MODEL & INFLUENCER

Noëlla began modeling when she won an Agent Provocateur competition and subsequently became the “face” of the famous lingerie brand. Since then Noëlla has worked in New York and London and gained an international following, appearing in many publications and media outlets, including CNN, Forbes, BBC, Vogue, Elle, Vanity Fair, and Marie Claire.

Awards

Noëlla has received several awards from various international media and organisations, including the Nelson Mandela Foundation’s 100 years award, BBC’s 100 Influential and Inspirational Women, 100 Most Influential Africans from New African magazine, Muhammad Ali Center’s Daughter of Greatness honor, 100 Innovators Shaping the Continent from TRUE Africa, International Humanitarian of the Year from the Women4africa Awards, and Voss Foundation’s Women Helping Women Award, to name a few. Malaika also won in 2024, Muhammad Ali Foundation ‘Daughters of Greatness’ prize, Agents of Change and To.Get There 2024 Humanitarian Award.

Noella at the Nelson Mandela Foundation’s 100 years award

Speaking Engagements

Noëlla has spoken at many high-level forums and events, including the World Economic Forum in Davos in both 2018 and 2020, the 2019 Forbes Leading Women Summit in Durban, the World Literacy Summit in Oxford, the 2021 Dignified Storytelling Forum in Dubai, the 2021 Global Citizen Forum, the Chopard x BOF Panel, alongside Julianne Moore and Colin Firth, the German AIDS Gala, alongside Princess Mabel van Oranje, the Global Citizen Forum, and The Global Fund’s HIV Epidemic Response campaign launch, alongside the First Lady of Namibia and the Princess of Swaziland. In 2023, she spoke at EY Strategic Growth Forum Caribbean, at Les Napoleons in January, Milken Institute Global Conference in May, and Laureus Sport for Good Global Summit Panel in June. More recently, in 2024, Noella spoke at Women in Business and Philanthropy Lunch Ireland Fund, The World of Fashion, Arts & Media for YPO during London Fashion Week, Goals House (Collective Power with Service Now and Girls Opportunity Alliance), Leading by design session at SDG Lounge, Greentech Festival and she was a Keynote speaker at the Salesforce during Black History Month.

Noëlla is passionate about speaking at small-scale community-driven events too, such as Women in Dev (2020), the WIL Forum in Dubai, TEDx in Paris organized by Société Générale, an Oxford University lecture to the International Relations Society, a UNICEF panel on Girl Power and Potential, and at the Kinshasa Parliament. She also takes great pride in speaking to young students about her philanthropic work, including engagements at Cheltenham Ladies' College and Francis Holland Regent’s Park.

Noella speaking at Francis Holland, Regent’s Park in 2024.

Brand Ambassador

Noëlla represents Black Opal, Creme De La Mer, and Max Factor. She has worked with brands such as TAG Heuer and was an ambassador for Africa Fashion Week in London in 2015 and 2014. In March 2021, Noëlla featured in the Mother’s Day campaign for The White Company.

Noëlla collaborated with Roksanda Illici and the Outnet in 2019 to create a unique collection and 10% of the sales went to Malaika. As part of her mission to see increased sustainability in fashion, Noëlla collaborated with rental company HURR in 2020. The campaign involved influencers donating outfits to the platform, and 100% of the rental price went to Malaika.

In 2021, Noella was part of Vogue x Piaget “Extraordinary Women” and in 2022, Noella collaborated on an edit with The Fold and worked on a Modern Working Wardrobe campaign with Paul Smith, both raising awareness about Malaika’s work.

Other collaborations include a partnership with British designer Georgia Hardinge, where a percentage of the sales of her Mila dress were donated to Malaika, as well as a campaign with MTArt Agency and MyTheresa, who made a donation to Malaika for International Women’s Day 2021.

Recently, Noëlla has been involved in several high-profile campaigns, including the May 2024 Mother's Day Campaign with Vrai, the March 2024 Tory Burch x Malaika collaboration, where a percentage of the new Spring/Summer collection sales supported Malaika, and a Marie Claire shoot in 2024 with Arizona Muse and Lily Cole. Additionally, in February 2023, she participated in a campaign with David Morris for International Women’s Day.

Noëlla at the world of Fashion, Art and Media at the Museum of London. With Roksanda and June Sarpong.

TV interviews and events

Noëlla has featured on several news and television shows and has hosted a number of events, including: Forbes 8 Original Series, CNN: African Voices, International Business Times UK, One World with Deepak Chopra, TV5 Monde, Voice of America 2023 and the BBC.

Noëlla presented the Barclays Women of the Year Award in 2019 and was co-host of the 2012 Miss Vodacom competition television show, where she also mentored the contestants. Noëlla hosted the Cinema for Peace events in NY and in LA, where philanthropists Sting and Trudie Styler and Ben Affleck were honored for their work.