A financial expert and polytechnic graduate from ESCA (École Supérieure de Commerce d’Abidjan), Mr. ABISSA has extensive experience in finance, particularly in financial engineering, modeling, and the structuring and restructuring of companies in the banking, insurance, industrial, and agribusiness sectors.
After holding senior positions at Banque Internationale de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (BIAO, now NSIA Banque), he joined Atlantic Group in 2015 as Deputy Chief Executive Officer of AFG. In 2022, he became Chief Executive Officer of Atlantic Group SA, the Group’s parent company, responsible for overseeing the activities of the sub-holdings (banking, insurance, and industry). Mr. ABISSA is also a CFA Charterholder.
A mechanical engineer graduated from ENTPE Lyon and holding a Master’s degree in Business Administration from New York University, Mr. MIVEDOR is a proven leader with extensive international experience in private sector investment, local currency fundraising, financial product engineering, energy project financing, risk management strategy, and project management support across various sectors.
Chief Executive Officer of Togo Invest Corporation SA, he has also held senior positions at the African Development Bank (AfDB), BRVM UMOA, Lehman Brothers, and other prestigious institutions.
A graduate of the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po) and the Centre d’Études Supérieures de Banque, he joined the Société Générale Group in 1973.
He became Chief Executive Officer of Société Générale des Banques en Côte d’Ivoire in 1988 and, ten years later, assumed responsibility for the Group’s international retail banking division.
He then developed Société Générale’s international network while strengthening the Group’s historical positions, particularly in Africa. In 2012, Mr. MATTEI became Advisor to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Société Générale Group
He has also held senior positions at AFD, Mauritius Commercial Bank, ORAGROUP, KEYS, and other institutions.
A graduate of the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po) and Harvard Business School, he is the Chief Executive Officer of Enko Capital West Africa and co-founder and partner of Enko Capital Management LLP.
He has extensive experience in the financial sector, particularly in asset management, financial services, fundraising, and mergers and acquisitions.
Mr. Yawo Zamidou Noël EKLO is a private equity professional in West Africa, with nearly 30 years of experience in fund management and strategic business advisory. Co-founder of Cauris Management, he leads this regional management firm, structuring and overseeing several major investment funds, including Cauris Investissement and Cauris Croissance I & II, collectively supporting around fifty regional companies and groups. Since 2017, he has served as CEO of Yeelen Capital, a member of the Cauris Management group and manager of the sector-focused Yeelen Financial Fund, established in partnership with BOAD, CNPS CI, and the AfDB. His expertise spans strategic advisory, corporate governance, and risk management, with past or current active roles on the boards of major groups such as AZALAÏ Group, PETRO IVOIRE, ETE/FIFA Benin, ABI/Banque Atlantique, and Bank of Africa. A graduate in finance from the École Supérieu
A graduate in finance from the École Supérieure de Gestion (Paris), he has further specialized in private equity with SIPAREX/SIGEFI and the SUEZ Group. As a founding member of AVCA (Africa Private Equity and Venture Capital Association) and A2IC (Ivorian Association of Private Equity Investors), he is actively contributing to the development of private equity in Africa.
Ms. Sanata Désirée DIARRA is a Board Director with over 26 years of experience in development and commercial banking. Trained in corporate governance at Sciences Po Paris and holding an MBA from IAE Paris Sorbonne as well as a Global Executive MBA from IFG Executive Education, she has successfully combined financial rigor with expertise in digital transformation.
During her distinguished career, she has held strategic positions at Standard Chartered Bank, Société Générale, and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
She combined a specialization in IT project management with expertise in banking risk management. Today, her Board Director mandates—particularly with Banque Atlantique Bénin, BICICI (formerly BNP Paribas), and the Compagnie de Transformation de Caoutchouc Ivoirien—reflect her ability to bring an innovative vision and strong governance to boards of directors. Actively engaged in the startup ecosystem, she also contributes to the digitalization of financial services in Côte d’Ivoire.
Mrs. FOFANA, wife of Ms. COULIBALY Mayélé is a seasoned professional with 49 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and banking sectors. A Doctor of Pharmacy (University of Bordeaux, 1974) and a graduate of the Industrial Pharmacy Training Institute (Bordeaux, 1975), she began her career as Deputy Director de la Direction des Services Pharmaceutiques au Ministère de la santé publique de Côte-d’Ivoire.
In 1981, she became Owner of Pharmacie du Vallon Parallèlement, elle s’engage dans la gouvernance d’entreprise, rejoignant en 1990 le Conseil d’Administration de Laborex Côte d’Ivoire (Ubipharm CI) puis, en 1992, celui de Banque Atlantique Côte d’Ivoire. De 2009 à 2021, elle préside le Conseil d’Administration de Banque Atlantique Mali, où elle pilote la stratégie et la croissance de l’institution.
En 2016, elle renforce son expertise avec un Certificat d’Administrateur de Banques au Maroc. Reconnue pour son leadership et sa vision stratégique, elle joue un rôle clé dans le développement des institutions qu’elle accompagne, contribuant à leur croissance et à leur pérennité.
Mr. Sionle YEO, Group CEO of AFG Holding is an engineer by training from École Centrale de Marseille for Civil Engineering and Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble for Automation and Industrial Computing). He began his career as a Systems and Network Engineer at Énergie Electrique de Côte d'Ivoire (EECI), before joining the Société Générale Group. In Côte d'Ivoire he held the positions of Chief Information Officer, Chief Finance and Information Officer, before being promoted Deputy Managing Director of SGCI in 2008.
He was subsequently appointed Managing Director of the Société Générale universal banking subsidiaries in Burkina Faso (2011), then in Ghana (2015). In these two countries, he led a deep transformation and a rapid expansion programs that increased both the visibility and the profitability of the banks.
In 2018, the Société Générale Group appointed him to build and lead the newly created Regional Directorate for Central and Eastern Africa, headquartered in Douala and covering 6 countries, a position he left in June 2021 to join the AFG Group.
A statistician-economist and financial engineer, Mr. KONE has gained extensive professional experience primarily in North America (Canada) and Africa. Prior to joining AFG Holding, he held several strategic positions at the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, one of the largest pension funds in North America. Within the Ecobank Group, he led the investment teams of the asset management division, before overseeing commercial activities in the Treasury Department as well as the development and distribution of market products in the WAEMU region and Cape Verde.
Karim holds an Executive MBA from HEC Paris, a Master’s degree in Financial Engineering from Université Laval (Canada), and a State Engineering degree in Statistics and Economics from INSEA in Rabat. He also holds CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) and FRM (Financial Risk Manager) certifications, as well as several executive certifications in strategy, asset management, leadership, and management, obtained notably from HEC Paris and the Wharton Business School.
A certified public accountant, Mr. BOUBA has significant experience in banking regulatory bodies within the CEMAC region.
He served as an Inspector at COBAC in 2007, then as Chief Financial Officer at BDEAC in 2016. In 2018, he became Deputy Director of Accounting at BEAC, where he contributed to the institution’s transition to IFRS standards, before joining AFG in September 2021.
Ms. YATASSAYE has held various positions across multiple sectors, including agribusiness, media, and banking, before joining AFG Bank CI in March 2024 as Director of Marketing and Communication.
With extensive experience in institutional and brand marketing and communication, she will make a significant contribution to the implementation of key projects, including building the AFG Bank and Insurance brand, leading the rebranding efforts, and driving our Wenovate strategy, which will distinguish us across different markets.
Her project management expertise and knowledge of several African markets will be valuable assets in tackling upcoming challenges, particularly in driving change within our subsidiaries.
Holding a DESS in Finance & Management Control from the National University of Benin and the ITB (Banking Technical Institute) of CFPB (France), Mr. ALLAGBÉ Djidjoho Pierre has extensive professional experience.
Previously, he served as Deputy Risk Director and Director of Studies at BOA Benin, as well as Risk Director at ECOBANK Benin. He joined AFG Holding in June 2021 and currently serves as the Group’s Director of Risk and Permanent Control.
With extensive experience in banking internal control and a Professional Master’s degree in Finance and Accounting, Ms. Cada DJENZOU began her career within the Société Générale Group.
She successively held the positions of Audit Team Leader, Managerial Supervision Officer, Director of Permanent Control, and Director of Compliance at SG Côte d’Ivoire between 2007 and 2022. She joined the AFG Group in February 2022 to lead its compliance framework.
A graduate of ITB and holding a DESS in Audit and Management Control as well as a Master’s degree in Accounting and Financial Technical Sciences (MSTCF) from the University of Abidjan Cocody, Mr. Ghislain MALAN has extensive experience, primarily in control functions at Ecobank, BNI, ABI, and Société Générale Côte d’Ivoire.
He successively held the positions of Internal Controller, Chief Internal Audit Officer, Head of Compliance, Department Head, and Director of Permanent Control before joining AFG Holding in January 2022 in the same role.
Following a professional transition, he has served as the Group’s Director of Operations since late 2022.
Holding a Master’s degree in Banking and Financial Law from the University of Montpellier, Ms. Geneviève KANTE has extensive professional experience. She served as Legal Manager at BCI-Mali SA, and later as Legal Director of Banque Internationale pour le Commerce et l’Industrie au Mali (BICIM), a former BNP Paribas subsidiary acquired by the AFG Group in December 2020.
Ms. KANTE joined AFG Holding in December 2021 as Director of Legal Affairs and Governance.
Dr. Ahmed A. Traoré is a human resources management expert with over 18 years of experience in designing and implementing HR strategies. Currently Group Director of Human Capital at AFG Holding, he oversees HR governance, talent management, performance, and the digitalization of processes across the Group’s subsidiaries.
He holds a PhD in Industrial Relations from the Université de Montréal, is CHRL-certified, and has earned certificates in Digital Transformation (MIT) and Artificial Intelligence (UNESCO).His career combines experience in North America and Africa, notably with TD Bank Canada, Laurentian Bank of Canada, UNIWAX, CFCI, Groupe AVOS and ANSUT.
Recognized for his leadership and expertise, he regularly speaks at conferences on topics related to HR innovation, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation..
Passionate about the evolution of HR practices, Dr. Traoré is committed to supporting AFG Holding’s growth ambitions by placing human capital at the heart of performance..
A highly qualified professional, Irène TUO joined AFG Holding in December 2022, following extensive experience, including significant roles in banking, particularly in retail management.
She holds a Master’s degree in Management & Marketing, as well as several certificates from Yale, HEC, and ESSEC. A graduate of the Banking Technical Institute (ITB), she is also a senior lecturer at the École Supérieure de la Banque in Paris.
With a career rich in commercial, marketing, and skills development roles, Irène is also an experienced trainer in management, sales practices, and co-development.
Beginning her career in Abidjan, De Ghimelle has demonstrated undeniable technical and interpersonal skills.
She has acquired diverse professional experience in Côte d’Ivoire and France, working with companies such as ORANGE, Bouygues Energies & Services, ESA (European Space Agency), and General Electric Healthcare.
After recently serving as Lead Cybersecurity for Eastern Europe at L’ORÉAL, she returned home to join AFG Holding as Director of Information Systems Security (DSSI) since July 21, 2023.
Fluent in English, French, and Spanish, De Ghimelle holds a Master’s degree in IT Project Management from IGS Paris. She also earned an Executive MBA in Cybersecurity Management and Information Systems Governance — where she served as class president — from the prestigious École de Guerre Économique in Paris 7.
