Saran Koly

Creative Global Brand & Narrative Strategist | Founder of Subtile

Shaping Voices & Movements

Twenty years across continents, languages, and cultural spaces. Building bridges, shaping narratives, and creating movements that matter.

Trajectory

  • 2004-2011: Journalism, Media & Cultural Reporting

    Reported for french newspaper Libération, humanitarian news IRIN, feminist magazine Causette and others across Paris, Niamey, São Paulo, Johannesburg and Port-au-Prince.
    Covered Paris, New York and São Paulo Fashion Weeks, global culture, politics and humanitarian crises, shaping an editorial voice grounded in observation, nuance and cross-cultural insight.

    A woman with dark skin and curly hair styled in an updo, dressed in a checked blazer and satin pants, leaning on a wooden counter with her hand near her chin, looking thoughtfully to the side in a room with colorful cushions and decor.

  • 2010-2015: Humanitarian & Development Communications

    Communications roles with UNDP, WHO, PAHO, UNHCR, WSSCC/UNOPS and Transparency International across Haiti, Switzerland, Germany, Somalia, South Sudan and West Africa.
    Crafted emergency messaging, public health advocacy, led behaviour-change communication and narrative framing across 40+ countries.

    Smiling young African boy giving a thumbs-up, surrounded by other children, in an indoor setting. He is holding a book and appears happy.

  • 2015-2019: Public Advocacy, Narrative Change and Campaigns

    As Chief of Public Advocacy & External Communications for UNICEF, designed strategic communications, partnerships, advocacy strategies and led major youth, gender and early-childhood campaigns.

    A young woman with short curly hair and brown skin, wearing a red patterned top, is speaking into a microphone on a stand. She appears to be at an event or presentation.

  • 2019-2024: Public Health, Gender Equality & Global Leadership

    Across leadership roles at Evoke Kyne, Equal Measures 2030, Africa50 and The Elders, Saran shaped behaviour-change campaigns and gender-equality storytelling, delivered Africa50’s first Infra for Africa Forum, and shaped global narratives for Nobel laureates and former heads of state during the UN Summit of the Future in New-York.

    A smiling woman with dark curly hair sitting on a wooden stool, wearing a rust-colored top and metallic pleated pants, with her arms stretched forward and legs bent. In the background, there is a colorful abstract painting and some decorative red leaves.

  • 2015-Present: Leading Narrative Strategy Across Culture, Impact & Global Brands

    Work includes publishing FIELDS and PERFORM!, producing Migrant Talks, designing campaigns, shaping brand narratives for purpose-driven ventures, and producing multilingual podcasts and essays exploring identity, culture and the diaspora.

    A woman with dark curly hair wearing a colorful, patterned dress standing against a peach-colored wall.
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Institutional Experience:

Black background with white text that reads 'Africa50'
Logo with the letters "UNDP" in white on a black background.
UNICEF logo with white text on a black background.
Text on black background reading 'World Bank Annual Meetings'.
Text reading 'UN General Assembly' on a black background.
Black background with the word "WHO" in white capital letters