Laureen Kouassi-Olsson

Founder and Chief Executive,
Birimian Ventures

Laureen Kouassi-Olsson is the founder and CEO of Birimian Holding and Birimian Ventures, financial institutions dedicated to the sustainable development of African heritage brands. Through Kouassi-Olsson’s leadership, Birimian has established partnerships with institutions such as Institut Français de la Mode, Orange Bank Africa, International Finance Corporation, a subsidiary of the World Bank and a network of prominent private investors. The company has accelerated and financed 45 fashion businesses and entrepreneurs since founding. Kouassi-Olsson has been identified as one of the 100 most influential African Economic Leaders and is a member of the BoF 500. She is also the author of the book “Iconic Africa,” released in September 2023, advocating for the transformation of African creativity into an economic powerhouse. She holds a degree from Harvard Business School and EM Lyon Business School.