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Bisila Bokoko

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Bisila Bokoko
Bisila Bokoko image
Born
Bisila África Bokoko Toichoa[a][1]

(1974-06-26) June 26, 1974 (age 50)
Valencia, Spain
NationalitySpanish-American
Alma materCity College of New York
Colegio CEU San Pablo Valencia
OccupationBusinesswoman

Bisila Bokoko (born June 26, 1974) is a Spanish-born American businesswoman.[2][3] She is the founder and CEO of BBES (Bisila Bokoko Embassy Services) a New York-based business development agency that represents, promotes and markets brands internationally.[4] Prior to starting her company, she held the position of executive director of the Spain-US Chamber of Commerce in New York City from 2005 to 2012.[5][6]

Born and raised in Spain to Equatorial Guinean parents, she has become a naturalized citizen of the United States.

Personal life and education

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Bokoko is a native of Valencia, Spain. Her family roots stemmed from the Bubi people in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.[7] In a Huffington Post article of January 2015, she says: "I am a cultural hybrid. I was born in Spain to African parents, became an American citizen and have been living in New York City for the last fifteen years."[8]

Bokoko attended Universidad San Pablo, Madrid, Spain where she earned an MBA in Business Administration and Economics in 1998. That same year, Bokoko earned a certificate of British Law at the University of Manchester and completed a MA in International Relations at the City College of New York in 2003.[9]

Career

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Bokoko started her career in 1997 as a legal assistant at Carbo & Martinez Law firm in Valencia, Spain. From 1999 to 2005, Bokoko was the Director of IVEX, the Valencia Institute of Export, where she helped Spanish businesses ranging from food, lifestyle goods to beverages and spirits enter the US market.[10] Bisila Bokoko operated as the Executive Director of the Spain-US Chamber of Commerce from 2005 to 2012.[8]

In 2010, she launched Bisila Wines, an international wine brand made in Spain.[11] In 2012, she opened BBES, a New York-based global business development agency. The firm consults businesses in the fields of fashion, lifestyle, arts and culture.[12] In December 2019, Bokoko was featured in the Visual Collaborative Polaris catalog, under the Supernova series for humanities, she was interviewed alongside people such as; Nse Ikpe-Etim, William Coupon and Nere Emiko.[13][14]

Speaker

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Bokoko is a business and motivational speaker represented by the Washington Speakers Bureau along with the likes of former US and French Presidents George W. Bush and Nicolas Sarkozy.[15][16]

In October 2014, she co-hosted UNCTAD’s EMPRETEC Women in Business Awards (E-WBA) ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland during the World Investment Forum.[17] Bokoko serves as a Spokesperson for Pikolinos, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada and The Liceu Barcelona Opera House US Foundation.[18]

Author

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In 2023, Bokoko published her first book, "Todos Tenemos Una Historia Que Contar" (Plataforma Testimonio). The autobiography highlights the ups and downs of her personal and business journey.[19][20]

Philanthropy

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In 2009, Bokoko founded BBALP (Bisila Bokoko African Literacy Project), a nonprofit organization headquartered in New York City.[21] With current presence in Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Uganda. BBALP is committed to promoting literacy across the continent through the opening of libraries. The motto is : “with a book, you are never alone”.[22][23]

On 17 April 2013, Bokoko hosted the Pikolinos Maasai Gala at the United Nations in collaboration to support the Kenyan tribe.[24] Through the Maasai Project, over 1,600 Maasai women hand embroider leather onto Pikolinos shoes and bags, enabling them to earn a stable income while preserving their cultural heritage and way of life.[25][26]

She is an advisory board member of United Nations EMPRETEC Women Programs fostering entrepreneurship skills among women in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.[27]

Awards and recognition

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In 2019, the Hospitality Committee for the United Nations Delegations (HCUND) officially awarded Bokoko "Citizen of the World" during a New York ceremony.[28]

In 2020, Bokoko was featured on the cover of Vogue Business magazine September issue photographed by Paola Kudacki. In the interview, she shares her leadership story moving from Spain to the US for an internship and working up the corporate ladder.[29]

Vanity Fair featured Bokoko on their "Best Dressed List of 2023" as "The Most Elegant" alongside Marta Ortega, Miren Arzalluz, Susi Sánchez, Sofia Palazuelo, and Sassa De Osma.[30]

Notes

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  1. ^ In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Bokoko and the second or maternal family name is Toichoa.

References

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  1. ^ "Documento BOE-A-2019-590". BOE.es (in Spanish). November 5, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  2. ^ "Bisila Bokoko Embodies The Essence of Modern Girl Power Ahead of International Women's Day". Cision. Archived from the original on November 10, 2019. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  3. ^ "Discovering Africa With Bisila Bokoko". Ventures Africa. Archived from the original on August 7, 2014. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  4. ^ "Foodie Tv Channel welcomes Bisila Bokoko as their new Ambassador". Foodie TV Channel. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  5. ^ "2011 FACE List Honorees". Facelist. Archived from the original on April 12, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  6. ^ "isila Bokoko To Deliver Keynote At The 2014 Entrepreneurship Open Discussion Organized By The Zimbabwe Youth Development Foundation Trust". Modern Ghana. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  7. ^ Cutts, Evan J. (March 12, 2018). "An Interview with International Business Leader: Bisila Bokoko". Color. Archived from the original on June 10, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Books: A Journey of Self Discovery". The Huffington Post. February 23, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  9. ^ "PHILANTHROPIST BISILA BOKOKO ON LIFE IN AND OUT OF THE BOARDROOM". www.ijinleafrica.com. Archived from the original on July 17, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  10. ^ "Africa Fashion Week Kicks Off in New York with Multi-Day Experience". Black Enterprise. September 2, 2014. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  11. ^ "CELEBS GIVE BACK: BISILA BOKOKO FOUNDER OF BISILA BOKOKO AFRICAN LITERACY PROJECT…". Africancelebs.com. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  12. ^ "A Konnect Africa Interview with Bisila Bokoko on Books, Libraries & Africa". Konnect Africa. March 23, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  13. ^ "Nse Ikpe-Etim, Nere Teriba and William Coupon in latest Visual Collaborative SDG publication". Guardian Arts. December 3, 2019. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  14. ^ Onyekwelu, Stephen (December 4, 2019). "LIFE & ARTS Nse Ikpe-Etim, William Coupon, others drive creative sector SDG". Business Day. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  15. ^ "Leadership: Interview with Bisila Bokoko: "The Philanthropist talks about her latest project in Zimbabwe"". Africvisions. Archived from the original on April 15, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  16. ^ "Bisila Bokoko CEO and Founder of BBES International". CSA Celebrity Speakers. Archived from the original on April 13, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  17. ^ "Empretec Women in Business Awards 2014 Ceremony - World Investment Forum 2014". United Nations. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  18. ^ "Bisila Bokoko named Brand Ambassador for Liceu Barcelona Opera House US Foundation". Zen Magazine Africa. Archived from the original on April 16, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  19. ^ "Todos tenemos una historia que contar - Plataforma Editorial". www.plataformaeditorial.com (in Spanish). Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  20. ^ Bokoko, Bisila (2023). Todos tenemos una historia que contar : un testimonio inspirador para descubrir el gran relato de nuestas vidas. Barcelona: Plataforma Editorial. ISBN 978-84-19271-93-8.
  21. ^ "ne of Our Advisors, Mrs. Bokoko Makes The Cover of Zen Magazine". www.unitedcolorsoffashion.org. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  22. ^ "With a Book You Are Never Alone". The Huffington Post. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  23. ^ "Building Libraries Across Africa". Bloomberg TV. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  24. ^ "Meet Bisila Bokoko, International Brands Ambassador & Founder of Bisila Bokoko African Literacy Project". Promota Magazine. Archived from the original on April 13, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  25. ^ "About the Founder". BBALP official website. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  26. ^ "Valencia Fashion Designer Amparo Chordá Embraces Haute Couture with Femininity and Sophistication". Latin Post. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  27. ^ "Philanthropist Bisila Bokoko is Ladybrille Woman of the Month, January 2015". Ladybrille. Archived from the original on April 5, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  28. ^ "Bisila Bokoko has won the 2019 United Nations Hospitality Committee Citizen of the World Award – Leading Ladies Africa". leadingladiesafrica.org. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  29. ^ "La oportunidad de empezar de nuevo". Vogue Business (in Spanish). August 20, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  30. ^ "Los mejor vestidos de 2023 según Vanity Fair: Letizia y Felipe, Marta Ortega, Los Javis, Bisila Bokoko, Elena Foster…". Vanity Fair (in European Spanish). November 25, 2023. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
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