Grace Ladoja (GB)

From Skepta to Supreme, Nike to Fenty, Grace has forged indelible relationships between artists, brands, and audiences at the heart of youth culture over the past decade.

As the manager behind Skepta’s Mercury Prize-winning Konnichiwa campaign, Grace’s work in the music industry was recognised with an MBE in 2018 for her outstanding services to music. Grace is also a driving force behind multi award-winning Afrobeats producer, Sarz, recognised for creating hits that are taking the Nigerian charts to a global audience.

In 2017 Grace co-founded Metallic Inc, leveraging her diverse skillset across music management, brand partnerships, curation and creative consultancy. The company prioritises projects that connect brands authentically with audiences whilst giving back to the global creative community.

In 2018 Grace established Homecoming, an annual festival and an ongoing ‘cultural exchange between Africa and the world’. By spotlighting rising creative talent and implementing business relationships, Homecoming serves as a platform to take Nigerian creatives to the world, encouraging collaboration between local talent and their international counterparts. Homecoming is further underwritten by Grace’s commitment to gender equality in the Nigerian creative industries and beyond, where she aims to elevate the standing of creative women globally.

For Grace, focusing on educational initiatives has unlocked opportunities for independent-minded young creatives, from London to Lagos and further afield. To date this has included launching a community music programme for young people in Tottenham, London, (a partnership between Levi’s and Skepta), and the ongoing mentoring of young companies including Motherlan, Africa’s foremost skate brand.

In 2020, Grace and Metallic established the Metallic Fund, a series of grants and mentoring opportunities for black creatives in the UK. The initiative aims to address racial inequality in the creative industries by awarding financial aid and expert guidance to promising young black creatives and business owners. The initiative is guided by the mentorship of some of the industry’s leading voices and supported by Metallic Inc’s brand partners.