Founding Director

Dorothea Hodge

Dorothea Hodge is the Chief Executive Officer of Aequitas Global. With over two decades of experience advising governments and global brands across Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, Asia, and North America, she brings a distinctive blend of political insight, global perspective, and values-driven leadership.

Dorothea began her career in UK politics, serving in senior advisory roles under Prime Minister Tony Blair and Baroness Valerie Amos. Since then, she has worked at the highest levels of government, diplomacy, and corporate affairs, guiding clients through complex political, legal, and reputational challenges. Her areas of expertise include strategic communications, litigation support, political engagement, and international development.

At Aequitas Global, Dorothea leads a multidisciplinary team committed to helping leaders and organisations tell their story with clarity, credibility, and conviction. The firm is known for its ability to operate in high-stakes, high-trust environments – from real-time crisis response to long-term influence-building – with a consistent focus on integrity, discretion, and strategic excellence. Aequitas has advised global institutions including the OECD, African Development Bank, and World Health Organization, as well as multinational brands such as Google, Deloitte, and Starbucks.

A passionate believer in the power of communications to drive change, Dorothea is currently leading Aequitas’s expansion across Africa and the Caribbean, building a global agency platform rooted in progressive values, creative impact, and a commitment to championing local talent and global influence.

International Public Affairs

Simon Benson

Simon Benson is a former special advisor to two members the British Cabinet, including the UK’s first female Home Secretary. He has 18 years of high-level communications and public affairs experience and has advised Prime Ministers, entrepreneurs and the CEOs of major global brands.

Simon has an international reach, having worked across Europe for clients such as the European Investment Fund, Visa Europe the UN & Huawei and in the Middle East for the Qatar Foundation and Emirates Airline. He also provided UK communications support for Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco in Casablanca.

As well as strategic counsel, Simon is a crisis comms specialist and has dealt with numerous cases, including PR support to the cruise line industry following the sinking of the Costa Concordia, mid-air crisis situations for Emirates Airline and for business leaders in the UK and EU.

Senior Account Director

Odeta Konomi

Odeta is a project and business development director with 12+ years of experience in establishing and managing a multitude of financial conferences and projects across the globe. Before joining Aequitas Global as an event project manager, she worked for Euromoney Institutional Investor for more than a decade. From 2015 until 2020, she was head of Africa for Euromoney publishing and conferences, focusing solely on establishing Euromoney’s presence in the region by developing and managing relationships with public and private sector partners.

She joined Euromoney in 2009 after having spent a few years with Africa Investor where she first fell in love with Africa.

She has worked and travelled extensively in the region and has covered Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Mauritius, Mozambique, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Odeta holds a BA in Economics and Italian from University of Reading and is interested in people’s stories, inequality, climate change, Africa and photography.

Regional Director & Digital Lead

Jesse Cheto

Jesse is an accomplished IT security professional and Oracle database administrator with over a decade of experience spanning ICT, communications, and accounting. Holding an Accounting degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, he is also EC-Council certified in IT security, blending technical expertise with strong business acumen.

Jesse’s career is marked by a dynamic fusion of skills across training, research analysis, and systems administration, having contributed significantly at various organisational levels including Inspire Africa, Oracle conferences, and the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. His consultancy experience spans diverse clients such as INforAfrica, Hypertech Consulting, and the Population Reference Bureau.

From 2011 to 2016, Jesse served as ICT and Communications Manager at the Wellbeing Foundation on behalf of Aequitas Global. During this tenure, he was instrumental in the development and successful implementation of the globally recognised #MaternalMonday campaign, showcasing his strategic planning and communication capabilities.

With a strong command of digital, social media and content management, Jesse combines outstanding communication skills with an ability to analyse business processes and translate needs into actionable strategies.

Director of Business Operations

Sophie Campbell

Sophie is the Director of Business Operations at Aequitas Global and a member of the Senior Leadership Team, with responsibility over corporate operations across the London and Abuja offices. Sophie oversees resourcing allocation for client accounts, managing into Aequitas Global’s network of associates to ensure we offer clients a breadth and depth of expertise.  Sophie also leads on developing and delivering executive strategy workshops and interventions, drawing on her previous experience in facilitation.

Prior to joining Aequitas, Sophie spent seven years at a global leadership development organisation, delivering projects across Africa, Europe, North America, South America and the Middle East. During this time Sophie moved from London to Johannesburg, South Africa, to grow the organisation’s operations across the African continent.

Sophie graduated with a BA in Politics from Durham University.

Account Executive

Gioia Toffoli 

Gioia has a varied professional background to date, spanning experience in Italy, France, USA and more recently in London where she held roles within communication, clients’ management, health and diplomatic sectors.

Fluent in Italian, English, and French, she supports the Public Affairs and Communication teams through in-depth research, press releases, and analysis.

Gioia has a strong personal interest in sustainability, as shown by her volunteer work within environmental organisations in Italy and Belize. She is passionate about climate action and took an active part in the EU Green Deal 2030, having worked on local projects in the Italian Alps. She also revised Culture Smart Italy! business book published by Kuperard’s Publishers. Gioia holds a BA in Political Science,

International Relations and Human Rights and an MSc in International Diplomacy. During her academic course, she studied international and European law in France, and she interned for Doctors with Africa CUAMM, a leading organisation working to protect and improve the wellbeing and health of vulnerable communities in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Account Executive

Aguamah Naweribo Ebiegberi

Nanas studied Accountancy at Niger Delta University, he is a financial analyst and a business manager, he has years of experience managing businesses across different sectors in Nigeria. 

Aside making sense of accounts, taxes, and all those Companies House filing matters that are vitally important, he has also been involved in high level campaigns and researches. He ensures everything is done effectively, efficiently and economically.

Nanas has interests in politics, music, sports.

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Account Executive

Funmi Obieze-Okorro

Funmi is passionate about content creation, health research, advocacy and related campaigns; having participated in the Rotary International District 9125 End Polio Now and the HIV and AIDS outreaches from an early age, she has proceeded to engage and create content in similar fields.

She has experience volunteering with literary and literacy outfits in Africa, writing content for Nantygreens, Writers Space Africa, and Mayo Magazine and working on the set of Lagos International Poetry Festival and Lagos Theatre Festival.

She has worked in Broadcast radio and co-hosted programs, thus, understands the media landscape and the social impact of communications as a tool for policy advocacy and strategy.

Funmi studied English at Obafemi Awolowo University, and she spends her weekends reviewing articles, writing short stories and poems.

Consultant

Ellen-Janet Adelakin

Ellen-Janet is adept in research, client management, and business development and has over 5 years of working experience across several industries within the Private Sector. 

Ellen-Janet has experience working as a product development and social media officer for a travel agency, The Travel Place, providing clients with exquisite services from highly recommended clients while ensuring and increasing client and partner retention, product acquisition, and visibility.  She has also worked as a human resource and business development executive with a digital technology company, Novateur Ltd., where she conducted in-house and client’s trainings among other responsibilities.  

Ellen-Janet is keen on international affairs, global policy development, diplomacy and crisis management. Ellen-Janet has a degree in International Law and Diplomacy from Babcock University. 

Senior Consultant

Stephen Boakes 

Stephen is a Public Affairs and Communications Consultant with 5 years of agency work spanning the private, public and charity sectors from local to international campaigns and clients. His sector experiences include infrastructure, planning, energy, transport, textiles, finance, social value charities, civil service departments and social care providers.

Stephen has a keen interest in keeping up with the news and shifting trends of which the social, economic, political, and cultural implications shape his contributions to any client he advises or campaign he shapes. He excels at building stakeholder and client relationships, and whilst specialising in Public Affairs, he has additional skills in new business, marketing, PR, media and events. 

Stephen is politically active, having stood for the Conservative and Unionist Party for his District Council in 2022, 2023 and 2024. He has Mental Health First Aid training and a degree in Politics with International Relations from the University of York where he was the Editor of a political journal and Host of a radio show.

Associate Director

Annie Bruzzone

Annie is a policy and communications expert with 17 years’ experience working on the front line of social justice issues. Her ambition throughout her career has been to use effective and persuasive communications to help improve lives. She has a track record of influencing the narratives that determine business and public policy decisions, influencing positive behaviour change and achieving progressive policy change. 

Annie previously headed up external communications for the UK’s largest pension scheme, Nest, where she helped secure public support for the automatic enrolment of millions of workers into savings schemes for the first time. As head of investment communications, she helped shape perceptions in the financial industry and beyond of how individuals’ savings can be put to work to make a better world. 

Before Nest, Annie worked for an international progressive think tank and London-based communications consultancy, where her work led to prison and sentencing reform, the decriminalisation of homosexuality in certain Commonwealth countries and the shaping of progressive refugee policies in Europe. 

Annie holds a 1st class degree in linguistics from the School of Oriental and African Studies and an MSc in Comparative Politics from the London School of Economics. Annie is fluent in Italian and Spanish, and a competent French speaker.

Director

Harvir Sangha

Harvir Sangha has a varied background having spent over 15 years working in communications, project management and social impact. Having first joined Aequitas Global in its founding year 15 years ago, she has worked with a range of international clients leading strategic communications campaigns in areas as diverse as maternal health, climate change and open data. 

She has also worked in financial services in project management and social impact at Lloyds Banking Group and UBS. At UBS she led an innovative program to support social entrepreneurs across EMEA, bringing together Ultra High-Net Worth Individuals with ideas and initiatives to change lives. She also led on all internal and external community affairs communications for the bank. She formerly founded Doyenne, a careers platform set up to address gender inequality in the workplace, bringing on board companies such as The Financial Times, Amazon and UBS.

She holds a BSc in Business Studies and Politics, an MSc in Development Studies and is currently a PhD Researcher in Business and Management Studies.

Associate Director

Ania Swirski

Ania is a strategic communications and public policy professional with a deep understanding of public affairs and the role of politics in business. She has over fifteen years’ experience in devising and leading communications and lobbying campaigns for a range of organisations including trade associations, charities, corporates, and research institutes. Ania has particular expertise in healthcare (including pharma), environment and sustainability policy.

Ania is currently a Trustee and Board member of the UK charity Thyroid UK and volunteers as a policy adviser for CPRE. 

Ania has a degree from University of Nottingham in European Politics.

Social Impact Communications

Sarah Randall 

Sarah is a seasoned social impact communications specialist who works with global changemakers to tell their stories. 

Sarah has broad, multi-sector experience from finance to fashion, having worked with global brands and NGOs as well as many fast-growing social enterprises, B-corps and charities.

She studied African and Creole studies in Martinique and has a background in intercultural communications  – she has worked in France, Brazil and extensively with Africa. 

Her key areas of expertise are Sustainability, Gender Equality and Early Childhood. 

At Aequitas Sarah leads key client work, delivering impactful campaigns for our African and global clients. 

Sarah speaks fluent French and rusty Portuguese. 

Senior Consultant

Derrick Amoako

Derrick Owusu Amoako is an experienced UK-trained PR and strategic communications expert who is fluent in his native English, Italian, French, Spanish, and basic Japanese. His experience working in-house and across agencies as a strategic communications specialist, including the public relations department of British multinational media company Economist Group in London, have provided him with over seven years of experience as a communicator in several media and corporate companies including brands such as Jaguar Land Rover, Bacardi, IWC, Peninsula and the UN’s Global Goals and Project Everyone.

Before joining Aequitas Global, Derrick had been a freelancer at a social purpose comms agency on accounts such as Greenpeace and DEFRA (UK Govt department of Agriculture). In that role his role was to give a greater voice to Africa and the global south when it comes to ocean sustainability and the blue economy ahead of a treaty being passed later this year. He worked with governments and a range of media to both push for issues to be considered in the treaty and to raise awareness of it and the issues around it. Prior to that Derrick was a Senior Communications Manager at the Department for Transport (UK Govt). Derrick is also the co-editor of the Future of Ghana publication.

He has a BSc in Psychology at Brunel University in London, an MSc in Global Governance and Public Policy from the University of London Birkbeck University.

Business Administrator 

Niketa Dinnall

Niketa is a dedicated business administrator with a strong track record in enhancing operational efficiency and supporting organisational objectives. She brings a wealth of administrative experience to her role at Aequitas, having previously supported two councillors in the Cabinet Office of one of England’s largest city councils.

At Aequitas, Niketa plays a vital role in supporting the founder on a day-to-day basis while also addressing the functional needs of the business.

Niketa holds both an undergraduate and a master’s degree in law, with a particular interest in international law, which enriches her contributions to the team and the firm’s global perspective.

Account Director

Ana Grube

Ana is a strategic communications adviser and multilingual PR consultant specialising in reputation management, stakeholder engagement, and cross-cultural communications. Ana uses a decade of knowledge and expertise acquired in communications consultancy, as a mayoral advisor and a charity communications lead, to help clients deliver powerful messages in the media and effect positive change. She has a particular focus on media relations and strategic campaign planning for philanthropic trusts, foundations, nonprofits, and social enterprises across the UK, the EU, and the African continent.

Ana has cultivated a network of high-level media contacts and secured an exceptional portfolio of earned media opportunities for her clients across international development, social policy, business, and cultural publications. Ana is fluent in Ukrainian, Italian and Russian with passable Spanish and French, and holds an MSc in Comparative Politics from the London School of Economics.

Creative Partner

Arteh Odjidja 

Arteh Odjidja is a commercial fashion/portraiture and fine art photographer born and bred in London, where he resides today. Growing up with a father working in the filmmaking industry, Arteh developed an early love for the creative process, and showed sure signs that he was destined for a career in art and design. Specialising in fashion/portraiture and fine art photography, Arteh has managed to build his portfolio with commissions from some of the world’s most recognized brands and organisations including Christian Dior, Leica camera, Paul Smith, Ozwald Boateng Savile Row, Montblanc, E.Tautz, Oxfam UK to name a few. Arteh’s desire to have his work make a positive impact on society, has led him into the Fine art world. The Savile Row designer and long-time collaborator – Ozwald Boateng OBE, housed his first solo exhibition ‘Stranger in Moscow’ in 2013. Which was shortlisted for the AOP awards in the same year.

He has since exhibited his work extensively in the US and the UK at prominent galleries like the Tate Modern London, The British museum, City hall, The Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago, to name a few. Arteh’s work has also been featured in established industry publications such as Black + White Photography magazine, The BJP – (British Journal of Photography), The Photo works Annual, The New York times, the Huffington Post etc.

Arteh’s passion to share his experience has seen him accept an ambassadorship from Leica Camera UK to run photography workshops throughout the UK and accepting invitations to speak on panels and present talks on different aspects of the visual industry. Credits include the Museum of Contemporary Photography Chicago IL, University of Brighton, London College of Fashion, London College of Communication, the Brighton Photo Biennial 2016, Autograph Gallery, Tate modern, The British Museum, City Hall London etc. The success of his project, on-going portrait series ‘The Strangers Series, has seen him work with impactful youth charities like Coram UK and present his seminal project to Her Majesty the Queen in 2018.

www.arteh.co.uk

Associate Partner

Donata Garrasi

Donata is a political scientist who specialises in policy and program design and implementation in crisis affected situations. Over 20 years Donata has led high profile and multi-million US$ development and peacebuilding initiatives for governments and major international organisations in Africa and Asia. She has held senior management and advisory positions with the OECD, the UK Government, and the United Nations and consults regularly with multi-lateral partners, including the World Bank and the European Union, and with the private sector.

Donata has contributed to designing and implementing global policies for effective development cooperation in conflict affected and fragile situations, and national recovery and peacebuilding strategies in a range of countries in West and Central Africa and Asia. She is currently working on a series of initiatives to attract and retain responsible business and investment in new emerging markets. Donata is a Managing Partner of Europe Conflict and Security Consulting (ECAS Ltd).

Associate Partner

Robert Yates

Robert Yates is an internationally recognised expert on universal health coverage (UHC) and progressive health financing. He is a Director of UHC Consulting Limited and a senior fellow of Chatham House, Royal Institute of International Affairs where he is Project Director of the UHC Policy Forum.

His principal area of expertise is in the political economy of UHC, with a focus on advising political leaders and governments on how to plan, finance and implement national UHC reforms. He has previously worked as a Senior Health Economist with the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the World Health Organisation, advising numerous governments in Asia and Africa on health financing policy and health systems reforms.

He holds a BA degree in Natural Sciences and Economics from the University of Cambridge and a MBA, from the University of Leeds.

Associate Partner

Teohna Williams

With her attention on international peace and security, Teohna spends the majority of her time working in an advisory capacity to senior officials focused on security, stability, and governance in conflict-affected and fragile states. Her recent work as Advisor to the UK Special Envoy for the Sudans involved advising on policy and programming for the UK’s support to South Sudan’s peace process.

Over the last ten years Teohna has worked in South Sudan, the Middle East, Haiti, Papua New Guinea, Kenya, Moldova, and Timor Leste. She has also worked as a Programme Manager for UNDP on conflict transformation and peacebuilding and as a security & justice sector reform advisor with the Geneva Centre for Security, Rule of Law and Development (DCAF), where she led and supported many donor teams in their policy development.

Teohna holds a Master degree in International Affairs from Columbia University (New York), a Joint BA in Anthropology & English from Oxford Brookes University, and a Drama degree from the Arts Educational School (London). She is a qualified trainer & facilitator and having initially worked as a professional actor, Teohna uses theatre as a peacebuilding tool, working with communities to find non-violent solutions to conflict.

Associate Partner

Carolann Alt

Carolann Alt brings 15 years of Global Strategic Marketing, Business Development and Commercial Execution across several industries including; healthcare, agri-business, power/renewable energy, real estate, SME and infrastructure. A former executive in the biotechnology industry she facilitated the commercialization of international pharmaceutical and medical technology companies into the U.S. landscape.

Since 2003, Carolann has garnered a strong affinity to sub-Saharan Africa, specifically Nigeria, with the ability to navigate the complex African business landscape. She is an advisor for Sustainable International Medical Missions and she has been appointed as an advisor to the US-Nigeria Commercial Dialogue, which is a mechanism designed to promote increased, diverse and sustainable trade and investment between the United States and Nigeria. Carolann is a Board Member of Quaint Energy with offices in the US, Nigeria, Tanzania and Pakistan, and is a Commissioner of African Affairs for the Maryland Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives

Specialties are Investment Sourcing & Deal Origination, Project Development, Project Finance, Strategic Planning and Market Entry, Collaboration and Global Strategy, Project Management, Sales and Marketing.

Associate Partner

Evelyne Sodogandji

Evelyne Sodogandji has 20 years’ experience in Operations, Business Strategy, Business development, Business Finance across various industries.

Evelyne worked at Standard Chartered Bank London for 11 years in various roles including Business Finance Partner and Associate Director, Business Development; Executing strategic planning and initiatives; executing clients focus marketing activities, enhancing client experience and assisting the Corporate & institutional Banking team provide clients with unparalleled access to global markets.

Associate Partner

Matt Patterson

Matt Patterson has spent almost two decades in British and international politics in communications, campaigns and media relations. He has led strategic communications and media handling on a broad range of policy and press issues, for senior political, government and NGO stakeholders over many years and through multiple crises. These include working to the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth during the Covid pandemic, her reappointment as head of the Secretariat, the death of Her late Majesty the Queen and the coronation of King Charles III. 

His experience also includes working to support the UK Chancellor during the global financial crisis and the G20 presidency and managing communications during the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar for a large DFID programme.

Throughout his career he has worked at the highest level on media and advocacy in UK and internationally for a range of organisations and individuals, including Governments, senior politicians, NGOs and British aid programmes. 

Associate Partner

Jackline Walumbe

A former journalist, Jackie brings exceptional knowledge and relationships with the East African press. Highly pragmatic and professional Jackie delivers fantastic results for not-for profit clients.

Associate Partner

Jo Gibbons

Jo has over 30 years experience in campaigning working across government, the voluntary, public and private sectors. Currently working as a freelance communications consultant for a number of voluntary sector organisations, she previously worked as a senior adviser for Tony Blair in Downing Street and moved with the former Prime Minister after he left office as his Director of Corporate Affairs.

Previously to that she was a Board Director at communications consultancy Edelman heading up the corporate and public affairs practice, and has also worked as a Special Adviser to Baroness Jay of Paddington and in PR roles at the FA, Labour Party, Citizens Advice Bureaux and various other organisations.

Jo is a Home-Start volunteer and on the board of the Tottenham Hotspurs Supporters’ Trust.

Associate Partner

Mark Davies

Mark Davies is a seasoned communications and public affairs professional with over 35 years of experience spanning journalism, government, business, and the charity sector.

From 2004 to 2010, he served as Special Adviser to two UK Cabinet Ministers, providing strategic counsel across key institutions including the House of Lords, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the House of Commons, and the Ministry of Justice.