Western & Central Africa Representative Office
In July 2018, HEC Paris opened a representative office in Abidjan to consolidate its position in the Côte d’Ivoire and in other Western & Central African countries like Benin, Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Togo, and Senegal.
Some facts and figures
The main objective is to develop relations with local companies to sustain HEC Executive Education activity, student placement and other related business and academic activities.
- Around 30 Ivorian students across programs every year and around 20 Nigerians, Beninese, Cameroonians.
- 5 Alumni Chapters in Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Senegal representing about 500 Alumni who regularly meet.
Highlights of the year
|
| Jan 25: After-work by the pool at Hotel Tiama in Abidjan. About 50 HEC Alumni present. |
|
|
On the afternoon of February 16, 2018, with the support of the International Affairs and Executive Education departments, the HEC MBA Africa Club and Africa-Antilles Grande Ecole Association students organized, as part of the HEC Africa Days 2018 program, a networking event hosted by the Embassy of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire. The event, held in the presence of H.E. Ambassador Charles Gomis and of significant figures in the Ivorian public and private sectors, such as Jean Marie Ackah, president of CGECI, and Mamadou Bamba, CEO of Africa Orange Côte d’Ivoire, welcomed up to 40 representatives from companies active in the African continent, and a substantial number of MBA and Grande Ecole students. It was a unique opportunity to network with executives of prominent African and international companies. |
|
| Feb. 24: HEC Day at Novotel Abidjan Plateau with more than 20 HEC Alumni who presented HEC programs and career opportunities to 150 participants. |
|
| May 29: Breakfast discussion at Hotel Tiama in Abidjan with avec Jean-Michel Severino, CEO of I&P (Investisseurs & Partenaires) since 2011 and previously Vice-President for Asia at the World Bank (1997-2001) and Director General of the French Development Agency (2001-2010). About 30 HEC Alumni and 100 external participants attended. |
| March 2-3: Support from 6 HEC Alumni who were on-site together with HEC colleagues from admissions & marketing to present HEC at the Salon des Grandes Ecoles in Abidjan. |
|
| March 15: Masterclass on Customer Experience Management with Prof. Bertrand Moingeon. His masterclass was entitled: "The role of customer experience to make your customers become your ambassadors". The Masterclass was followed by a cocktail with HE Gilles Huberson, French Ambassador in Côte d'Ivoire. |
 
|
|
On April 3, 2018, the central event of the second edition of AfricaDays, the “Grande Conference”, hosted by HEC Paris, put the spotlight on African agriculture. Africa’s main economic figures met on campus to discuss the most pressing issues in African agriculture and the solutions needed to respond to the challenges they pose. Experts such as Jean-Luc François (AFD), Patrick Caron (CIRAD) and Thierry Blandinières (InVivo) shared their experiences with the visiting guests, including Henriette Gomis Billon (SIFCA Group, Côte d'Ivoire), Bruno Mettling (Orange Africa) and Pierre-Yves Pouliquen (SUEZ). Karim Lofti Senhadj, OCP Africa Managing Director, represented OCP Group, the sponsor for the 2018 event. |
|
| July 3-4: The first visit abroad by the freshly appointed President of the HEC Alumni network, Frédric Jousset (H92), also Co-founder and President of Webhelp was to the HEC Alumni Chapter in Lagos, Nigeria alongside with French President Emmanuel Macron who was on an official visit in Nigeria. On this occasion, Frédéric Jousset met with Ashley Lewis (MBA 2016), President of the Nigerian HEC Alumni Chapter and other local HEC Alumni. It is worth mentioning that many “Triumers” – Alumni of the Global Executive MBA TRIUM – are based in Nigeria. |
| November 22: HEC Paris celebrates the opening of its first office for West and Central Africa, in Abidjan. The HEC office, aims to train hundreds of financial managers and business strategists each year and to promote and develop the school’s activities in this region. The opening ceremony, sponsored by Ivory Coast’s First Lady, Dominique Folloroux Ouattara, was attended by Nathalie Lugagne (Associate Dean of HEC Paris Executive Education), Armelle Dufour (Director of all Global Initiatives projects), Alexis John Ahyee (Director of HEC Paris’ office for West and Central Africa) as well as key Ivorian leaders, such as Pierre Magne (acting Vice President of CGECI), Tiémoko Yadé Coulibaly (honorary President of HEC Paris in Côte d'Ivoire), and Daouda Coulibaly (President of HEC Paris Alumni chapter in Côte d'Ivoire). |
HEC ALUMNI: two new chapters in 2018, in Kenya and Nigeria!
The year 2018 was one of major development for HEC Alumni in Africa: two new international chapters were set up, the first in Kenya and the second in Nigeria, launched in March and June respectively.
KENYA
The chapter consists of 15 alumni and has been founded thanks to Claudiane Johnson (HEC M02) Senior HR Specialist, Global Mobility Africa World Bank Group, Nairobi). It already has its Treasurer, Myriam Djari, and its Secretary for Corporate Relations, Surabhi Mathur Visser.
Sunday, March 25 - The first meeting of the newly-founded Kenya chapter at Mercado Mexican Kitchen in Nairobi.
July 2018: a wine and tapas night before the summer holidays (first from left: Claudiane Jonhson, president of the chapter).
NIGERIA
June 29: first meeting of the Nigeria Chapter at the Miliki Lounge in Victoria Island, organized by Ashley Lewis (MBA 2016).
African cinema evenings with film directors
- On November 22, 2017, Gaston Kaboré’s Buud Yam (1997) was screened. Kaboré is a film director and also the founder of Imagine, an institution in Ouagadougou which attracts people from across the continent to train in media and cinema.
- On February 12, 2018, the screening was Dani Kouyaté’s Tant qu’on vit (2016). Dani is a Burkinabé-Swedish director, and a brilliant pupil of Gaston Kaboré.
Address
Maison de l’Entreprise- CGECI
01 BP 8666 Plateau Abidjan 01
Abidjan Cote d’Ivoire
Contact
Maison de l’Entreprise- CGECI
01 BP 8666 Plateau Abidjan 01
Abidjan Cote d’Ivoire