Appointed on February 1, 2026 as Head of the Abidjan Regional Office of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development, this internationally seasoned finance professional outlines the key levers he intends to activate to strengthen the institution’s impact across six West African countries Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, The Gambia, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde and Guinea. From project structuring and scaling up public-private partnerships to mobilising private capital, he sets out a roadmap aligned with the Bank’s GRO strategy (Growth, Resilience, Optimisation), with a clear focus on driving sustainable and inclusive economic transformation across the sub-region.
Can you outline your professional background and explain how your experiences have prepared you for your new role as Regional Director at the EBID Office in Abidjan ?
My professional journey across the public and private sectors in Africa, the United States, and Canada, has equipped me with the strategic and technical foundation needed for my role as Regional Director at the EBID Office in Abidjan. As a finance professional, I have worked in risk management, project finance, capital markets, credit analysis, and public‑private partnerships. I developed these skills within major global institutions such as JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Export Development Canada, and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Before joining EBID, I served the Government of Senegal as Director of Financing and PPPs and Head of the National PPP Unit. This role allowed me to lead and structure financing for key infrastructure projects and advise on national development strategies. It also deepened my understanding of Member States’ needs and the transformative role that regional development institutions can play. I have also served on the Boards of several multilateral banks, including the Islamic Development Bank and BOAD — an experience that strengthened my grasp of institutional governance and regional development priorities. Fluent in both French and English, I hold an Executive MBA from the University of Quebec in Montreal and degrees in finance and business administration from Franklin University in the United States. In my new role, I intend to leverage this diverse experience to strengthen EBID’s presence in the region, expand strategic partnerships, and help advance the Bank’s mission of promoting sustainable and inclusive economic development across ECOWAS.
What are your strategic priorities for the Abidjan Regional Office and for the countries within your scope of intervention?
The EBID Regional Office in Abidjan oversees six countries: Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, The Gambia, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, and Guinea. In April, the Bank adopted a new five‑year Strategic Plan (2026–2030), known as the GRO Strategy, an acronym for Growth, Resilience, and Optimisation. The strategic priorities of the Abidjan Regional Office are fully aligned with this reference framework. Under the Growth pillar, the Abidjan Regional Office will support projects capable of stimulating inclusive and sustained economic growth across Member States. About Resilience, particular attention will be paid to projects that incorporate strong environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria, including environmental protection, the promotion of social equity, and the strengthening of governance standards throughout the project lifecycle. Finally, in line with the Optimisation pillar, the Regional Office will work to enhance the Bank’s operational, financial, and procedural efficiency. In this regard, the Abidjan Regional Office will play a key role in the effective translation of the GRO Strategy into tangible development outcomes across the sub‑region, notably by supporting the development plans of the countries under its supervision.
In a West African context marked by significant development financing needs, how do you intend to strengthen the impact of EBID interventions on the ground?
As indicated earlier, the new Strategic Plan provides a clear roadmap for the Bank over the next five years. It is now incumbent upon the Abidjan Regional Office to bring these ambitions to life and ensure their practical relevance on the ground. The Bank’s impact over the past five years is evident. It is no longer a hidden or unfamiliar institution; its visibility and relevance have grown significantly across the sub‑region. We will continue to reinforce this momentum by investing in infrastructure, agriculture, industry, SMEs/SMIs, social programmes, and ESG‑aligned projects. In the years ahead, we will broaden our footprint across countries and sectors, scaling our investments and deepening our development impact. Through deliberate expansion and targeted interventions, the Bank will remain a driving force for sustainable growth and transformation in our Member States.
What role do you give to public-private partnerships and the mobilisation of private capital in the regional strategy that you wish to implement ?
The Bank utilizes public-private partnerships (PPP) for both strategic and pragmatic reasons. In a context of rising public debt levels in the region, innovative financing mechanisms are needed to deliver essential infrastructure without burdening public finances. PPPs offer an effective solution by reducing or eliminating the need for states to mobilize immediate budgetary resources. In some cases, governments’ contributions can be limited to appropriate non-monetary inputs, while enabling the realization of transformative infrastructure without compromising public debt sustainability.
With its mobilization and coordination power, the BIDC is ideally positioned to attract and catalyze private capital in co-financing projects with significant socio-economic impact. By expanding the use of PPPs and promoting private investment, the Bank will continue to play a crucial role in promoting sustainable development within the region.
How can EBID better support SMEs, structural infrastructure, and projects with significant social and economic impact?
he Bank recognises the critical role of infrastructure and Small and Medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs) in driving economic growth and development. This is why it has consistently prioritised financing for projects in these sectors. Currently, approximately 47% of its project portfolio supports infrastructure investments, and more than USD 700 million has been allocated to the SME sector under the current Strategic Plan. EBID acknowledges that SMEs represent nearly 90% of all businesses in the sub‑region and serve as the largest source of employment. To strengthen their contribution to economic growth, the Bank will continue to collaborate with local commercial banks to expand access to capital for SMEs, ensuring that Member States’ economies remain resilient and dynamic.
What synergies do you envision with governments, the private sector, and other regional and international financial institutions to maximise the impact of development in the sub-region ?
Competition in development financing has increasingly given way to co‑opetition – a blend of cooperation and competition – as the scale of infrastructure deficits and development gaps becomes ever more apparent. No single institution can meet these challenges alone. Greater collaboration among governments, development finance institutions (DFIs), and the private sector is essential to addressing the pressing developmental needs of our sub‑region. The Bank has long partnered with governments, DFIs, and private-sector entities to finance transformative projects, driven by a shared commitment to reducing poverty and improving lives. The Abidjan Regional Office will continue along this path, advancing key development priorities through coordinated action. From project structuring and financing to advisory services, the Regional Office will champion deeper collaboration among development partners to maximise development impact.
