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Who are the hosts of the KEDGE Alumni branch in Dakar?
Managed by two volunteer graduates, this branch aims to allow local Alumni and students to get together from time to time for afterworks, visits, or other casual events.
KEDGE Alumni has numerous branches around the world to give local Alumni the chance to meet up, expand their network, share their respective experiences, and to have a good time.
Today, we invite you to discover the dynamic managers of our Dakar office.
💬 SEYNABOU NDIAYE ( IMR 2009) - DAKAR
Tell us a little about your career. What positions have you held up to now? How has your educational and professional background led you to where you are now?
I’m an Investment Manager at FONSIS, the Senegalese State Strategic Investment Fund.
After having completed my secondary school exams (science) I was able to pursue my education in Tunisia, thanks to receiving a scholarship of excellence from the Senegalese government (my country).
I finished with a Master 1 in economic science (finance option) and a Master 2 in financial risk management at the University of the Mediterranean Aix Marseille II. With my degree in hand, I returned to Senegal to work as a financial analyst at CGF Bourse, an intermediate company.
Three years later, I attended KEDGE’s Global Risk Management programme at the Institute of Risk Management (IMR). This programme focussed on operational risk management, and for me was a logical continuation of my training to become a risk manager.
After I graduated, I went to work for the DCNS (Direction des Constructions Navales, the French Shipbuilding Division) as a risk analyst before going to work for Devoteam as a risk management consultant. I was given various assignments on risk mapping, internal control, compliance, and others.
After a few years working in operational risk management of a rather high-quality nature, I decided to change career directions and go back to where I started: back to finance and figures like any good scientist.
So I decided to get a Specialised Graduate Diploma in the Financoal Profession at HEC Montreal in Canada. Once I got my diploma, in 2015, I came back to Dakar (Senegal) to take up the position of Multisectoral Investment Officer at the Sovereign Fund for Strategic Investment (FONSIS) of Senegal. I held that position until 2019 when I was promoted to an investment manager in charge of the agribusiness and real estate sectors.
Today you live in Dakar. What do you like about Senegal, and more particularly about this city? How is it different from France?
Senegal is my country of origin, so it’s always nice to return home to one's family after having spent more than ten years abroad. But it’s also good that I can contribute to the economic development of my country, particularly since I received a government scholarship for excellence in my studies.
Not only that, but Senegal is a booming country with a stable democracy and social peace. It also has had sustained economic growth in recent years (+6%). Dakar is the dynamic capital of Senegal. It’s located on a peninsula, which makes it a nice place to live. There are many opportunities in the city for investors. What’s more, the city has seen a massive influx of private equity funds for several years now. which represents real job opportunities for young graduates
You now manage the KEDGE Alumni Branch of Dakar. What motivated you to volunteer?
I decided to manage the Dakar office after an afterwork organised during Tashina Giraud's visit to Dakar. That event was a real turning point for me. I didn't think there were so many of us in the Senegalese capital.
When Tashina and I discussed the idea of setting up a branch it sounded like the obvious thing to do. I thought it was an excellent idea and said I was willing to manage it. After that, Brigitte contacted me to manage the branch with Mamadou, who was also interested. We were told it would be more efficient with two. Since then we’ve been working as a pair and it's going well.
What are your plans for this branch? What are your projects?
As Mamadou said, our branch was launched just before the Covid-19 pandemic but we hope with the grace of Allah to overcome Covid-19 and get back to normal life. We hope we’ll be able to organise several events so that the Dakar Alumni branch - the first in sub-Saharan Africa – will be able to expand throughout the sub-region
Mamadou and I hope to go beyond afterworks and meetups for members of the network to have time to talk. We want to bring the KEDGE network to life by organise meetings between Alumni and local personalities, organise social actions if possible etc., which is important in the context of Senegal, a developing country.
How did becoming a branch manager go? Was contact with the KEDGE Alumni team easy?
The integration went very well. Brigitte was very available, motivated, and very attentive to our needs.
I’d also say given our respective schedules, the fact that there are two of us is a plus because Mamadou and I can be more responsive
Lastly, what message would you like to pass on to graduates and students are passing through, or who live in Dakar?
To any graduates visiting Dakar, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us, get together for a drink, meet other graduates, and discover all the wonders the city of Dakar has to offer.
To graduates living in Dakar, we encourage you to get involved with the KEDGE network. Don’t hesitate in attending events. There will be some nice surprises in store. You make up the network!
💬 MAMADOU THIAW (IMR 2014) - DAKAR
Tell us a little about your career. What positions have you held up to now? How has your educational and professional background led you to where you are now?
After I worked as a financial analyst at the CGG Group in France for a little over two years, I set up a company that specialises in the exportation of quality, French manufactured, building products to West Africa. I spent three years going back and forth between France and Senegal with the main challenge being guiding French companies towards new opportunities in order to more easily penetrate those markets in which we now have a proven track record. Now I’m at the head of Walni Group with a few partners. Our activities have expanded to include the construction of buildings for both professionals and private individuals.
I have a Global Risk Management degree from KEDGE, an undergraduate degree in economics, and a Master in Finance. I decided to pursue a career as an entrepreneur shortly after I got my diploma. In reality, I’ve always been an entrepreneur. I set up my first company when I was 20. It was in the import of leather goods between the United States and France in partnership with Burlington Coat Factory and Marshalls (which are the two main department stores in the sector) and, at the time, the Euro was strong against the US dollar. It was during that time that I developed a distinct taste for international activities. I then got more training so that I would be versatile in order to navigate in different activities. That’s what lets me take what seems to be the best direction for our company.
Today you go between Paris and Dakar. What do you like about Senegal, and more particularly about Dakar? How is it different from France?
Senegal is a country where the possibilities and opportunities for entrepreneurship are many, no matter what the size of your business. Because it’s one of the most politically and economically stable countries in West Africa it’s very attractive to investors and workers. Many organisations, companies, and institutions have their regional headquarters in Dakar, which is a cosmopolitan, dynamic, bustling and, at the same time, very family-oriented city. You can live well in Dakar! A big plus is that the climate is very pleasant and, as the city is on a peninsula, you’re surrounded by the sea.
Economically speaking Dakar has the effervescence of a continent in full expansion. Sub-Saharan Africa is full of such dynamic cities, and it’s very enriching when you have the chance to see that type of growth close up. It’s not something that you usually see in France.
You now manage the KEDGE Alumni Branch of Dakar. What motivated you to volunteer?
I attended an Alumni meetup in 2019, which was very interesting. There were a lot more Kedgers in Dakar than I realised, which was a pleasant surprised. Our discussions were also very fruitful. After that meeting, I continued to the network organisers and was eventually contacted by Brigitte Van Roy and Thierry Provin to help manage the Dakar branch. I naturally agreed because I am a firm believer in the strength of an Alumni network and the mutual help and the opportunities that can be created between members of the network. I myself have benefited from this for my company.
What are your plans for this branch? What are your projects?
Our branch was launched shortly before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which didn’t make facilitate the organisation of our events. But I hope that in the near future we will be able to get together again and organise several events, so that the Dakar branch, the first in sub-Saharan Africa, can become operational throughout the sub-region.
My co-manager Seynabou and I hope that - in addition to having afterworks and meetups between members of the network - to bring the Kedge network alive by organising events that bring together alumni and local personalities and organise social actions if possible. This last aspect is important as Senegal is a developing country.
How did becoming a branch manager go? Was contact with the KEDGE Alumni team easy?
The integration as host/manager went very well. Brigitte is available, a good listener, and a motivated communicator. Being a co-host is a plus. Being a pair at the head of the channel allows you to be more productive and more reactive.
Lastly, what message would you like to pass on to graduates and students are passing through, or who live in Dakar?
Don’t hesitate to contact us to share your experience, or if you need assistance, whether for professional reasons or just about the city of Dakar. And don't underestimate the strength of the Kedge Alumni network.
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