An iconic figure in the African and French-speaking media landscape, Denise Epoté has devoted several decades to promoting the continent's talents, cultures, and voices on the international stage. Through her senior roles at TV5 Monde, where she notably headed up the Africa channel, she has helped to raise the profile of African broadcasting, promote its creators, and strengthen cultural bridges between Africa and the rest of the world. As she prepares to take a well-deserved retirement, her career inspires admiration, respect, and gratitude.
At ADWEKNOW, we have a special attachment to Denise Epoté, through a connection that she may not be aware of, but which occupies a fundamental place in our history.
When we were considering launching ADWEKNOW, we set out to meet with several recognized experts in the African media market, notably at CANAL+, Médiamétrie, Ipsos, and France Télévisions. All welcomed the idea of creating a platform dedicated to information on media and advertising in sub-Saharan Africa. All emphasized the usefulness—even the necessity—of such an initiative and enthusiastically encouraged us.
TV5 Monde was naturally one of the first institutions we wanted to meet with. Denise Epoté was generous and gracious enough to receive us very quickly. That meeting remains, even today, deeply engraved in my memory.
Unlike most of our interlocutors, her gaze was not only benevolent. She recognized the relevance of our project, but she rightly reminded us that our knowledge of the field was still limited given the richness, diversity, and complexity of the African market. With her characteristic pedagogical approach and strategic vision, she explained that it would be impossible for us to build a credible platform without first meeting with key players on the continent, particularly in Senegal, Cameroon, and Côte d'Ivoire. For her, this was not just advice: it was an essential step.
Convinced by the clarity of her analysis, we asked her to direct us to the right people to meet. With great generosity, she opened up her address book and facilitated our initial contacts.
This marked the beginning of a decisive adventure. In less than two months, thanks to these introductions—enriched by the invaluable support of our first partners—we traveled across these three countries and met with dozens of decision-makers at agencies, television networks, research institutes, and public institutions. Many of them are still part of the strong network that has supported ADWEKNOW since its inception.
Upon our return, and on the recommendation of Denise Epoté, TV5 Monde became a partner of ADWEKNOW. Ten years later, this partnership remains strong and valuable.
Beyond institutional support, we would like to pay tribute today to Denise Epoté, a woman of vision, a demanding professional, and a grande dame of African media. Her attentiveness, her benevolent frankness, and her trust have contributed decisively to the development of our project.
For this, we express our deep gratitude and sincere respect.