Here is a highly subjective exercise. The designation of 100 people who made Africa’s economic and financial news in 2014, written by the editors of Financial Afrik with the advice of its partners and technical supporters. This list is not exhaustive. The idea is not to impose faces, but to spark debate around people that made the news in different ways. At their profit or their expense, they are divided into ten different categories. We have deliberately left out heads of state, government officials, politicians (both the opposition and those in power), and humanitarian workers in general. To finally remember the men and women who work in the economic and financial sectors and who, in their positions, contribute to the transformation of Africa. New to this type of classification, we also include the media; well-intended producers that are often forgotten in this sort of exercise.
The Mobilizers of integration
- Donald Kaberuka: for his various achievements at the BAD during his two mandates and for the establishment of the Africa50 fund dedicated to infrastructure.
- Carols Lopes, ECA executive Secretary for bringing to question the industrialization and transformation of Africa to the center of the debate in African institutions.
- Mohamed El Kettani, CEO of Attijariwafa Bank, for constructing the first attijaaiwafa bank in the Maghreb and the CFA zone.
- Mike Brown, CEO of Nedbank and member of the strongest capitalistic alliance with Ecobank
- Christian Adovelande, President of the BOAD for reinforcing the West African bank’s intervention capacity and for his openness to non-regional shareholders to achieve greater credibility
- Aguibou Soumaré, Highcommissioner of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) for his work on the integration and harmonization of procedures, and mobilization of investments.
- Albert Essien, for straightening up Ecobank and reestablishing confidence between the bank and its clients, despite limited capability to maneuver.
- Edoh Kossi Amenouve and Gabriel Fal: for this duo’s intelligence and various reforms of the Regional Stock Exchange for the West African Economic and Monetary Union, including the subfund dedicated to small and medium size business (SMB).
9. Blaise Ahouantchédé: Managing Director of the Electronic Payment’s Interbank Group Of the West African Economic and Monetary Union for the rapid expansion of the park
10-Kabiné Komara, High Commissioner of the River Basin Development Authority (OMVS), a regional organization engaged in large construction projects
The Policy Makers
- Sidi Ould Tah: Mauritanian minister of Economic Affairs and Development, architect of major reforms of the environment of Business
- Cristina Duarté: Minister of Finance and the Cape Verde Plan, architect of his country’s renewal and candidate for President of the African Development Bank.
- Essis Esmel Emmanuel: Director general of the Investment Promotion Center in the Ivory Coast (one stop shop), which made the Ivory Coast one of the ten largest reformers in the world.
- Amadou Hott of the Senegal Strategic Investment Fund (FONSIS) for jump starting these sovereign wealth funds, already a partner in many projects.
- Tiemoko Meyliet Koné: For the exemplary macroeconomic management of the West African Economic and Monetary Union and the maintenance of inflation within margin requirements.
- Sidi Ould Rais: Governor of the Central Bank of Mauritania, architect of the sound management of the banking system and the stabilization of the Mauritanian currency.
- Thierry Tanoh who wanted to change Ecobank and finally threw down the towel and joined the team of experts around Ivorian President, Alassane Ouattara
- Hakim Ben Hamouda: Tunisian Minister of the Economy and Finances who has fully filled his position and deserves to be reappointed
- Said Ibrahimi: CEO of Casablance Finance City (CFC) who succeeded in establishing this hub in a relatively short amount of time
- Said Sahnoun: CEO of Sonatrach, who is contributing to the renewal of the Algerian oil sector through the 2015-2019 development program of his country’s energy sector.
The Success Stories
- Paul Fokam of Afriland First Bank for the bank’s success story in terms of integration.
- Richard Lowe: who started Activa, one of the most dynamic groups in the African insurance sector
- Jeanine Diagou: After working in audit, finance, and international management, this superwoman, daughter Diagou, landed in the banking division of the Directorate General of NSIA, and jointly, as the assistant director general of the NSI group, which is in a way the ivory tower of the group. Her indirect style of management and “coldness” distinguishes her from the friendliness of father Diagou.
- Mansour Guissé: buyer of the Hachette group in Africa, now head of a network covering Gabon, Senegal, North Africa and several other African countries.
- Abdourahmane Watt: pioneer of management training in Morocco
- Othman Benjelloun: who pursued an expansion of his group in 2014 with new acquisitions such as Benefice Life in Cameroon.
- Idrissa Nassa: a self-made man who accelerated the development of his bank in 2015
- Tidiane Thiam: CEO of prudential, the first British Insurance group to finally invest in Africa, in Ghana
- Houd Baby: An actor who quietly weaved his way into the milling sector
10- Pathé Dione: one of the pioneers of insurance in sub-Saharan Africa. As the head of Sunu group, he completed overhauled the visual identity of his group in 2014, which evolved under the brand name Sunu (Life Insurance).
African Businessmen Worldwide
- Mohamed Abdellahi Ould Oudaa: of the National Society of the Mining Industry of Mauritania (SNIM), exporter of 12 millions tons of iron in 2013.
- Alassane Diallo: of the Chemical Industry of Senegal (ICS) who managed to save the group from a rough patch following a botched privatization transaction.
- André Soumah: for innovations in the development of off balance sheet finance schemes for the benefit of economic operators in many African import and export industries.
- Issad Rebrab: the head of Cevital (Algeria), one of the most prosperous businessmen in the country asked to invest in Africa and in Europe, but discouraged in his own country, where he suffered incomprehensible obstacles.
- Tony Elumelu: legendary CEO of the United Bank for Africa, today head of the foundation of the same name.
- Alain Nkontchou: 51 years old, from Cameroon and Director General of Enko Capital Management LLP, London, an asset management company focused primarily on investment opportunities in Africa.
- Michael Abrogoua: for establishing a capitalist junction between Phoenix Capital Management and the South African PIC.
- Momar Nger: Director General of Total Africa and the Middle East.
- Pierre Célestin Rwabukumba: who made the Kigali scholarship a reality in just three years.
- Michael Hascoet: head of Axa Morocco and Axa Sub-Saharan Africa, who pursued a dynamic political expansion of the group in Africa
- Henri Claude Oyima: made the BGFI the first bank in the CEMAC zone, present in West Africa (Benin and the Ivory Coast), the Gabonaise bank is no longer
- Tidiane Thiam: CEO of prudential, first British insurance group to finally invest in Africa, in Ghana
- Lionel Zinsou de PAI Partners, leader of the Franco-African foundation for growth launched in February 2014
- Bernard Bartosek: After having consolidated the leadership of the Ogar group in Gabon, he aims to make it a regional champion.
- Mohamed Abdellahi Ould Oudaa: of the National Society of the Mining Industry of Mauritania (SNIM), exporter of 12 millions tons of Iron in 2013
- Mostafa Terrab: Director General of the Cherifien Phosphates Office, the premier exporter of Phosphates and, in the last two years, a major player in the African fertilizer market
- Alassane Diallo: of the Chemical Industry of Senegal (ICS) who managed to save the group from a rough patch following a botched privatization transaction.
- Jean-Louis Ekra: president of Afreximbank, which supported a massive local transformation of African agricultural products
- Tewolde Gebremariam: CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, the leading company in Africa, elected the best company of the year in 2013 in China par professionals and passengers
The Bearers of New Ideas
- Mostafa Bellkhayate: who advocated a new approach to the management of African raw materials and the use of sukuks.
- Samir Amin: Economist focused on the developing world, one of the most influential thinkers of our time.
- Eleni Gabre-Madhin: Economist, precursor of the Commodity Exchange in Africa from success found in Ethiopia.
- Verone Mankou: Inventor of the first African table and the first African smartphone.
- Belgacem Haba (Algeria): Research in electronics, filed a high 45 patents from the start of 2014 until August, ranked among the 100 most productive inventors in the US.
- Arthur Zang: The inventor of cardiopad, which has been acclaimed as the best invention according to Africa Telecom People.
- Coulibaly Pierre Djibril: Computer engineer, CEO of IT Nexat, invented the first universal management software accessible to all, NEXPRO UBS, simpler, faster, more open, more economical. This software adapts to the user, anyone can install and use it and the results are immediate.
- Anis Aouini: who invented the saphony (a device that uses the force of wine), one of the best innovations of the year.
- Kodjo Afate Gnikoun de Togo: Inventor of the 3D printed made from electronic waste.
- Ayoumbaye Oumar du Tchad: developed a slim line air conditioner that is self-sufficient in terms of energy, intended for nomads and tourists traveling on camels and elephants in hot places and also for villagers and tourist camps without electricity.
Connected Men
- Jean Luc Vovor: founder of the Kusuntu club, engaged in the promotion of private equity in Africa.
- Didier Acouetey of Africsearch: 2014 founder of a new form of connecting stakeholders involved in the ecosystem of SMEs.
- Mandaw Kanji, PDG d’IFAGE (Senegal): who established an insurance institute and became a model in six years.
- Fadhel Abdelkefi: Director General of Tunisia Values and former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tunis Stock Exchange, one of model actors in Tunisia.
- Victor Ndiaye: CEO of Performance Management Consulting, known for its strategy in public development policies.
- Romain Battajon: for the company of his name, based in Kinshasha. The network, ABLE, that he leads is one of the most dense in Africa.
- Alioune Dioug: Aza Senegal, Director of several companies, prominent figure in Senegal.
- Fabrice Sawegnon: Head of Vodoo Communication, an African company that broke the monopoly in Africa in big media.
- Abdoulah Coulibaly du Forum de Bamako: an annual event on the challenges Africa faces.
- Aboubabar Fall: President of the Board of Directors of the African Legal Support Facility (ALSF), a body from ADB to serve African countries.
Leaders in the Crest of the Wave
They made the news, contributed to major changes in 2014, but is was at their expense and not in achieving their assigned objectives.
- Me El Haj Diouf: Senegal lawyer divested by his client in the case, Hissène habré.
- Anas Alami: Director General of CDG Management, provisionally suspended from duty pending the outcome of an investigation on the Badis project scandal.
- Alizéta Ouedraogo: and his 1,200 employees seem one of the collateral victims of the fall of the Compaoré regime
- Mthulli Ncube: Professor, Chief Economist and Vice-President of the African Development Bank, failed to receive from his country the stamp of approval of his candidacy for the presidency of the African Development Bank. At the same time, ADB replaced him.
- Makhtar Diop: Vice President of the World Bank, almost lost his job. His candidacy for the ADB was announced too quickly, and he did not receive the support of his country.
- Patrice Talon: Powerful businessman from Benin whose forced exile to Paris turned into preventive exile, since Yayi Boni, accused him of wanting to poison him. He was pardoned.
- Mohamed Bouamatou: One of the richest men in Mauritania, who completed his third year of exile in Morocco over differences with the Mauritanian head of state Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.
- Yves Fotso: Head of the Commercial Bank of Cameroon, currently in detention over differences in power. His bank has suffered several attempts at expropriation.
79: Jacqueline Casalegno: historic President of Chanas, Cameroonian leader in insurance, forced to turn the tables following serious business differences.
- Cheikh Kanté: Director General of the Autonomous Port of Dakar, criticized for giving concessions to Necontrons. The ministers of parliament have called upon him to explain himself to the Senegalese people.
The writers who marked the year
- Felwine Sarr: Writer, economist and musician launched his publishing house in 2014 in partnership with other writers. Long deprived as a name of reference, this Senegalese literary space has begun to revive.
- Kamel Daoued: Algerian, finalist of the Prix Goncourt 2014. His last book « Meursault Counter Investigation » will soon be translated into 15 languages.
- Gérard Silva: His book, « Tribulations of a cooperative in Black Africa » is a delicious journey to the distant past, useful for understanding contemporary Africa.
- Jacques Habib Sy: in « Africa cradle of writing » he sends a cry of alarm to leaders, urging them to rescue endangered manuscripts.
- Raphael Dagbo: Author of « Laurent Gbagbo: the passion of democratic hope, » a critique of balkanized Africa.
- Roger Kaffo Fokou: Author of « Media and Civilization, » answers the question: « How to protect the manipulation of the media to use it? »
- Dieunedort Essomé: Published a book entitled « Paul Biya », which analyzes the very sub-Saharan concept of a country that is called democratic because it has several political parties.
- Fouad Laroui: Moroccan author, won the Jean Giono grand literary prize for his novel « The Tribulations of the last Sijilmassi. »
- Kouassi Appiah: Begins the debate with the title of his book: « Responsible or guilty, Africa must choose. »
- Simon Peter Ekanza: Called for true citizenship in « Africa and the challenges of developing”
The Media
It was difficult not to have bias in this section. Our criteria here are based on the creative dynamics of the work, and the originality of the editorial and influence.
- Youssou Ndour: of the TFM Group, future leader in the region and in Africa, with 1,000 employees at the end of 2014. These figures make it the largest African press group according to its number of employees.
- Ismael Sidibé: Head of Africable, a unifying television channel that presents regional and pan-African news.
- Constant Nemalé of Africa 24: the only African television show that survived for five years after its launch.
- Bechir Ben Yahmed: of the company Young Africa, an influential leader in Africa as the head of a newspaper often called the 55th African country.
- Khalil Hashimi Idriss: Editor and owner of the Maghreb Arab Presse, the official news agency of Morocco and the only African agency that is currently capable or rivaling other major news companies.
- Abdallah Ould Mohamedi: Head of Sahara Media and APA news agency. Expert on the Sahel and the Sahara, his work is essential to the field.
- Madiambal Diagne: Managing editor of the Daily, elected head of the Francophone Press Union in late November.
- Samire Sitail: Director of Information of 2M, Morocco.
- Eric Ndiyu: Editor in Chief of Vox Africa (London- Brussels).
- Rachid Nini: The most widely read journalist in Morocco with a daily flow of 120,000 copies a day.
2 commentaires
Hello,
I am so proud to see my boss’s name between these people.
Congratulations.
Kenza.
Good beginning in the way of real panafricanism.
I hope that these nominees will be aware enough of what is expected by them to challenge and be mentors for young africans to do more in order to become more