Frédérique Nanan

Frédérique Nanan is chief executive and publisher of Elle Afrique Francophone, the magazine’s first regional edition for Africa. The March 2026 launch capped Nanan’s revival of Elle Côte d'Ivoire, which was the magazine’s sole edition in sub-Saharan Africa at the time. After rebuilding its presence through an ambitious digital strategy and introducing a print edition, she struck a deal with Lagardère Group to expand into other French-speaking African markets under the new name. Nanan signalled the scale of her ambitions by securing Naomi Campbell for the inaugural cover, photographed by Trevor Stuurman and styled by Law Roach.

Produced in Abidjan through her company Innsaei Sarl, Elle Afrique Francophone was initially distributed in Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Senegal, Benin and Gabon. The regional edition gives fashion brands a single editorial platform to reach consumers across multiple francophone markets while giving the region’s designers, models and other creatives greater international visibility. Nanan plans to extend the scope of the magazine to more than 20 countries by the end of 2026. Before venturing into publishing, Nanan worked in the fashion industry for nearly two decades, including as the founder of a Paris-based ethical fashion label. The Franco-Ivorian entrepreneur also chairs the women's health NGO Think Tank Nanan. Nanan graduated from Skema Business School with a degree in communication in 2007.