Full-stack beauty and consumer brand operator who single-handedly covers product formula design, regulatory compliance, manufacturing, brand strategy, and marketing—normally the work of a technical lead, compliance specialist, and marketing team combined. Chemical engineering and law trained, with deep export experience in botanical raw materials, and a mediator qualification for negotiations. She founded and runs Koro Gaia (since 2018), handling product claims, campaigns, and regulatory filings end-to-end.…

SHAMIM QURESH

Full-stack beauty and consumer brand operator who single-handedly covers product formula design, regulatory compliance, manufacturing, brand strategy, and marketing—normally the work of a technical lead, compliance specialist, and marketing team combined. Chemical engineering and law trained, with deep export experience in botanical raw materials, and a mediator qualification for negotiations. She founded and runs Koro Gaia (since 2018), handling product claims, campaigns, and regulatory filings end-to-end.…

Available to hire

Full-stack beauty and consumer brand operator who single-handedly covers product formula design, regulatory compliance, manufacturing, brand strategy, and marketing—normally the work of a technical lead, compliance specialist, and marketing team combined.

Chemical engineering and law trained, with deep export experience in botanical raw materials, and a mediator qualification for negotiations. She founded and runs Koro Gaia (since 2018), handling product claims, campaigns, and regulatory filings end-to-end.

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Skills

Experience Level

Language

English
Fluent
Swahili
Fluent
Somali
Intermediate
Arabic
Beginner

Work Experience

Creative Direction & Marketing Advisory at The Clean Edit
June 1, 2026 - Present
Advised a Nairobi-based makeup and beauty supplier on creative direction, content quality, and brand aesthetics for a community-driven, budget-conscious identity. Structured TikTok/Instagram trend and insights workflows and translated trend analysis into content-calendar-ready recommendations. Advised on marketing team structure, creator collaboration workflows, and creator positioning/fit for partnerships.
Creative Direction & Brand Marketing Advisory at The Clean Edit
June 1, 2026 - Present
Advises a Nairobi-based makeup/beauty supplier on creative direction, content quality and brand aesthetics for a community-driven budget-conscious identity. Structures TikTok/Instagram trend and insights workflows and translates trend analysis into content-calendar-ready recommendations. Advises on marketing team workflow gaps and creator collaboration strategy including creator positioning and partnership fit.
Creative Direction & Branding Advisory at The Clean Edit
June 1, 2026 - Present
Advised a Nairobi-based makeup/beauty supplier on creative direction, content quality, and brand aesthetics for a community-driven identity. Structured TikTok/Instagram trend and insights workflow and translated trend analysis into content-calendar-ready recommendations. Advised on marketing/creator collaboration workflow, including creator positioning and partnership fit.
Beauty & Consumer Brand Consultant (Creative & Brand Advisory) at The Clean Edit
June 1, 2026 - Present
Advised a Nairobi-based makeup/beauty supplier on creative direction, content quality, and community-driven budget-conscious identity. Structured TikTok/Instagram trend and insights workflow and translated trend analysis into content-calendar-ready recommendations. Consulted on marketing team work processes and creator collaboration strategy, including creator positioning and partnership fit.
Technical & Brand Advisor at AI Skin-Analysis Company
January 1, 2025 - Present
Provided skin science guidance focused on melanated skin tones for an underperforming face-analysis technology. Defined product and dataset validation criteria to correct accuracy gaps and contributed user research insights and go-to-market/brand positioning guidance for target consumers. Added brand positioning and launch advisory for pre-launch consumer brands.
Contract Manufacturing, Compliance & Brand Lead at Harriet's Botanicals
January 1, 2024 - January 1, 2025
Led contract manufacturing and brand positioning for a 7-SKU skincare client. Owned ingredient safety, INCI documentation, labeling, and claims compliance across all SKUs. Coordinated a team (2–5) across production and QC to set manufacturing specifications and quality control. Took the concept through compliant, shelf-ready market launch, managing the full product journey from formulation to finished units.
Founder at Koro Gaia
January 1, 2018 - Present
Founded and ran a beauty and wellness brand from 2018, covering end-to-end product development: formulation, ingredient safety assessment, stability/testing frameworks, INCI and safety documentation, and KEBS/PPB compliance. Built brand identity, positioning, packaging, and claims-compliant copy across web/ads/email. Managed sourcing and relationships with 6–10 vendors across 2–3 countries, contract manufacturing, packaging specs, and procurement/production planning using Odoo ERP. Owned marketing execution (Meta paid + organic social) and Shopify/Webflow operations; supported influencer/content collaborations and achieved organic coverage.
Process Engineering Intern at East African Portland Cement
June 1, 2010 - August 31, 2010
Gained exposure to industrial process operations and quality control within a large-scale manufacturing environment.
Export Operations (Botanical Raw Materials) at Elegant Trading Co Ltd
January 1, 2010 - January 1, 2019
Exported xanthan gum, gum arabic, and gum myrrh in shipments of 90,000kg+ to buyers in China, Germany, and France over a 9-year period. Managed relationships with key international buyers and handled trade compliance across multiple regulatory regimes with zero customs/compliance rejections.
Export Operations at Elegant Trading Co Ltd
January 1, 2010 - January 1, 2019
Exported xanthan gum, gum arabic, and gum myrrh in shipments of 90,000kg+ to China, Germany, and France. Managed international buyer relationships and trade compliance across three regulatory regimes with zero customs/compliance rejections. Handled import/export conformity requirements across shipments and documentation workflows.
Process Engineering Intern at East African Portland Cement
January 1, 2009 - January 1, 2010
Gained exposure to industrial process operations and quality control within a large-scale manufacturing environment.

Education

Associate's Degree - Chemical Engineering (Technical fluency behind product claims) at The University of Leeds
January 1, 2008 - January 1, 2010
Coursework - Chemical Engineering & Chemistry at The University of Queensland
January 1, 2013 - January 1, 2014
Diploma - Law (Contract literacy and regulatory interpretation) at The University of Buckingham
January 1, 2016 - January 1, 2017
Associate's Degree - Chemical Engineering at The University of Leeds
January 1, 2008 - January 1, 2010
Coursework - Chemical Engineering & Chemistry at The University of Queensland
January 1, 2013 - January 1, 2014
Diploma - Contract Literacy & Regulatory Interpretation at The University of Buckingham
January 1, 2016 - January 1, 2017
Associate's Degree - Chemical Engineering (coursework and technical fluency) at The University of Leeds
January 1, 2008 - January 1, 2010
Chemical Engineering & Chemistry (coursework) at The University of Queensland
January 1, 2013 - January 1, 2014
Diploma - Law (contract literacy and regulatory interpretation) at The University of Buckingham
January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2017
Associate's Degree - Chemical Engineering at The University of Leeds
January 1, 2008 - January 1, 2010
Coursework - Chemical Engineering & Chemistry at The University of Queensland
January 1, 2013 - January 1, 2014
Diploma - Law at The University of Buckingham
January 1, 2016 - January 1, 2017
Associate's Degree - Chemical Engineering at The University of Leeds
January 1, 2008 - January 1, 2010
Coursework - Chemical Engineering & Chemistry at The University of Queensland
January 1, 2013 - January 1, 2014
Diploma - Contract literacy and regulatory interpretation (Law) at The University of Buckingham
January 1, 2016 - January 1, 2017

Qualifications

CIArb-Qualified Mediator (Chartered Institute of Arbitrators)
January 1, 2018 - August 13, 2026
CIArb-Qualified Mediator (Chartered Institute of Arbitrators)
January 1, 2018 - August 13, 2026
CIArb-Qualified Mediator (Chartered Institute of Arbitrators)
January 1, 2018 - August 13, 2026
CIArb-Qualified Mediator (Chartered Institute of Arbitrators)
January 1, 2018 - August 13, 2026

Industry Experience

Consumer Goods, Manufacturing, Media & Entertainment, Retail, Professional Services, Wholesale & Distribution

Skills

Experience Level