{{Short description|Kenyan journalist}} {{Use British English|date=September 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}} {{Infobox person | name = Julie Gìchūrū | image = Julie Gichuru (1) (cropped).jpg | alt = | caption = Julie Gìchūrū | birth_name = Julie Gathoni Sumira | birth_date = {{birth date and age|7 January 1974|df=y}} | birth_place = Nairobi, Kenya | citizenship = Kenya | education = {{ubl|LLB Law|MBA Business Administration}} | alma_mater = {{ubl|Cardiff School of Law and Politics|Cardiff Business School}} | occupation = {{ubl| *Journalist *Entrepreneur *Media Personality }} | years_active = | spouse = Anthony Gìchūrū | children = 4<!--DO NOT ADD HER CHILDREN'S NAMES THEY ARE NOT NOTABLE; SEE TEMPLATE:INFOBOX PERSON--> | awards = Martin Luther King Salute to Greatness Order of the Golden Warrior (O.G.W) of Kenya Top 20 Young Power Women in Africa }} '''Julie Gathoni Sumira Gìchūrū''' (born 7 January 1974, Nairobi) is a Kenyan businesswoman, entrepreneur and media personality with investments in media, fashion retail and entertainment sectors. She is an independent director at Acumen Communication Limited and is a fellow and trustee of the Africa Leadership Initiative EA.<ref name=LeadershipInitiative>{{cite web|title=Africa Leadership Initiative - East Africa Class of 2008|url=http://www.ali-ea-foundation.net/fellows_08.html|publisher=The Africa Leadership Initiative|accessdate=23 February 2013|archive-date=23 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123214757/http://www.ali-ea-foundation.net/fellows_08.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref>
== Education background == Gìchūrū attended St Christophers School in Nairobi at the age of eight and later Green Herald in Bangladesh.<ref name="kenyanlife">{{Cite web|last=Gachie|first=Laban Thua|date=2016-05-07|title=Julie Gichuru - Biography, Husband, Children, Family, Contacts|url=https://kenyanlife.com/julie-gichuru/|access-date=2021-11-10|website=Kenyan Life|language=en-US}}</ref> She came back to Kenya and joined Karen C school before transferring to Loreto Convent Msongari. In form two, she transferred from 8-4-4 system to a GCE boarding school and joined Imani School in Thika for Form 3 and 4.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-07-17|title=Julie Gichuru Biography, Parents, Family, Husband and Age|url=https://kenyacradle.com/julie-gichuru/|access-date=2021-11-10|website=KenyaCradle|language=en-US|archive-date=10 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110093644/https://kenyacradle.com/julie-gichuru/|url-status=dead}}</ref> After attaining her Kenya Certificate for Secondary Education, she joined USIU for two semesters before transferring to the UK for a one year pre-university course at the University of Warwick, then joining University of Wales for her law degree. After completing her law degree, she worked for a year before proceeding with a master's in Business Administration at the same university. She holds an LLB Law and an MBA in Business Administration from Cardiff Law School, University of Wales and Cardiff Business School, University of Wales respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-11-21|title=Julie Gichuru Bio - Age, Husband & Children|url=https://answersafrica.com/julie-gichuru.html|access-date=2021-11-10|website=AnswersAfrica.com|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Dr. Julie Gichuru {{!}} Global Africa Business Initiative |url=https://gabi.unglobalcompact.org/person/dr-julie-gichuru |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=gabi.unglobalcompact.org |language=en}}</ref>
== Career == Julie Gìchūrū initially worked at Capital FM before moving to television as a reporter and news anchor at Kenya Television Network.<ref name="kenyanlife" /> She appeared in the Kenyan investigative TV series, ''The Inside Story'', on Kenya Television Network as well as current affairs shows at NTV (Kenya) including political and current affairs programs ''Showdown'', ''On the Spot'', ''You The Jury'' and ''The People's Voice'', and the news program ''Sunday Live'' and peace and reconciliation program ''Fist to Five'' at Citizen TV. Also included in this list is the post-election peace special ''Voices of Reason''. Through ARIMUS Media Limited Gìchūrū now oversees the production of African content such as Africa Leadership Dialogues, the High School debate platform Great Debaters Contest, entertainment series Maisha and a pipeline TV production of the Fatuma's Voice social Forum. The Footprints Africa Foundation (FAF) was established by Anthony and Julie Gìchūrū.<ref>{{cite web|title=Footprints Africa Foundation|url=http://www.footprintafrica.org}}</ref>
She is the founder, president and CEO of the Africa Leadership and Dialogue Institute (ALADI).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rodney |date=2025-03-05 |title=Julie Gichuru |url=https://africaladi.org/team/julie-gichuru-2/ |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=ALADI {{!}} Africa Leadership and Dialogue Institute |language=en-GB}}</ref> From 2019, she was the public affairs and communications officer for the Mastercard Foundation. Through her social media profiles, she announced leaving the foundation on October 2, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Julie GICHURU |url=https://www.theafricaceoforum.com/forum-2024/en/intervenant/julie-gichuru/ |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=Africa CEO Forum 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
== Awards == She is a recipient of the Martin Luther King Salute to Greatness Award.<ref>{{cite web|title=World Economic Forum|url=http://www.weforum.org/young-global-leaders/julie-gichuru|publisher=World Economic Forum|accessdate=23 February 2013}}{{dead link|date=September 2025}}</ref> Avance Media listed her as one of the 100 Most Influential African Women of 2019, and New African listed her as one of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2017<ref>{{Cite web|last=fadamana|date=2017-12-07|title=100 Most Influential Africans: Ten Kenyans Including CJ David Maraga Listed|url=https://answersafrica.com/100-most-influential-africans-list.html|access-date=2021-01-05|website=Answers Africa|language=en-US}}</ref> and 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kimani|first=Brian|title=Larry Madowo Named Among Top 100 Most Influential Africans|url=https://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/59996-larry-madowo-named-among-top-100-most-influential-africans|access-date=2021-01-13|website=Kenyans.co.ke|date=7 December 2020 |language=EN}}</ref> Besides she was recognized as the Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2010.
== Personal life == Gìchūrū is married to entrepreneur Anthony Gìchūrū. They have had 4 children. <ref>{{Cite web|title=TV journalist Julie Gichuru lands new state appointment|url=https://nairobinews.nation.co.ke/featured/julie-gichuru-state-appointment|website=Nairobi News|date=5 May 2019 |language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-25}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links ==
* [https://ke.linkedin.com/in/julie-gichuru-213a6ba4 Linkedin profile] * [https://x.com/juliegichuru?lang=en X (formerly Twitter)] * [https://www.instagram.com/juliegichuru/?hl=en Instagram] * [https://mastercardfdn.org/en/people/julie-gichuru/ Mastercard Foundation] {{Wikiquote}} {{authority control}}{{Commons}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gichuru, Julie}} Category:Kenyan radio journalists Category:Kenyan women radio journalists Category:Kenyan television journalists Category:Kenyan women television journalists Category:Businesspeople from Nairobi Category:1974 births Category:Living people