Freda Obeng-Ampofo

Freda Obeng-Ampofo is a Ghanaian entrepreneur and the founder and "Chief Mixer" of Kaeme, a premium skincare brand built on natural Ghanaian ingredients such as shea butter and liquid black soap. Trained as a political scientist and economist, she built the company after a career in international development.

Education and early career

Obeng-Ampofo studied at Gordon College in the United States, which later named her Young Alumna of the Year, and at Sciences Po in Paris. She worked on economic development and governance with USAID, the European Union and on Capitol Hill, advocating for African issues in policy circles.

How Kaeme began

The brand grew out of her own routine. Living in France, she used Ghanaian shea butter and black soap, and strangers kept stopping her to ask what she used on her skin. She started handing out small samples, then personalised gifts, and in 2016 turned the idea into Kaeme, a brand that ties its products to Ghanaian culture, memory and purpose.

Growth and recognition

Kaeme has been named Skincare Brand of the Year three times, in 2021, 2023 and 2024, and won CSR Project of the Year for its community work in Juaso. Obeng-Ampofo has also spoken publicly about the hard choices small businesses faced during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Beyond the brand

She is involved with the Africa Soft Power Project, which looks at how Africa can use its cultural and creative industries, and works to help women entrepreneurs scale their businesses.