’ 13 Women Shaping African Music (2025) and a member of the Recording Academy, Kariuki has also been listed among Hotlist Africa’s Top 30 Executives in the African Music Industry (2025). Her growing influence at the intersection of creativity, technology, and trade has positioned her as one of Africa’s most dynamic young leaders.
At the WTO Public Forum – the world’s largest trade policy platform attended by global leaders, executives, academics, and policymakers – Kariuki will speak in a session titled “Bridging Digital Divides Through Local Solutions.” She will highlight how strong digital policies and infrastructure can empower African creators to scale globally and strengthen the continent’s role in the global economy.
Sharing her excitement, Kariuki said:
“For too long, creativity has been seen only as culture, but it is also one of Africa’s highest-potential commodities. With the right digital policies and local solutions, African creators can reach global markets, scale new industries, and shape the future of trade. As a young African woman in technology and the creative economy, it is an honour to represent our continent on this global stage.”
Kariuki will speak alongside influential voices such as WTO Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, UNCTAD Deputy Secretary-General Pedro Manuel Moreno, and senior executives from Amazon Web Services, PayPal, IBM, and the International Trade Centre.
Africa’s Creative Economy: A Growing Global Force
Africa’s creative industry is valued at US$58.4 billion, contributing about 4% to the continent’s GDP but less than 0.3% of global creative exports. In South Africa, the sector generated revenues comparable to agriculture at US$8.7 billion in 2020. Analysts project that with the right digital and trade frameworks, Africa’s creative exports could reach US$200 billion by 2030, representing up to 10% of global trade in creative goods.
Kariuki’s participation at the WTO Public Forum marks a significant moment – positioning Africa’s creativity not just as cultural expression but as a strategic global commodity with transformative trade potential.
About Melissa Kariuki
Melissa Kariuki is the Founder and CEO of Whip Music, a music-tech company helping artists unlock their next one billion fans. Whip Music currently supports African artists in promoting their music across the US, the UK, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Ghana, and Canada, enabling them to export their music and grow global audiences.
Kariuki is also a Recording Academy (GRAMMYs) member, was recognized on the GRAMMYs’ 13 Women Shaping African Music (2025), and was named on Hotlist Africa’s Top 30 Executives in the African Music Industry (2025).
Her career includes product roles at Google and Meta, as well as experience across Asia, Europe, the United States, and Africa with organizations including Bain & Company, H&M, the Gates Foundation, and INSEAD. She holds a First-Class Honours degree from the African Leadership University in Mauritius and a Master of Management Science in Global Affairs as a Patrice Motsepe Fellow and Schwarzman Scholar at Tsinghua University in Beijing, where she graduated with a 99 percent distinction for her thesis on blockchain, NFTs, and Web3 regulation.
About Whip Music
Whip Music is a music-tech company on a mission to help artists unlock their next one billion fans. The platform leverages technology to provide access to music and video distribution, editorial playlisting, TV placements, radio, press, influencer marketing, and social media advertising. Whether an artist has zero fans or one million, Whip Music empowers them to grow and monetize their fanbase globally.
For more information, visit whipservices.com or contact [email protected].
About the World Trade Organization (WTO)
The WTO is the only global organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. With 166 member countries, it represents more than 98 per cent of global trade and GDP. Its mission is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably, and freely as possible while serving as a forum for negotiating trade agreements and settling disputes.
The WTO Public Forum is the organization’s largest annual outreach event, providing a platform for world leaders, business executives, academics, and civil society to debate pressing trade and development issues.
