Jessica Hope, iROKO Partners‘ Head of Global Communications based in London has left the firm today amicably after 2.5 great years at iROKO, to start Wimbart.com, her own PR and Media company.
Based in London, Hope’s story with iROKO is captivating. From believing in Jason Njoku when he just had a magazine idea that fell flat before it was launched , to going minus salaries and office rent, to unbelieving angel investors and the launch of the now ‘Netflix of Africa’ in Lagos, Nigeria. The coverage of the then TechCrunch’s Sarah Lacy , the YouTube battles, then the launch in South Africa. To the signing up to iROKO almost everyone in the Nollywood industry, getting all that huge catalogue of original African and Nigerian content, to the raising a massive around from Tiger Global and others to the launch of iROKING and the depature of the its then CEO and the huge launch of Spark till the recent closure of its London operations and the launch in East Africa. We can’t tell it all!
“It’s been an absolute blast at iROKO, so much so that I can’t quite tear myself away,” says Hope whose PR agency will continue to handle all corporate and international press and communications for the company, as well as take on a few new projects in the near future.
“Working with Jason Njoku and Bastian Gotter since early 2012, to help build what is now one of Africa’s most exciting, innovative and vocal tech start-ups has been a total, all-encompassing adventure,” says Hope. “If I can run my own new company with even half the same dedication, agility, passion and intensity as they run their business, I’ll be very happy indeed.”
Hope says promoting the company, and Jason’s journey has been awesome and a highlight of her career so far.
“From day one, iROKO has been a labour of love, not just a job and I think that maybe only now, with a little space for reflection, can I actually absorb and take in quite how much the company, as well as Jason and Bastian, have achieved in such a short space of time. For me, iROKO is THE breakthrough company that really got international press and commentators really talking about the Nigerian tech scene. Hopefully, this has paved the way for all the other Nigerian tech companies that are growing, to attract international interest,” Hope told TechMoran.
Looking to the future, Hope says she can only begin to imagine iROKO’s potential – after the incredible disruption it has brought to Nollywood and the tech scene in just three short years. Hope says the next three years will “I’m sure, be just as bold and exhilarating to watch. ”
But to Hope, iROKO was more than a company. It was home and leaving it is not easy.
“Leaving the company is bittersweet – I’m sad to be leaving an awesome team, but can’t help but feel super excited about what lies ahead for me. I am really grateful to Jason for nudging me into this new stage of my life – I hope that some of his entrepreneurial spirit has rubbed off on me and I can bring the same level of intensity to my own company, as he has for iROKO.”
We wish Hope and the awesome team members, which we couldn’t mention here by name, all the best in their next big gigs.
Long live the iROKO!