Tell us about your career highlights to date?
Working on the financing of the first Independent Power Producer (IPP) project in my country, Burkina Faso, after having advised on a couple of other power projects in France and in Rwanda was a pivotal moment in my career.
A few years earlier, just a few months into my journey as a freshly qualified lawyer in France, I was beginning to discover the exciting world of project financing in Africa. I instinctively knew that this practice could be successfully applied to solar power projects, which was unheard of at that time.
I didn't need market data or expert analysis to back my instinct. I just had to remember where I was born and raised, the dire need for electricity in my country, and the abundant sunlight it is blessed with. It turns out that the technological odds were in our favour, leading to a significant drop in solar panel costs. This, along with other positive factors, sparked the explosion of the African solar power sector.
I've had the privilege to work on a number of "firsts" in the power sector throughout Francophone and Anglophone Africa. Each project has been a unique adventure, filled with challenges and triumphs. Some of these transactions still nourish my reflections on the development of the power sector in Africa. They remind me of the incredible potential we have to transform lives and communities through sustainable energy solutions.
What are you most excited about for 2025 and what are your goals in the coming 6 months?
As a senior lawyer focused on the business development of our firm's Africa practice, I am particularly excited about expanding our presence in key African markets and establishing strategic partnerships with various stakeholders, including our relationship firms. I look forward to collaborating closely with our Africa practice leadership and our wider Africa network across different offices to implement our strategy. This will not only increase our visibility on the continent but also enhance our presence among our international client base.
West Africa and Francophone Africa hold a special place in my heart. These regions are experiencing significant economic expansion, with promising opportunities in sectors such as technology, renewable energy, and infrastructure. I am eager to leverage our legal expertise and deep market knowledge to help clients navigate the complex regulatory environments and capitalise on these opportunities. Furthermore, the increasing focus on sustainable development and digital transformation in these regions presents exciting prospects for innovative legal solutions.
Talk to us about the complexities in your field of work and how the practice of energy and infrastructure finance in Africa has evolved over the years?
Financing energy and infrastructure projects in Africa is not straightforward. Access to funding remains challenging, largely due to the persistent myth of high risk associated with the continent. While challenges vary from country to country, regulatory and currency risks are generally among the most difficult to navigate. However, many African countries are actively working to improve their business regulatory frameworks, and we are advising some of them in various sectors, including the expanding mining sector.
We are also witnessing increased engagement from stakeholders in promoting blended finance. I am personally convinced that it is high time Africa, including the African diaspora, starts looking within its own pockets to finance its energy and infrastructure projects alongside traditional international funders. These pockets are much deeper than one might think. In some African countries, diaspora remittances exceed their national GDP. Additionally, billions are being traded in markets and the informal sector throughout the continent without passing through the traditional banking system.
The question then is how to organise these financial flows and direct them towards financing energy and infrastructure projects in Africa. This can be achieved through various capital and debt-raising instruments. We are seeing more innovative funding structures, involving traditional capital market instruments, emerge. Although these are still in their early stages, there are many signs that they will increase over time, aided by the explosion of the digital market in Africa.
What is the best and most honest advice ever given to you?
My mum always says, 'chaque chose en son temps,' which literally translates to 'everything in its own time.' As a kid, I would hear this phrase almost every day, and it taught me the importance of patience and not rushing things.
As an adult, I now see the profound wisdom behind this saying and its broader implications. It reminds me that every stage of life has its own timing, and that success often comes from allowing things to unfold naturally. I'll leave you to ponder that...
Who are your dream dinner guests?
- Barrack and Michelle Obama
- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- Thomas Sankara
- Nelson Mandela
- Angelike Kidjo
- Paolo Coelho
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