Among the speakers of this 2017 edition, the Land of African Business will welcome amongst others :
Sénamé Koffi AGBODJINOU – L’Africaine d’architecture
Architect and anthropologist, Sénamé Koffi AGBODJINOU is the creator of the collaborative research platform on the issues of architecture and the African city ‘L’Africaine d’architecture’. Founder and catalyst at WoeLabs, the network of Togolese grassroots techhubs whose ambition is to « make everyone equal in the face of technology » and in which he helped to launch the dozen shared companies of the #silliconvillage Group. Sénamé Koffi AGBODJINOU has been elected since 2017 to the Ashoka Foundation’s prestigious fellowship program for social entrepreneurs
Fortuné B. AHOULOUMA – LABS-NS AVOCATS
Fortuné is a Lawyer at the Paris Bar and lecturer at Université de Haute Alsace. Committed to sustainable development and interested in information and communication technologies, he works on ecological transition and digital transformation issues. Furthermore, he analyzes their impacts in our societies. As such, within LABS-NS AVOCATS, Fortuné provides legal support in particular to majors groups and Tech Start-Up in their various projects.
Dr. Edoh Kossi AMENOUNVE – BRVM
Dr Edoh Kossi AMENOUNVE holds a PhD in Administration and Finance from Laval University in Canada (1995). CEO of the BRVM and the DC/BR since October 2012, he previously served as Secretary General of CREPMF (2003 to 2012), the financial market regulation authority of the WAEMU; CEO of SGI-TOGO, a Brokerage Company (1997 to 2003). He has also created OPTI ASSET Management and worked on the implementation of the BRVM and DC/BR (1997 to 2000).
Foly ANANOU – L’Afrique des Idées
Foly ANANOU is the current director of publications of L’Afrique des Idées and is a PhD candidate in Laboratoire d’analyse et de prospectives économiques of the University of Limoges. He received a Master’s degree in statistics and economics from l’Ensae-Sénégal and has served as Economist in a public institution in Senegal. His areas of expertise include banking and finance, public finance of which fiscality and socioeconomic development.
Cedric ATANGANA – INFINITY SPACE
Cedric ATANGANA, is a 26 years old Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Engineer from Cameroon, CEO and co-founder at INFINITY SPACE. INFINITY SPACE is a FinTech startup based in Marseille – France building www.wecashup.com, a Universal Payment Platform that implements a Financial Artificial Intelligence on the Blockchain to enable digital companies worldwide to accept Cash, Mobile Money, Mobile Banking Wallets, Credit & Debit Cards and Cryptocurrency payments online and offline across Africa and more, via a single API.
Adli TAKKAL BATAILLE – Le Cercle du Coin
Adli TAKKAL BATAILLE has been involved in digital since a very young age, he entered in the world of Bitcoin and blockchain protocols for over 4 years now. He has founded an information website, is a community animator through the chairmanship of the association Le Cercle du Coin, the organization of local meetings in Bordeaux and the animation of the Repas du Coin (networking meals). He is co-author of Bitcoin, la monnaie acéphale (CNRS éditions), lecturers, consultant and independent trainer. In parallel, he continues to do research in linguistics, has a literary background and undertakes numerous projects.
Philippe BATREAU – French Tech Abidjan
Philippe BATREAU is CEO of Epistrophe, publisher of Age Numérique, co-founder of French Tech Abidjan. international expert in internet governance and public services. Lawyer, he worked in the French public administration, founded Epistrophe in 1999 and established it in Côte d’Ivoire in 2010. He is in charge of the digital section of the monthly Emergence économique, published by Fraternité Matin. and collaborates with the Ivorian professional press.
Isabelle BEBEAR – Bpifrance
Isabelle BEBEAR joined Bpifrance (formerly CDC Entreprises) in 2001. She is currently Head of International Affairs and Management Programs. Before, she was Head of Business Development and support for SMEs, Head of Investments in French regional private equity funds and in South-Mediterranean countries, with nearly €300m under management. Isabelle previously worked in the pharmaceutical industry, as international human resources manager. Isabelle graduated from the Institut Supérieur de Gestion (International business school). Isabelle is also President of the Management Board of Euromed Capital Association. She is a director on the board of Proparco (AFD Group) and a director of CAEI, African Entrepreneurship and Innovation Council.
Knight of the National Order of Merit since 2014.
Othmane BEKKARI – Royal Air Maroc
Othmane BEKKARI has more than 20 years hands-on experience in customer-centric businesses, ranging from Consumer Goods to Retail to Banking. During his career, he successfully led the development and implementation of new brands, concepts and initiatives that have turned businesses around by putting the customer in the center of the business strategy. Othmane BEKKARI’s deep conviction is that by putting the customers first, by understanding their needs and their deepest wants, and by challenging the organization to deliver on these needs and wants, businesses can only grow stronger and healthier. At Royal Air Maroc, Othmane is in charge of the Customer division, and oversees marketing, sales, network, pricing and revenue management. On the non-profit side, Othmane BEKKARI is the Secretary General of Care International Maroc, a major NGO, member of the Care International network, who’s aim is to eliminate the deepest causes of poverty. Othmane holds two engineering degrees from French top engineering schools. He is married and father to two children.
Franck BERTHOD – ADN Factory
Franck BERTHOD is an expert with over 25 years of experience in international executive positions and an extensive background. Global Entrepreneur, he created an ecosystem doing Corporate and Social business in Africa, Middle East and Europe Antilop Development Network. Previously high flyer at Schneider Electric, Franck BERTHOD is an international expert in Strategy, Business development and Corporate restructuring, working as Member of the board, Special Advisor, Executive Coach. French and Ivorian, he obtained his Master degree in Finance and Marketing (IFAG Lyon) and specialist in business coaching, cross cultural relations and psychology of management. Franck is involved in Innovation, Education and Entrepreneurship, Member of ARA Jury, speaker, catalyst of ADN Factory Hub in Abidjan, mentor with Eimpact ALTIS Milano / CERAP, UBIS Geneva / GDLI Abuja and Ningbo Nottingham University BS in China.
Vincent di BETTA – Bpifrance
Vincent di BETTA joined the International Affairs and Management Department as Head of International Expertise Activities in 2010. Objective: Support States or private structures to develop a network of SMEs and start-ups, which is a factor for growth, employment and the creation of added value: (geographical area: Sub-Saharan Africa, Maghreb, Russia, Eurasia) Professionnal background: 5 years : Head of OSEO Business Network (Bpifrance : formely OSEO), 8 years: Business Analyst Team Manager: Strategic transversal projects for the reorganization of entities, optimization of processes, operational change. Projects size > 10 M€, 6 years: Senior Business Manager – Large Account Division, 5 years : Expert in SME Credit Risk. Ohther skills: Speaker at the MBA program of Rennes School of Business: “How start-ups creates, delivers and captures value”,Intervening with African bankers on SMEs risk and project management. Diploma: Juin 1998 Diplôme du Centre d’Etudes Supérieures de Banque – CESB / HEC – Paris, Juin 1986 -Diplôme de l’Ecole Supérieure du Commerce Extérieur – ESCE – Paris
Philippe BRIZOUA – BRVM
Philippe BRIZOUA is Country DIrector in Ivory Coast at the West Africa Monetary & Economic Union Regional Stock Exchange since 2014 where he is among other things member of the Private Sector Financing Commission and President of the Commission in charge of alternative financing (off banking sector). He has 20 years of experience in sectors such as consulting, restructuring, and business development in private companies such as Deloitte & Touche; as well as in the public setor, at the Ministry of Economic and Financial Affairs.
Edith YAH BROU – Africa Contents Group
Edith YAH BROU is a Tech-entrepreneur. She is the CEO of Africa Contents Group, a multimedia company that produces digital content for brands & e-influencers. BuzzyAfrica.com – an online portal for french speaking african millenials – is a brand media of this company. This media is positioned as the buzzfeed or African Démotivateur. In October 2014 – invited by the International Union of Telecommunications (ITU) in Busan (South Korea) – she participated in the program for 3 weeks YOUNG LEADERS ICT POLICY. In February 2015, Jeune Afrique Magazine ranked her among the 50 personalities who’s shaking the Ivory Coast. Edith YAH BROU graduated in economics from the University Felix Houphouet Boigny sciences. Since December 22th, 2015, she was elected President of the Association of Ivory Coast Bloggers (ABCI)
Sophie CHAMBON-DIALLO – Atos
Sophie Chambon-DIALLO is Director of Corporate Social Responsibility of the Atos Group. Sophie is also Special Advisor for Africa. She is a member of the Atos Scientific Community. Before joining the Atos Group, Sophie Chambon-Diallo spent several years in strategy and organization consulting. She previously worked as a director of operations for an operational marketing agency. She graduated with a DEA in Economics Paris 1 – Panthéon Sorbonne.
Maud CHASSANDE – ESSEC
Maud CHASSANDE is finishing her master in ESSEC Business School, a top-ranked French business school, with a specialization in « Social Entrepreneurship ». During her studies, she worked as an apprentice at BNP Paribas Asset Management, where she was in charge of the investments in social businesses. Thus, she learnt a lot about financing some small social projects. Maud CHASSANDE is deeply interested in environmental matters, and consider that they are totally linked with the question of the unequal distribution of wealth at the global level. She believes that African countries can reach a development that will both trigger more wealth for people, and be sustainable. To achieve that, the best technologies can be used to reduce the energetic consumptions, and some start-ups can help at the local scale.
Omar CISSE – InTouch
Omar CISSE is a computer design engineer who graduated from Ecole Supérieure Polytechnique in Dakar in 2000. He then pursued an international MBA degree and various business management trainings. With other friends, he founded 2SI, a company specialized in software engineering, which he managed from 2005 to 2010. Drawing from his multiple entrepreneurial experiences, Omar Cissé participated in launching the first ICT incubator (CTIC Dakar). He managed CTIC Dakar until 2013. With the ambition to transform digital payments, he founded InTouch in 2014 with the first services on the platform being launched in November 2015.Finally, with his business associate Olivier Furdelle and in partnership with Investors and Partners, they launched in March 2015 an investment fund called Teranga Capital.
Fatims COULIBALY
Fatims Coulibaly is a young Ivorian woman Entrepreneur and writer. In 2008 she received the title of « Youngest Entrepreneur of the Year ». A few years later, she was part of the « super women of Côte d’Ivoire » and then « Woman of Influence » alongside eminent female personalities of the business ecosystem in Côte d’Ivoire. « We must not give a single pretext to life to prevent us from reaching our goals », that is the essence of the message she teaches through social networks and in her speeches.
Zié COULIBALY – Institut français de Côte d’Ivoire
Since 1985, Zié Coulibaly is a teacher at INSAAC where he manages cultural projects. He also becomes the Technical Director of the Market for African Performing Arts (MASA) from 1996 to 2007, and becomes its artistic advisor for theater, tale and humor in 2014. Zié is also Managing Director of the Institut français de Côte d’Ivoire since January 2017 and has presided the Ceremony Commission at the Francophonie Games in Abidjan.
Hermann DANO – Yup Côte d’Ivoire
Hermann has been working for 17 years with leading telcos operators in Africa (Côte d’Ivoire & Guinea Conakry) where he assumed senior management roles in both Consumer and B2B segments. He recently joined Societe Generale as YUP Côte d’Ivoire Country Head. Found of new technologies and innovation he is preparing and advance certificate in Leading Digital Transformation at HEC Paris, part of his Executive MBA program.
Charlotte DESBOUVRY – Afrimarket
Country manager for Ivory Coast at Afrimarket West Africa, Charlotte DESBOUVRY graduated from EMLYON Business School in France and is passionate about sustainable growth in emerging markets. Her experience for developing and launching solar home systems in West Africa at Total Oil Company, shows her the full potential of African development, based among others on the digital revolution.
Aziz DIALLO – CANAL+
Since august 2017, Aziz DIALLO is the CEO of CANAL+ Côte d’Ivoire. With a double-degree, management at HEC Paris and telecom engineer from INP-HB Côte d’Ivoire, Aziz started his career within ALCATEL as pre-sales manager. He then worked as consultant in strategy in Paris for Oliver Wyman then Greenwich Consulting, before joining MTN in West&Central Africa VP Office, to develop MTN business in this region from Guinea-Bissau to Congo-Brazzaville. Aziz DIALLO joined CANAL+ Group at the end of 2014, as CEO of CANAL+ Mali where he spent 3 years, before being appointed at the head of the largest operation of CANAL+ in Africa, CANAL+ Côte d’Ivoire.
Cheikh-Souleymane DIALLO – AfricInves
Cheikh-Souleymane DIALLO is a Senior Manager at AfricInvest. He is in charge of deal sourcing, executing and monitoring of investments in West and Central Africa. Over the last decade and prior to joining AfricInvest, he worked as a Senior Investment Officer for Proparco West Africa Regional Office and also as an Investment Officer for the Investment Banking Department of Ecobank. Cheikh has been involved in many debt and equity transactions in various sectors of economy such as Agri-Business, Manufacturing, Hospitality, Banking, Insurance, Infrastructures… He served as Board Member of a few companies and he has a good knowledge of the Pan African corporate culture.
Karidjata DIALLO – EDIT AFRICA INTERNATIONAL and PULAARKU WELLY
Karidjata DIALLO is Chief Executive Officer and Founder of EDIT AFRICA INTERNATIONAL and PULAARKU WELLY (www.pw.ci). Those companies, one is in the field of telecoms and the other in event communication. It is in 2012 that starts the entrepreneurial adventure of this fighter for whom nothing was easy. After 5 years of existence, her company employs about twenty collaborators and is the privileged partner of many multinationals companies in Côte d’Ivoire; This is due to her determination and willingness to change her condition, and that of the girls and women of Africa. This social commitment led her to create « Actives » (www.actives.ci), a NGO that aims to encourage and educate other girls and women in Education, Leadership and Entrepreneurship.
Souleymane DIARRASSOUBA – Minister of Trade, Crafts and SME Promotion of Côte d’Ivoire
Before he entered the government as Minister of Trade, Crafts and SME Promotion on January, 11th 2017, Souleymane DIARRASSOUBA was the General Manager of the Atlantic Business International Group, a branch of the Morrocan Banque Centrale Populaire. Owner of a degree from the Bank of the Conservatoire National des Arts & Métiers from Paris, as well as one in audit and management control from the national University of Ivory Coast and the Paris XII Val de Marne University, Mr DIARRASSOUBA also graduated from the “Advanced Management Program” from the MDE Business School Abidjan/IESE Business School of Barcelona.
Aissata DOUCOURE-BOUNDY – Ministry of Trade, Crafts and SME Promotion of Côte d’Ivoire
Aissata Doucouré is the General Manager of Crafts, Competitiveness and SME Promotion at the Ministry of Trade, Crafts and SME Promotion. She is also an economist who graduated in Economic development – Project Analysis from the Clermont-Ferrand I University (France). Aïssata also has more than 30 years of experience in public administration and is a reference in terms of economic integration.
Omo-Délé EGUE – NSIA Group
Omo-Dele EGUE is a seasoned financial advisory and securities services professional with 20 years work experience including over 17 years of regular practice on the West African Regional Stock Exchange. His reknown expertise has been built up from a senior executive role at BRVM Stock Exchange to executive management responsibilities as CEO of two leading West African Stockbrokerage firms: 11 years with BOA Capital Securities (formerly Actibourse, member of the Panafrican Banking Group BMCE) before joining last year another Panafrican Insurance and Banking Conglomerate -NSIA Group- as Managing Director of its investment bank and brokerage arm. Omo-Dele EGUE holds a Bachelor in Economics of the University of Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire) and a Master from the Skema Business School of Nice (France). He is also graduated from ESSEC Business School.
Eliane EKRA – Chief Cabinet of the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene of Côte d’Ivoire
Doctor of State in Odontostomatology of the University of Bordeaux II, holder of several Certificates in Sciences of the Person, Family and Education of the University of Pamplona, certified in International Negotiations of the Institute of Higher Studies In Africa, Dr. Ekra is also certified in Commercial Mediation and Project Management and International Solidarity at the University of Abidjan. Currently, she is Consultant / Trainer at MDE Business School, Teacher at the University of Lagunes, Commercial Mediator at the Court of Arbitration of Côte d’Ivoire, Member of the International Association of Professional and Business Women and Chief Cabinet of the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene.
Laurent DEJOIE – Association for French Speaking Notaries
Laurent DEJOIE is notary at Vertou, near Nantes. After presiding over the organization of the French notary Congress in 1998, he was nominated as President of the French Notary Council, from 2004 to 2006. Since 2007, he has been President of the Association for French Speaking Notaries. At the same time, he was Mayor of Vertou, from 1995 to 2014, and since 2010, he has been sitting at the Regional council of Pays de la Loire. He wrote in cooperation with the Cameroon advocacy Abdoulaye Harissou, the book untitled « Les Enfants Fantômes » (Ghost children) which deals with the situation in Africa of children who have not been registered at birth.
Marie-Madeleine DIOUBATE – Life Line Biotech Ltd et Beyond Overseas
Marie-Madeleine DIOUBATE has an atypical career. She started her career at the Importation Department of Galeries La Fayette, SPAM, after obtaining her BTS. After six years as head of import zone, she joined the buying office and stayed there for five years. Then she joined the group OMNIUM as head of Import and Sourcing Department. Five years later, I changed radically from textile industry and joined a consulting company, Strategies & Développement, a company specializing in mining and oil. I did not stay there for two years. In 2008, first she joined as a consultant then as a partner in Africa of two Indian groups, Life Line Biotech Ltd and Beyond Overseas. Her interest in agriculture naturally manifested itself in Guinea, where she tried to work within the framework of self-sufficiency in food. Finally she was a candidate in the presidential election of Guinea, in October 2015.
Safoura FADIGA – DUBASS Higher Institute of Technology (IST-DUBASS)
Safoura FADIGA is co-founder and CEO of the DUBASS Higher Institute of Technology (IST-DUBASS). As a Statistician-Economist engineer graduated from ENSAE (Paris), and a specialist in BPR (graduated from CNAM, Paris), Safoura FADIGA has played a pioneering role in both computer science and women’s entrepreneurship in Ivory Coast. Safoura FADIGA joined CIERIA as an Analyst, then Head of IT Projects at the Ministry of Finance. She creates the companies SAFCI-INFORMATIQUE (IT training and engineering company, 1986-2007), SAFI (food industry 2003-2012). Safoura FADIGA was Professor of Mathematical Statistics at ENSEA (Abidjan) and Director of the Higher Institute of Informatics (ISI-INSET, Abidjan). Member of the Economic and Social Council (2001-2012), and the Human Rights National Commission of Côte d’Ivoire (2007-2012). Safoura FADIGA is Commander of the National Order since 2002. Since 1996, Safoura FADIGA’s biography has been accepted into Marquis Who’s Who, which is comprised of the top 3% of the professionals in the world. And she has received the « official 2017 Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award », july 2017
Stella FOKA – ESSEC
Stella FOKA is a Cameroonian ESSEC student born in Douala 18 years ago. Holder of a GCE Advanced Level in Economics, Stella is mostly liked for her relational skills and her ability to speak in public. Her goal is to work at the stock exchange of London and then to promote and advocate for a Strong Africa by introducing a strong and unique African currency. She is passionate about swimming as well as about the discovery of the world and new cultures through trips. Otherwise, she also participates actively in a humanitarian association taking care of orphans (APA : African Progress Alliance).
Bertrand FORESTIER – Système U
Bertrand FORESTIER graduated from Sciences Po Grenoble and from the Centre d’Etudes et de Formation des Assistants Technique du Commerce. He first worked as a business advisor at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of Nantes, before he was promoted to Director of Trade and Tourism of the CCIs of Nantes and St Nazaire. Then then he committed himself to local projects for a long time as Head of the Management Center of Loire Atlantique. Later, he joined Système U Sud and is now Head of Overseas development and export at U Enseigne, which gathers the employees of Système U regional cooperatives.
Thierry FORNAS – EcoAct
Thierry founded EcoAct in 2005, to provide companies and territories with unique expertise in planning for and implementing positive change in response to climate change. Thierry is also Director of Climate Pal, an organisation developing a project in Kenya to deliver improved cookstoves and agroforestry, reducing deforestation and improving the living conditions for local communities. Thierry’s many missions in Africa have given him an in-depth understanding of the continent’s sustainable development and climate issues.
Cyriac GBOGOU – Ovillage
Cyriac Gbogou is the co-founder of a third-place of transformation and social innovation called Ovillage. In this place, which is neither an office nor a house, but a third field of possibilities in which everyone meets in order to find in the other what is lacking. It is in this perspective that the words co-creation, collaboration, innovation and sharing are gathered together in one word « UBUNTU » which has become the spirit and essence of Ovillage. Cyriac Gbogou plays the role of Concierge, namely the one with the heavy responsibility to know all the skills that frequent space in order to put them in synergy in order to make « every problem of an African, an idea of ‘business « .Cyriac is the 2017 Excellence Award for the best ICT outreach initiative in Côte d’Ivoire. He is a member of the Digital Economy Committee of the Ivorian Employers and Alumni of International Visitors (IVLP) of the US State Department. Cyriac is the same award for excellence in 2017 for the best ICT outreach initiative in Côte d’Ivoire. He is a member of the Digital Economy Committee of the Ivorian Employers (CGECI) and alumni of international visitors (IVLP) of the American State Department.
Paul GINIES – Consultant/Professeur Sciences Po Paris
Paul GINIES is an international consultant on education and training, new technologies and development policies, Chief Engineer of Bridges and Water and Forests, President / Founder of Stratconseil and Chairman of the CIAN Education / Training Commission. He intervened on African issues at Sciences Po Paris and at HEC. From 2004 to 2013, he was Managing Director of 2iE – the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering in Ouagadougou – which he built with a focus on training and employment and the promotion of social entrepreneurship and innovation in partnership with the francophone and anglophone private sector.
Elisa GOUBET – ESSEC
Born in Italy in 1992, Elisa Goubet grew up in Paris, France. She enters a MSc in Contemporean History in Sciences Po Paris before entering a MSc in Management at ESSEC Business School. With a great interest in the African continent and its dynamism, Elisa will pursue her studies in African entrepreneurship in Morocco in 2018.
Guiako OBIN – Baby Lab
33-year-old Guiako OBIN is IT specialist by training, he is Executive director of the Baby Lab (1er Ivorian Fab Lab). He is Ambassador representing Côte d’Ivoire to the international scientific program Next Einstein Forum of the African Institute of the Sciences and the Mathematics whose head office is in Kigali to promote the African scientific and technological innovation on the world stage. Guiako is international speaker and is prize-winner of about ten prizes and recognitions the latest one of which is the Excellent National Prize on 2017 of ivorian government.
Christian KAMAYOU – MyAfricanStartUp
Christian KAMAYOU is the founder of MyAfricanStartUp, the first African platform that facilitates the linking of startups with media and investors. Created in 2015, My AfricanStartUp is an African private sector support initiative designed to support the creation and development of startups. MyAfricanStartUp launched in 2017 an annual ranking of top 100 innovative african startups to invest in, and point out the entrepreneurs who will become key players in innovation and the African private sector in the coming years. A graduate of HEC Paris with an MSc in Management, Christian is also in charge of the HEC Alumni Africa network.
Bruno Nabagné KONE – Minister of Communications, Digital Economy and the Post, and, Spokesman for the Government of Côte d’Ivoire
H.E. Mr. Bruno Nabagné KONE is the Minister of Communications, Digital Economy and the Post, and, Spokesman for the Government of Côte d’Ivoire. After graduating from HEC in 1985, Bruno Nabagné KONE began his career at Arthur Andersen. He subsequently held several positions as Finance Director for industrial and service companies in Côte d’Ivoire (including Comafrique Entreprises, SIFCOM Group) before taking on the positions of Deputy Chief Executive Officer and then Chief Executive Officer of Côte d’Ivoire Telecom (the incumbent telecommunications operator). From October 2008 to January 2011, he was the Managing Director of Audit Finance of the France Telecom – Orange Group, where in February 2011 he moved to AMEA (Africa, Middle East and Asia), Regulatory Affairs, before being called to the new Ivorian government as Minister of the Post and ICT, and, Spokesman of the government. Since, his mandate has been renewed and extended through two government reshuffles, the most recent being on since 11 January 2017 when the ex-Ministry of Communications was fused into the Ministry he runs.
Hermann Christian KOUASSI – Incub’Ivoir
38-year-old, Hermann Christian KOUASSI is ivorian living in France and graduate of consultant’s French government bond in Economic Intelligence obtained in 2015 at the European School of Economic Intelligence of Versailles. He also benefits from a Master’s degree specialized in International Financial Management obtained in Noema Business School of Rouen in 2007. In 2005, he obtained within the Group Instec in Abidjan the commercial engineering degree option Audit and Management control.
Agnès KRAIDY – Fondation Agir contre les cancers
Grand Reporter at Fraternité Matin, the largest circulating newspaper in Côte d’Ivoire, Agnès KRAIDY is up till now the only woman who has held the position of Central Chief Editor in the first ivorian press group. She has also been responsible for the internal training. Author, trainer and consultant, she is preparing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in entrepreneurship and sustainable development. Chairperson of Action against cancers Foundation, she is also commited in defending the rights and image of women.
Fabien LAWSON – LABS-NS AVOCATS
Fabien LAWSON is a lawyer at the Paris Bar and lecturer at Université Lille 2. Interested in information and communication technologies and social, economic, ecological and political transformations that they induce in our societies as well as the problems these transformations raise, Fabien LAWSON is committed to advise Tech Start-Up. Therefore he works on digital innovation issues within LABS-NS AVOCATS.
Dr Maurice MAHOUNON – Journalist
Dr Maurice MAHOUNON is a Journalist, Specialist in International and Strategic Relations, Expert in Defense and Security (Prevention, Management and Resolution of Crises and Conflicts) in the ECOWAS Area. Since November 2017 Maurice MAHOUNON is Editor-in-Chief of Radio Benin (Office of Radio and Television of Benin-ORTB). He has carried out numerous missions in countries in crisis and conflict in West Africa. He teaches Journalism and Political Science in Benin’s public universities and private higher education institutions. Maurice MAHOUNON conducts research on security issues in West Africa and collaborates as a consultant with national and international media, institutes and centers for analysis and prevention of crises and conflicts. Maurice MAHOUNON holds a PhD in International Law and Political Science from the University of Maastricht (Kingdom of the Netherlands) after a Ph.D in International Relations.
Grace MALANDA – « Elle se lance »
Grace MALANDA is a consultant in Personal Branding and Trainer in Digital Strategy. Accompanying daring women to realize themselves and make a difference in their market by creating an activity that resembles them, she first evolved into the field of start-up, before turning to blogging. In January 2016, Grace created the blog « Elle se lance » to inspire, motivate and give the keys to women who want to start an online business. Today, « Elle se lance » is an e-learning platform dedicated to women’s entrepreneurship, digital communication and branding. Building on this success, Grace also trains company employees, business school students and trainees with public organizations in the digital communication business. This in turn introduces them to the powerful tool that the web represents.
Douglas MBIANDOU – Objis
Douglas MBIANDOU is CEO of JAVA Web Mobile training company OBJIS. Through 10000Coders he sets for the next ten years the objective to train, value and follow on the continent ten thousand young people determined to succeed in the digital sector by contributing by expertise in programming to their employability as well as to the creation of technological start-ups.
Francis MESTON– Atos
Francis oversees MEA operations since July 1 st 2015 and has been nominated Group Digital Transformation Officer. Within MEA, Francis runs Atos operations in Middle East, Turkey and Africa with presence in 15 countries. MEA is today the fastest growing geographic business unit in Atos. Before and during six years, Francis run Atos Consulting & Systems Integration activities worldwide, covering all consulting, application development and application maintenance activities, which account for €3.4bn of revenue delivered by 33,000 business technologists. During his career, Francis created IT service and BPO delivery centers which today employs 3000 professionals in Africa and 15000 in India. He began his career at Gemini Consulting and was rapidly promoted VP in charge of EMEA Telco activities. Between 1996 and 2001, he was appointed Vice President of AT Kearney in charge of the Strategy and Business Transformation Practice in Europe. In 2002, he joined EDS as President of EDS France and VP of EDS. He led all business lines and created in particular the EDS Morocco offshore center. He was also accountable for several global accounts. He joined Atos in February 2009 as Executive Vice President of Global Systems Integration. Francis MESTON is a graduate in Computer Science Engineering from the Ecole Centrale Marseille and holds an MBA from Purdue University. He is the author of two management books on business transformation and IT management translated in several languages. He is a lecturer in several French business schools and professional associations. He has been Associate Professor at HEC for over 10 years.
Clenne MOUANGOU– Fondation SOUNGA
Clenne MOUANGOU, 35 years old, Congolese, was born in Brazzaville left her native country very young with her family to head to France where she pursued a brilliant career which was achieved with the obtaining of a Master in Market Finance. After various experiences within different banks in Paris, Clenne MOUANGOU made the decision to return to the Congo, to invest in an area that could be beneficial to her community, without having a clear idea of the project itself. The idea then made its way through an fun fact : each time Clenne MOUANGOU returned from France, her entourage requested from her to bring back dried pork sausages, a request that became recurrent. The adventure begins then for Clenne MOUANGOU, who, after studying the market starts her activities with 5 pigs, 4 females and 1 male. The livestock represents today more than 200 pigs ! In 2016, she joined the first promotion of SOUNGA NGA incubator, initiated by SOUNGA Foundation, allowing her to deepen her knowledge in terms of business management, but also to expand her professional network. Her ambition and her involvement are rewarded by the EAF (Female Entrepreneurship) in 2016, in the category World Entrepreneur, a fair return of her work and her determination. As a Congolese woman, an African woman, a SOUNGA woman, a tomorrow’s woman… Clenne MOUANGOU is dedicated to the development of her activity and the valorisation of her products both locally and internationally.
Candace NKOTH BISSECK – digitalfordevelopment.org
Graduated from ESSEC Business School, Candace is passionate about empowering people by improving their lives, businesses and career through innovation and digital technology. She is currently working with Stanford in West Africa, helping SMEs in the continent to scale-up their business using innovation. Previously, Candace was the country manager of the eCommerce website Jumia Market in Cameroon and is a recurrent guest speaker in the fields of digital economy, entrepreneurship and women empowerment. (www.candacenkoth.com)
Danièle SASSOU NGUESSO – Fondation Sounga
Graduated from Sciences-Po Paris, sensitive to the condition of African women, Danièle SASSOU NGUESSO set up the Sounga Foundation, a non-profit organization that was founded in 2015. Sounga, which means « Help » in Lingala, aims to meet women who experience obstacles to their daily development, offering a listening space, giving to them the freedom of speech and helping them to enhance their autonomy, developing their capability to undertake through training and microcredit actions. Siunga also aims to highlight those women who have managed to overcome societal barriers and contribute to the development of the country by their efforts, becoming the ambassadors of a modelling initiated by SOUNGA, to bring the women’s community to emancipation effective.
Christie Tondélé MIEKOUNTIMA – Kity Kèim
Christie Tondélé MIEKOUNTIMA, 25-year-old, Congolese, born in Brazzaville of a state inspector father and a housewife mother. Chrsitie has always nurtured a deep passion for fashion. Immediately after obtaining her BEPC in 2009, she naturally engages in a cutting and sewing training, that she will successfully complete in 2014. While preparing her baccalaureate, which she obtained in 2015, Christie devotes herself to communication workshops at IFC Brazzaville. With her diploma in her pocket, she decided to embark on entrepreneurship and met SOUNGA Foundation in 2016, which will integrate her within SOUNGA NGA incubator, from which she will benefit from a comprehensive training to make her project a reality. Thanks to a seed loan for the launch of her activities. She now heads Kity Kèim, which literally means « the work of my hands », dedicated to the manufacture of clothing and accessories through the recycling of loincloths, an innovative company harnessing development. Christie, a SOUNGA woman, a tomorrow’s woman, is definitely an African woman to follow.
Alpha NURY – Jamaafunding
Alpha NURY is a 27 year-old French-Senegalese. After his preparatory class, Alpha entered INSEEC Paris where he received a master in International Management and Corporate Finance. After a few years of experience working for multinational companies, he decided to commit himself to a project dear to his heart: to create a social company. In 2015, he starts Jamaafunding. Jamaa means “family” in Swahili. Jamaafunding is a crowdtiming platform: it allows people who carry projects to collect time (skills patronage) and money to fund their projects.
Saloua BEN LOULID – ESSSEC
Saloua BEN LOULID is from Tangier, Morocco and is 20 years old. After earning a French scientific baccalaureate, she is currently a 2nd year student at the ESSEC Global BBA program and was part of the inaugural promotion of the African Atlantic campus in Morocco. She loves to watch movies critically, travelling, and animals!
Issoufou OUATTARA – Coba-Groups
A graduate in private business law, Issoufou OUATTARA is President and CEO of Coba-Groups. At 50 years old, he is one of the leading business leaders in Côte d’Ivoire. Coba-Groups, a joint stock company established in Bondoukou specializing in the production, collection and processing of agricultural raw materials, but also in the sale of semi-finished products and agricultural finished products. The President was noted for his constant commitment to promoting the development of innovative and resolutely quality-oriented processes, as well as his desire to establish a more equitable compensation for the repercussions between farmers and other actors since the transformation. until the products are marketed. President of the Chamber of Commerce and Regional Industry in the Zanzan District to build and accompany this region in its development. He recently received the Century International Quality Award in Geneva as part of the International Quality Convention.
Korédé ODJO-BELLA – Lagardère Active Radio Internationale (LARI)
Ms. Korédé ODJO-BELLA is the current Managing Director of Lagardere Active in Cote d’Ivoire. Lagardère is a world-class pure-player media group led, which operates in more than 40 countries and is structured according to four distinct and complementary business lines, such as publishing, travel retail services, sports, focusing on production and the aggregation of multimedia content. From 2014 to 2015, she was the Chief Marketing and Retail Officer at the Wari Group, responsible for the full marketing mix allocations and country portfolio strategy based on business needs (Product, Distribution, CRM, Price, Communications) in 35 countries (4 continents). From 2010 to 2013, she was the Marketing Director at Canal+ Afrique, overseeing the coordination and implementation of the marketing and communication strategy for Canal+ and Canalsat brands in 40 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Zakaria OUZIF – ESSEC
Zakaria OUZIF is 18 years old. After getting his high school diploma at Groupe Scolaire Atlas, he decided to join the first class of ESSEC Business School here in Morocco. Passionate about sports and travel, he practiced football for 7 years before he decided to drop out in order to focus on his studies and his future. Throughout these 7 years he had the opportunity to play in major tournaments ; In Sweden for example where he represented Morocco. Driven by the desire to discover new things, he is looking forward to the years to come and all the doors that will open to him and allow him to discover the world and its cultures.
Gala PARICHEVA – Oolith Avocats
Gala PARICHEVA is a lawyer at the Paris Bar and a partner and founder of the international business law firm Oolith (www.oolith.eu) based in Paris. Gala practices computer and Internet law, trademark law, copyright and model designs law. Gala Paricheva is also specialized in infringment and unfair competition litigation. It works with startups, small and medium-sized companies, large companies, business consultants and business advisors (accountants, communication and marketing agencies, chambers of commerce, incubators, etc.) During her 10 years of professional experience, she has actively assisted businessmen and start-ups in securing their intellecual property rights and assets both nationally and internationally. Gala Paricheva is a member of the International Trademark Association (INTA) and the Association of Patent and Trademark Law Practitioners (APRAM). She is also a partner and co-founder of the legal network www.le-droit-des-affaires.com. Vice-President of the Association Au Secours Haiti 2010
Aliénor Martin PERIDIER – ESSEC
Coming from New Caledonia, her passion for sea and sailing as well as mountains and trekking led her early to care about nature and environment. Keen on setting up all kinds of projects, she involved herself as well in scientific or cultural projects as entrepreneurial ones, among which a small business of viennoiseries delivering at weekends she developed at the age of 12. Her incline for entrepreneurship made her choose the path of a business school. She thus left her island to go and study in France and entered ESSEC in 2014. Passionate about sustainable development and very involved at ESSEC, she tried and implemented more sustainable ways of doing things, especially through associations she was a member of. In 2017 she joined the Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship Chair in order to broaden her horizon and find ways of turning the world into a better one.
Mame Cafa SALL – Kaizen
Mame Cafa SALL is a certified coach in communication skills in bridging divides and becoming a successful leader. She is an author of four books in leadership. She is the president of the leadership and competitiveness commission of the African center for competitive intelligence (ACCI).She is a columnist for « Réussir » magazine. She is the founder of Kaizen.
Thierry SIBIEUDE – ESSEC
Thierry SIBIEUDE is a professor at ESSEC Business School, founder and holder of the Social Entrepreneurship Chair in 2002 and, since June 2016, ESSEC Africa-Atlantic General-manager, the new ESSEC campus based in Rabat (Morocco). Thierry Thierry SIBIEUDE has also held associative responsibilities in the disability sector in particular.
Issa SIDIBE – Comoé Capital
Issa SIDIBE has over 10 years of experience in risk management consulting and audit in France and Luxembourg (Credit Agricole, Socgen, BPCE), private equity at Cauris Management and as the co-founder and CEO of TaxiJet, an Ivorian start-up. Since September 2016, he is the CEO of Comoé Capital, an impact fund dedicated to ivorian SMEs. Issa is graduated from INPHB Yamoussoukro and HEC Paris.
Sophie Ly SOW – NEXUS Groupe
Sophie Ly SOW is a Senegalese journalist and media activist. She has been reporter and chef editor at SUD Quotidien, a reputed independant daily. She was head of of the Panos Institute regional office for West Africa and later on Secretary General of AMARC, the World Association of Community Radiobroadcasters. Since 2013, she has been running her own consultancy firm, NEXUS Groupe which specializes in media and communication. Aside from these activities, she sits on the board of the Media Foundation for West Africa as well as on the Senegalese self regulatory body for Ethics in Journalism (CORED).
Sanaa TAZI – Royal Air Maroc
Sanaa TAZI, Engineer and holds an Executive Master in Strategic Marketing and Business Intelligence from France, currently in charge of Digital and Data Management at Royal Air Maroc. She joined the Company in 2011 after 7 years of experience in marketing, business development and account management in Texas and Paris. With 14 years of experience, Sanaa has held several positions of responsibility and has accumulated managerial skills and specific expertise on including income development, monitoring technological trends, commercial management … She is also the happy mother of two adorable children.
Faman TOURE – CCI Côte d’Ivoire
Sir Faman Touré holds a University Studies degree, majored in Insurance at l’Institut International des Assurances (IIA) in Yaoundé in CAMEROON. He is an engineer in Agronomy and a vocational mediator, graduate of l’Ecole de Médiation et de Négociation of Bordeaux, France. After several vocational experiences, he decided to focus the main part of his career on Insurance sector as a CEO.As a former director of AVENIRE (an international Insurance Company), CAMINSUR, ATLAS Assurance and President of National Offices of ECOWAS Brown Card. Talented entrepreneur, with a high level of business acumen, he is currently President and Special Advisor of Groupe Solidarité Africaine d’Assurance, Chairman of the Board of Directors of (MATCA) group, Judge of commercial cases and vice chair of Arbitration Court of Côte d’Ivoire .Since 2016 ,he is president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Côte d’Ivoire .
Hassini TSAKI – university of Oran
Hassini TSAKI is a university professor and director of academic research. He holds a PhD in Agronomic Sciences and Biological Engineering, and is a graduate of the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences of Gembloux (Belgium). Its research activities are carried out through collaboration within an « Environmental Monitoring Network », which includes « Bio-monitoring of pollution ». He is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Euro-Mediterranean Institute of the Environment and Renewable Energies (I3ER). He has fulfilled several training and expertise missions for UNESCO, the last of which in February 2011, as Project Manager, by initiating and chairing the International Training Seminar on «Organic Agriculture and Sustainable Development. Convinced that professional deformation of the highly specialized scientists in our time, Hassini TSAKI writes essays for children’s modern tales and collaborates with several newspapers , journals and conferences in order to make the findings and results of research accessible to the widest possible public.
Linda Nanan VALLEE – Digital Youth Foundation
After a training in systems and network administration, with a specialization in information systems management, Linda Nanan VALLEE worked for ten years in the private sector, in four countries spread over three continents. The positions she occupied range from Software Test Engineer in a United States equipment manufacturer, to the Program Manager of Evolution Telecom, to the role of Architect Telecommunications and Security in a large European banking group. Decided to contribute to the development of her country of birth, Côte d’Ivoire, she decided to resettle there, first in 2009, as an entrepreneur in the field of ICT training, then in 2015 as a teacher and then teacher. Hearing in 2016 by the Minister in charge of the digital economy and its Director of Cabinet, she becomes the first woman to join the team of Technical Advisors of the Ministry of Communication, Digital Economy and Post. Today Executive Director of the Digital Youth Foundation, she pursues her academic and research career at the Ecole Supérieure Africaine de l’Information et de la Communication.
Caroline VUILLEMIN – Fondation Hirondelle
Caroline Vuillemin is the Director (Chief executive officer) of Fondation Hirondelle. She took this position in January 2017, after Jean-Marie Etter, the previous Director and Co-founder of the organization, retired. Caroline joined Fondation Hirondelle in 2003 taking on responsibility for finance and administration, and then Project management of the Radio Okapi project, the biggest media program of Fondation Hirondelle at that time, in partnership with the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 2008 she joined the Executive team at Fondation Hirondelle as Chief Operations Officer. Born in France in 1975, Caroline holds a Degree in Political Science from the Lyon « Institut d’Etudes Politiques », completed by a Diploma in International Relations from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
Erick YONG – GreenTec Capital Partners
Erick Yong is the CEO and cofounder of GreenTec Capital Partners, a new kind of Impact Capital Venture. He is a successful serial entrepreneur- having already launched and scaled several businesses across various industries, an international marketing expert and a seasoned strategic executive with a vision. Erick was born in Germany to a family of Diplomats and is fluent in German, English and French. He also is well-versed in cross-cultural collaboration and international team management. In a former life, Erick used to be a professional basketball player.
Florent YOUZAN – Lab Innovation Afrique
Florent YOUZAN is a computer science engineer and activist for the promotion and defense of free software and open data in Africa. He believes strongly in Africa’s social transformation, but in his view this transformation requires collective citizen action, (R) changing attitudes and a new look at Africa, which is proving to be the continent of talent. Africa values. In 2011, he co-founded the Afriworkers network, a platform for promoting teleworking, coworking, pooling skills and aggregating experiences, and broadening his actions in favor of the development of work and skills training. creating with friends in Abidjan (Ivory Coast), the third place Ovillage a space of collective intelligence and social innovation. Florent Youzan is today the Director of the Innovation Lab Africa created by Societe Generale Group in February 2016 in Dakar, Senegal, which aims to stimulate and accelerate innovation in sub-Saharan African subsidiaries. This action-oriented « think tank » is an incubator of innovative initiatives and aims to develop a culture of innovation, collective intelligence, shared growth and experimentation with the heart of chains startups powered by young Africans. Florent Youzan holds a blog on the development and social transformation of Africa by free software entitled « My African look on free »
Jeanne Sissoko-ZEZE – Reflet Consulting
Jeanne Sissoko-ZEZE is the CEO of Reflet Consulting, a consulting firm in Corporate Branding and Personal Branding. This former banker has abandoned his career as a specialist of financial markets to embark on her passion. Her vision is that each person and company is able to reveal its identity and stand out, so she supports companies and individuals in the process of developing and managing their brand.