Unfiltered
The long
version.
01
Roots
I was raised in a Senegalese family with the kind of values passed down without making a fuss about it — dignity, integrity, hard work, and the unspoken understanding that you represent more than just yourself when you walk into a room. I have two incredible brothers; being the only girl in my family was never an issue, quite the opposite. I was given as many opportunities, if not more. I am a proud feminist.
I am also Fulani, which means restlessness is not a character flaw in my family. It is a tradition. My ancestors moved across West Africa following their cattle, reading the land. I have followed opportunity, curiosity, and occasionally a very good job offer across three continents and seven countries. Travel feeds my soul and my appetite. Finding the best meal in any city on earth is a superpower I have fully embraced. Eighty countries visited and still counting.
02
The work
I have built a two-decade career that began in finance in the United States before moving into the energy sector. The larger part of that journey has been at TotalEnergies, where I have moved across commercial roles, country leadership, and advocacy on a continent I never stopped being fascinated by. I became Managing Director of the Madagascar affiliate at age 35 and currently serve as VP for Engagement and Advocacy at TotalEnergies.
Along the way I made history as the first woman president of the GPM — the National Petroleum Industry Association in Madagascar — received the Chevalier de l’Ordre National de Madagascar, the Malagasy Medal of Honor, and was named CEO of the Year. I have spent a career opening doors that were not always unlocked. I say all of this not to impress, but because context matters.
These rooms were not always expecting me. I walked in anyway.
03
The continent
Africa is home. I have seen the struggle up close — the poverty, the gaps, the weight of centuries that were not kind to us. But I have also seen what lives right alongside all of that: ingenuity, creativity, innovation, and a generation of young people coming up in ways that genuinely take my breath away. We are the most resilient, the most creative, the funniest people on earth. We have waited long enough. We deserve to win. Loudly.
I also happen to believe — professionally and personally — that none of it moves without energy. Not as a slogan. As a fact I have watched play out across dozens of countries. Schools that stay lit. Businesses that can run. Women who do not have to make impossible choices to feed their families. That is what keeps me going on the hard days.
04
The Foundation
In 2026, I became President of the Fondation MAM, founded by my aunt Marème Samb Malong. The Foundation sits at the intersection of art, nature, community and transmission. Taking the baton from her is one of the greatest honors of my life. It also feels like coming home to something I was always meant to carry.
Art is not a luxury. It feeds something that nothing else reaches.
On Art — My aunt knew
05
Off the clock
I am obsessed with my nieces and nephews. One of my nieces carries my name — there are only two of us in the world with it, which feels about right for a name this special. In Senegalese culture, they say that when someone is named after you, they inherit seven of your character traits. I do hope she gets the seven best ones.
Outside of work I chase sunsets, collect sentences, and when a book is good enough, I ugly cry. I am most comfortable in a Banke Kuku kaftan, Amina Muaddi heels, Imaara earrings, and an Aliwax bag — but let’s be honest, a Kelly Hermès also works. African designers mixed with western luxury — just like me, a little bit of everything, rooted and open at once. Music is the soundtrack to my life, and I have the kind of memory that can place a song exactly: which city, which year, which version of me was listening.
I do not exercise nearly enough, but I love yoga when I actually show up for it. I watch reality television without apology, including Keeping Up with the Kardashians. The idea that Kim Kardashian has no business sense is frankly insane. I would love to lack business acumen that way — over a billion dollars is a very specific kind of incompetence.
06
Both, always
Depending on when you meet me and what time of day it is, I can be the most outgoing person in the room — the one closing the dance floor at midnight. Or I can be the one who texted “so sorry, crazy week” at 7pm when the truth is I am already in my silk robe, tea in hand, fully committed to an evening of Netflix or losing myself in a book. I am a hidden introvert. It took me years to admit that.
Closing note
Both versions are real. Neither is an apology.