Birimian, the first investment company dedicated exclusively to African luxury and premium heritage brands, has launched in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa. The company has committed to support designers in Africa and in the diaspora to facilitate and accelerate the growth of their businesses regionally and internationally.
The company seeks to establish an ecosystem of experts and professionals who specialize in value creation for independent labels and international brands.
The company is created by a team with a strong understanding of digital premium brands. The team aims to address the challenges associated with capital, production and international distribution faced by African designers.
Birimian will focus on:
- Long-term financing of brands in the company’s portfolio, investing between Ksh. 3.23 million ($30,000) and Ksh. 323 million ($3 million) in brands and creative enterprises at incubation, acceleration and growth levels.
- Brand consultation and coaching to ensure business processes and brand identity are in line with each designer’s goals.
- Strengthening of internal control and financial planning processes.
- Strengthening of production and distribution capacity through strategic partnerships, in addition to financial planning processes.
- Implementation of an expansion plan ensuring sustainable growth, with investors tied in for a minimum of five years to ensure long-term support for partner brands.
- International exposure for creative companies by optimizing the use of digital channels.
Birimian was founded by Laureen Kouassi-Olsson, a recognized professional in the African private equity and financial services industries.
Its female leadership team is also made up of
- Michelle Kathryn Essomé – former CEO of the African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association
- Céline Gainsburg-Rey – Chief Financial Officer and Head of Investor Relations
- Olufunke Faweya -Head of Brand Operations.
Commenting on the launch, founder Laureen Kouassi-Olsson said, “Birimian has been created to champion the exceptional talent and creativity emanating from the continent in order to help it reach the audience it deserves. Our mission is to use a combination of finance, mentoring and operational support to help our brands gain international exposure, achieve their true potential, placing hence the continent’s cultural heritage on the world stage.”
Birimian’s governance is strengthened by an investment committee made up of experts in investment, luxury goods, and fashion. The committee will be completed by a creative board of experts and leading figures in the international creative scene that will help Birimian identify talent with strong potential.
Birimian is launching with four brands listed below
- Christie Brown (Ghana)
- Loza Maléombho (Ivory Coast)
- Simone et Élise (Ivory Coast)
- YEBA (Belgium)