Thompson Yao was born in the village of Agortime Akpokope, Ghana in 1968.
After attending high school he started an apprenticeship in Kente weaving and obtained a best weaver and designer certificate.
He started his own Kente weaving company in 1992 and registered his company in 1998 as the TY Kente weaving enterprise which currently employs 24 weavers.
Mr. Thompson Yao has been instrumental in forming the Kpetoe Weavers Association comprising over 130 handloom textile weavers, of which he is currently the chairman.