Wandia Gichuru

Wandia Gichuru is the founder and chief executive of Vivo Fashion Group, a leading Kenyan retailer with a rapidly growing footprint across East Africa. The Nairobi-based entrepreneur co-launched high-street fashion brand Vivo in 2011 and brands Safari and Zoya later, spotting a gap in the market for stylish, comfortable clothing tailored to local consumer preferences. By 2024 Gichiru was running a rapidly growing network of stores, 29 of which were located on the continent in countries like Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Her 30th store opened that same year in Atlanta, USA, the company’s first outside Africa.  

Besides brands like Vivo, Gichuru has entered the e-commerce market with ShopZetu, a multi-brand platform that secured $1 million in funding two years after it launched in 2021.  Hosting hundreds of vendors on the e-tailer, she and co-founder Marvin Kiragu struck a deal with telecoms giant Safaricom to list the e-tailer on its M-Pesa super-app, offering convenient access to mobile users. With ShopZetu, Gichuru also extended the group's footprint to new markets like Tanzania. Before entering the fashion industry, Gichuru, who was educated in Canada, pursued a career as an international development adviser, holding positions with the United Nations, the World Bank and the UK government.