News
Women Fair Trade Leaders Awarded: Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu Posted on 7 Jan 11:40
The World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) has acknowledged soleRebels founder Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu this morning on their website. Along with two other incredible female leaders in fair trade, Carry Somers and Bitten Hogh, Bethlehem was noted for her contributions throughout 2013.CNN names Bethlehem as 1 of 12 female entrepreneurs who changed the way the world does business Posted on 6 Jun 08:37
CNN has named soleRebels founder Bethlehem as one of 12 female entrepreneurs who changed the world does business, along with Coco Chanel founder of iconic fashion house Chanel, beauty products icon Elizabeth Arden, famed entrepreneur Sara Blakely, and Body Shop founder Anita Roddick!
CNN had this to say about Bethlehem:
Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu came up with her business idea after watching her friends and neighbors in the Ethiopian village of Zenabwork, near Addis Ababa, struggling to make a living. She wanted to put their artisan skills to use, and so set up a footwear brand based on a traditional recycled car tire soled shoe.
See the full feature at the following link: 12 female entrepreneurs who changed the way we do business
New African Magazine names Bethlehem #7 on "Trailblazers under 50" list Posted on 24 May 08:36
New African Magazine has just named soleRebels founder, Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, #7 on the "Trailblazers under 50" list, right behind US President Barack Obama who was in spot #6!
From the article:
Alemu created soleRebels in 2004, to bring hope and jobs to her local community. Combining the skills of local artisans with an eco-sensitive approach, the company is an example of what a sustainable, global fair trade business can achieve and do for Africa - help end aid dependency.
See the full article below (click to enlarge).
soleRebels Featured on Oprah.com Posted on 5 Mar 08:29
In addition to being featured in the March issue of Oprah Magazine, soleRebels has just been featured on Oprah.com in the article Transforming a Community, One Fair-Trade Shoe at a Time.
From the article:
With her outsize ambition, bethlehem tilahun alemu is bringing ethiopia’s local culture to people around the world—foot by foot.
Read the full article here: Transforming a Community, One Fair-Trade Shoe at a Time.
Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu meets Lego’s Jorgen Vig Knudstorp on BBC Ideas Exchange Posted on 5 Sep 08:19
The Ideas Exchange is a series from the BBC exploring the minds shaping global business. It pairs up business leaders from around the world to discuss today's business landscape and their secrets to success.
Watch the video below to see soleRebels founder, Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, meet Lego CEO Jorgen Vig Knudstorp.
2012 World Economic Forum on Africa names soleRebels to official program Posted on 9 Apr 08:47
soleRebels , the planets fastest growing global African footwear brand, becomes 1st private African company to be showcased by Forum
Davos, Switzerland / Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
The World Economic Forum today named soleRebels , the planets fastest growing global African footwear brand , to the Forums official program at the upcoming 2012 World Economic Forum on Africa taking place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia May 9th-11th.
Hailed for their model of equitable and sustainable growth, soleRebels will be showcased to World Economic Forum delegates including international executives , leading entrepreneurs and global investment managers in a series of interactive site visits to the company’s artisan driven factory and soleRebels' innovative flagship retail location.
bethlehem tilahun alemu , founder and ceo of soleRebels and a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader will lead the tours. Forum delegates will have the chance to interact with company founder + ceo and see+experience how she built both the fastest growing African footwear brand on the planet and the worlds first fair trade footwear company
“I am honored that the World Economic Forum has chosen to showcase soleRebels at this important global gathering which itself serves to highlight the DYNAMIC OPPORTUNITY that IS Africa! soleRebels represents an Africa replete with the ideas, creativity, people , energy , and resources to create world class products and companies . I am deeply excited to share what we have been achieving with soleRebels and show how companies like us can continue to shape, define and position African development as a living and breathing reality that is reflective of the voices of African peoples AND is driven by their talents, their aspirations , their desires and their dreams.” stated Bethlehem.
Among the delegations scheduled to tour soleRebels is The Global Leadership Fellows Programme (GLFP) a unique World Economic Forum leadership development programme. Run by the World Economic Forum the programme finds the next generation of leaders both for the Forum’s own management and governance and also that of the world as a whole.
“The world is on the cusp of major changes and emerging markets are increasingly important as a source of incredible innovation and growth . Seeing and understanding bethlehems vision and her achievement of equitable and sustainable growth is an URGENT MUST for anyone seeking to engage with these evolving dynamics in real time ”, commented Prof. Gilbert Probst, Managing Director of the Leadership Office & Academic Affairs at the World Economic Forum.
The 22nd World Economic Forum Africa gathering brings together 700 global and regional business leaders, heads of state/government and ministers, as well as leaders from media, academia and civil society.
Under the theme Shaping Africa’s Transformation, the programme will focus on three core pillars to address key issues and opportunities:
- Strengthening Africa’s Leadership
- Accelerating Investment in Frontier Markets
- Scaling Innovation for Shared Opportunities
Over the past decade, Africa has become one of the fastest-growing economies worldwide. Ethiopia is a prime example of Africa’s frontier economies. Home to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Addis Ababa is the perfect setting to convene global and pan-African leaders to shape the region’s transformation.
The Co-Chairs of the meeting are Kofi Annan, Chairman, Africa Progress Panel (APP) and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Switzerland; Gao Xiqing, President and Vice-Chairman, China Investment Corporation (CIC), People’s Republic of China; Bekele Geleta, Secretary-General, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Socie ties (IFRC), Geneva; Doug McMillon, President and Chief Executive Officer, Wal-Mart International, Wal-Mart Stores, USA; and Tidjane Thiam, Group Chief Executive, Prudential, United Kingdom.
Interview with Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu on 'See Africa Differently' Posted on 5 Mar 20:59
A new interview with soleRebels founder and managing director, Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, has been published on See Africa Differently.
The article is titled "Building a Global African Brand" – read an excerpt of the interview below, or click the link below to read the full interview!
We have created world class jobs, a world class company and brand, while empowering our community and country. We have done this while simultaneously presenting a galvanised, dynamic face of African creativity to the global market. These actions, I believe, have forever shifted the discourse on African development from one of poverty alleviation orchestrated by external actors, to one about prosperity creation driven by local Africans maximising their talents and resources. And that’s key because no one was positioning things like that before soleRebels emerged and certainly no one was implementing it on the scale we have.
Read the full article at the following link: Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu: Building a Global African Brand.
soleRebels teams with former NIKE Creative Director for global retail rollout! Posted on 12 Feb 13:05
soleRebels is excited that our team of mentors on the NYC Venture Fellows program includes none other than the amazing Simon Collins!
Simon is the Dean of Fashion at Parsons The New School for Design.
He is also one of the planet's top Creative Directors. He directed Nike’s Asia Pacific division, a $900 million business and has worked with the world's leading brands from Polo Ralph Lauren to Fila, Reebok, Louis Vuitton, LVMH, Zegna, and Marks and Spencer!
Simon is excited about working one-on-one with soleRebels' founder and managing director, Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, providing strategic support for our global rollout of soleRebels retail stores!
If someone had asked us to dream up the most ideal strategic mentor to support taking soleRebels to the next level, SIMON would be it. This ride just got a whole lot more INTERESTING!!
soleRebels: Gettin’ down to Business in Bangkok! Posted on 12 Feb 12:59
soleRebels is excited to announce that Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu has been invited to be keynote speaker for the Entrepreneurship Forum at the 10th annual Bangkok Business Challenge on March 1-3, 2012. She is looking forward to sharing the magic of soleRebels there!
Bethlehem will also be part of the judging committee.
The Bangkok Business Challenge is an international business plan competition where teams from around the world converge in Bangkok and present their ventures to the panel of judges. The judging committee includes leading entrepreneurs, professionals and venture capitalists, who will be looking for the most attractive new venture based on submitted written business plans, live presentations and venture exhibits. Winners have a shot at prizes worth over $142,000 and the winning team will receive the prestigious ‘His Majesty The King’s Trophy’!!!
More details of the competition are at www.bbc.in.th