About Odiyo
Odiyo serves listeners looking for meaningful authentic audio content, authors wanting to expand into audio, and narrators seeking opportunities within Caribbean storytelling.
Community
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Authenticity
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Diversity
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Collaboration
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Equitability
Our Vision
Odiyo is a Caribbean-centred audio platform built to preserve, amplify, and celebrate our stories through sound.
Based in Kingston, Jamaica, Odiyo is an audiobook app that aims to increase accessibility to Caribbean audiobooks, and provide a marketplace that focuses on Caribbean creatives.
Our Mission
To shine a light on stories from the Caribbean, having them in one space and easily accessible through audiobooks. By building a community, Odiyo will have a positive benefit towards this and generations to come by preserving and progressing our heritage and culture through literature.
Users will be more inclined to read or listen to these productions which not only have the capability to inform and enlighten us on historic moments in time, but also to redefine our forward growth as a nation/region. We inspire to change the way people in the Caribbean consume their own content and also enable them to be more appreciative of it.
Meet the Team
At Odiyo, we believe in the power of storytelling and the magic that unfolds through the spoken word. Our team is a diverse and passionate group of individuals who share a common love for literature, audio, and innovation.
Behind the scenes, our team is constantly exploring new genres, discovering hidden gems, and collaborating with renowned authors and publishers to curate an extensive library that caters to all tastes. We are committed to creating an exceptional platform where storytelling thrives, and where you can discover, connect, and be inspired through the art of listening.
Saeed Thomas
Founder
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Saeed holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Entertainment and Cultural Enterprise Management from the University of the West Indies, Mona. With his extensive experience and academic background, he brings valuable expertise to the field of video production and entertainment.
Recognized for his talent and dedication, Saeed received the 2020 Prime Minister’s Youth Award for Arts and Culture. He has worked on various short films, including “Enhanced,” “Kinto,” “Cross My Heart,” and “Flight.” Additionally, Saeed was selected for the Clermont Ferrand 2020 Euro Connection Programme, presenting his script, “Black Girl In The Ring.”
Emma Thompson
General Counsel
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Emma joined the Soundojo team in January 2025 as Legal Counsel and Company Secretary.
Emma oversees the legal operations of the business and handles all things regulatory compliance.
She has a wealth of experience in complex high-value litigation proceedings and has served a varied clientele from her involvement in several multi-jurisdictional matters. With over a decade of experience, Emma’s pragmatic approach to solutions and offering sound legal advice continues to empower Soundojo to thrive in an ever-evolving legal and business landscape. Her expertise in regulatory compliance and corporate governance forms the legal backbone of Soundojo’s operations, ensuring the company moves with confidence in every strategic decision.
Emma has been a member of the Jamaican Bar since 2014. She also holds a Masters in Environmental Law from Queen Mary University of London and is a qualified Solicitor in England & Wales.
Kangwa Sambo
CTO
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With over a decade in the field of Technology, Kangwa has worked with companies of all sizes from start-ups to large government agencies. A self-taught web and mobile developer with a Bachelors in Computer Science from The University of the West Indies, Kangwa has a passion for technology and is committed to creating real world change with innovative technology solutions.
Lesley-Ann Wanliss
Head of Content Acquisitions
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Lesley-Ann is a teacher, developmental editor, writing coach and CEO of L.A. Wanliss Editing and Consultancy. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from UWI ST Augustine and was long listed for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize and Bocas Emerging Writers Fellowship in 2024. In addition to her poetry chapbook imago, L.A Wanliss is published in various international and Caribbean journals.
She is the theatre director of Jamaica National Pantomime 76th show “Channel 876” and the host of “Your Best Story” a podcast for editors and writers. Additionally, she is a founding member of Caribbean Association of Film Professionals (CAFTPro) and past director of Jamaican Film and Television Association (JAFTA) as Business Development and Initiative Chairperson. Her short film “Bright Sparks” is presently in production.
Cindy Allman
Head of Marketing
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