Joanna Griffiths

Joanna Griffiths is the Founder and President of Knix and Kt by Knix, and one of Canada’s most accomplished and influential entrepreneurs. Since launching Knix in 2013, Joanna has built the company into one of the fastest-growing intimate apparel brands in the world and is widely credited with helping invent the leak-proof underwear category, now one of the fastest-growing segments in intimate hygiene. Today, Knix products have changed the lives of millions of people globally by redefining comfort, confidence, and performance in everyday wear.

Under Joanna’s leadership, Knix has become synonymous with innovation and purpose-driven business. The brand is celebrated for its commitment to body inclusivity and for challenging long-standing norms in both product design and marketing. Knix was the first brand in its category to showcase products in all available sizes, to feature only real customers in its advertising, and in 2020, to launch an entire television campaign starring women over the age of 50. That same year, Strategy magazine named Knix “Brand of the Year,” recognizing the company’s bold, category-defining impact.

In 2022, Joanna reached a major milestone when she successfully negotiated the sale of 80% of Knix to global health and hygiene leader Essity, valuing the company at approximately $400 million USD. This marked the largest publicly disclosed private sale of a Canadian direct-to-consumer company led by a solo female founder. True to her values, Joanna has said she hopes to hold that record only briefly and looks forward to celebrating the many women founders who will surpass it.

A nationally and internationally recognized marketing and business disruptor, Joanna has been named one of AdWeek’s Women Trailblazers, Waterstone’s Most Admired CEO, Glossy’s 2024 Founder of the Year, and in 2023 was named Canada’s EY Entrepreneur Of The Year®, representing Canada on the global stage. Her work and leadership have been featured in hundreds of media outlets, including Forbes, Fast Company, and The New York Times.

Joanna is also a passionate champion of female entrepreneurship. In 2021, she made headlines after disqualifying potential investors who questioned her ability to run a company while becoming a mother. Holding her ground, she closed Knix’s $50 million Series B financing just three days before giving birth to her twin daughters, on International Women’s Day. That year, the company went on to achieve 97% year-over-year growth.

A firm believer that businesses have a responsibility to give back, Joanna launched the Knix Fund in 2022, committing $1 million over three years to community impact initiatives. The fund’s first focus was menstrual equity, followed by a partnership with Catalyst to self-finance and produce female-forward documentaries that spark conversation and inspire change.