Melissa Kariuki, founder and CEO of Whip Music and one of the GRAMMYs’ 13 Women Shaping African Music (2025), will speak at the prestigious World Trade Organization (WTO) Public Forum 2025 in Geneva on 18 September 2025.
This invitation follows Kariuki’s recognition as a member of the Recording Academy (GRAMMYs) and her inclusion on Hotlist Africa’s Top 30 Executives in the African Music Industry (2025), further establishing her as one of Africa’s most influential young leaders at the intersection of creativity, technology, and trade.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global organization that formulates and enforces the rules of trade between nations, with 166-member countries representing over 98 percent of global trade and GDP. The Public Forum is the largest global trade policy platform, drawing government leaders, corporate executives, academics, and civil society to discuss the future of trade. Being invited to speak is exceptionally prestigious as it marks Kariuki as a recognized emerging global thought leader.
Kariuki will speak in a session titled “Bridging Digital Divides Through Local Solutions”, highlighting how enabling digital policies and technology infrastructure can allow African creators to scale globally and strengthen the continent’s role in the world economy.
“I am honoured to be invited by the WTO to share Africa’s perspective on digital trade and creativity as a driver of global growth. For too long, creativity has been seen 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 a privilege to represent our continent at this global forum and to ensure our voices and solutions are part of the world’s trade agenda.” – Melissa Kariuki.
Kariuki will join Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, WTO Director-General, and an influential lineup of speakers, including:
- Pedro Manuel Moreno, Deputy Secretary-General of UNCTAD
- Shamika N. Sirimanne, Director of Technology, UNCTAD
- Aissatou Diallo, Chief, Office for Africa, International Trade Centre
- Katherine Wang, Amazon Web Services, Manager of Trade and Supply Chain Policy
- Claire Alexandra, Head of International Government Relations, PayPal
- Christian Keller, Chair and General Manager, IBM Switzerland
- Fancy Too, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Kenya to the United Nations Office
- Dr. Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, Executive Director, South African Institute of International Affairs
Creativity as Africa’s Next Global Commodity
Africa’s creative economy, currently valued at US$58.4 billion, accounts for roughly 4 percent of the continent’s GDP but represents less than 0.3 percent of global creative exports.
For example, in one of Africa’s largest economies, South Africa, the creative sector generated roughly the same amount of revenue as agriculture at US$8.7 billion (R161 billion) in 2020.
Analysts predict that with the right digital policies and trade frameworks, African creative exports could reach US$200 billion by 2030, potentially accounting for 10 percent of global creative goods trade.
Kariuki’s contribution to the WTO Public Forum underscores the growing recognition of creativity not only as cultural expression but also as a strategic commodity with transformative trade potential.
