Angela Kyerematen-Jimoh, the first African woman to serve as executive director for IBM North, East, and West Africa, has launched Brainwave Africa Tech, aiming to be the partner of choice for Africa’s digital transformation.
Why it matters
After a decade at IBM and a strategic stint at Microsoft, Kyerematen-Jimoh is leveraging her deep industry expertise to build a company that bridges tech giants with Africa’s evolving digital ecosystem.
The backstory
- Initially hesitant about tech, she transitioned from corporate banking at GT Bank Ghana to IBM, where she led marketing for West Africa.
- Her trajectory took her to Kenya as IBM’s marketing lead, then to a strategy role covering Central, East, and West Africa.
- In 2015, she became IBM Ghana’s first female Country General Manager, overseeing operations across 35 African countries.
The big pivot
After nearly two years as strategic partnership lead at Microsoft’s Africa Transformation Office, she decided to chart her own path.
- “I got to a point in my career where I needed a new direction,” she told Business Insider Africa. “The Holy Spirit was very clear—it was time for me to start my own company.”
- Brainwave Africa Tech launched in January 2025, already securing a multimillion-dollar RFP in Ghana through a partnership with Nigerian-based Blue Dive.
What’s next
- Through her AI Explorers Club, she’s offering AI training for children aged 8 to 15 every Friday and Saturday.
Source: Business Insider Africa
