AGOA Expo & Trade Fair
Speaker: Mr. Guy M’Bengue
Posted on 17th September 2018 0

Mr. GUY M’BENGUE

Guy M’Bengue, CEO, Cote d’Ivoire Exports Promotion Agency (APEX-CI)
Chairman, Network of Trade Promotion Organizations, WAEMU (French speaking West Africa)

Topic: Cote d’Ivoire Business and Investment Opportunities under AGOA / AGOA Regional Strategy with Ghana & Liberia 

Graduate from “Ecole Supérieure de Commerce et d’Administration des Entreprises de Lille (France)” and MBA in International Business from INSEAD Fontainebleau (France), M’BENGUE has a track record of more than thirty years in French Multinational Corporation (Renault SA and Air Liquide in Paris) where he held different senior executive positions in the international divisions (Europe, America, Asia and Africa), and in Private Sector Development Agencies in Côte d’Ivoire and in Africa.

He has also been involved in international business and Government consultancy (Export and Investment Promotion and Development) as Africa Director of Bernard Krief Consulting Group in Paris (France). He has a good track record in finance, banking, international trade, projects management development, relationship with government and international finance institutions/ Donors (World Bank, SFI, ITC, ADB, European Union, African Union, AFREXIMBANK).

In 1998, upon request by the World Bank, the Private Sector and the Ivorian Government, he returned to Côte d’Ivoire to be the Managing Director of APEX-CI (Côte d’Ivoire’s Export Promotion Agency). APEX-CI is a private sector organization for Export/Investment, Promotion and Development of exports and investment in Côte d’Ivoire, established jointly by the private sector, the World Bank and the Government of Côte d’Ivoire.

Under his leadership, the scope of activities of APEX-CI has considerably being extended. APEX-CI is now a successful Private Sector Plate-Form providing services to Enterprises (Export and Investment Promotion, Capacity building, Financial Scheme….). APEX-CI is also addressing key issues as the Government advisor (Business Environment, International Trade, AGOA, MCC, EPA, SME Development, Corporate Responsibility, Lobby and Advocacy…).

He is chairman of the UEMOA Regional Network of Trade Promotion Organizations (ROPC), which is financed by the EU within the framework of the Trade Competitiveness Support and Regional Integration Project.

He was member of the Steering Committee for the eligibility of Côte d’Ivoire to Millennium Challenge Corporation (CNP-MCC) chaired by Ivorian Prime Minister. As Chief Negotiator, he was pivotal in Côte d’Ivoire’s eligibility to Threshold (2014) and to Compact (2015).

 He was the Coordinator for the Accession of Côte d’Ivoire to ATI (African Trade Insurance Agency). ATI is the Africa’s Credit & Political/Investment Risk Insurer and is an ‘A’ rated institution by S&P.

He is also currently :

I.PUBLIC / PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERSHIP’S ORGANISATIONS

  • Director of ATI/ACA for Côte d’Ivoire and Benin.
  • Vice-President of Export Strategy Board of Côte d’Ivoire (CNSE : Conseil National de la Stratégie d’Exportation).
  • Chairman of the Technical Committee of the AGOA Commission of Côte d’Ivoire.
  • Chairman of the Board WAEMU Trade Promotion Organizations NetWork (ROPC).
  • Member of the Steering Committee of MCC Compact.
  • Commissioner for the Private Sector at APRM (African Peer Review Mechanism) : Côte d’Ivoire Private Sector Communication.
  • Member of the National Committee for the Improvement of the Business Environment (Doing-Business).
  • Co-founder and Chairman of US-Côte d’Ivoire Business Council (USCIBC), UK -Côte d’Ivoire Business Council, India -Côte d’Ivoire Business Council, Canada -Côte d’Ivoire Business Council.

II.PRIVATE SECTOR‘S ORGANISATIONS

  • Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afriland First Bank Côte d’Ivoire (AFB CI).
  • Director of SAAR-CI (Société Africaine d’Assurance et Réassurance de Côte d’Ivoire).
  • Director of CGECI (Employers’ Confederation) , and Chairman of the “International Affairs and Cooperation” Commission.
  • Director of BERNABE Côte d’Ivoire (YESHI GROUP), specializing in the distribution of building materials, BTP and House’s equipment.
  • First Vice-President of National Director Institute of Côte d’Ivoire (INAD-CI).
  • Chairman of TRINA International. S.A (Trading, Investing and Networking Associates).
  • Director of Cocoa Trade Ivoire (CTI) /(Cocoa Trading).

 He was formally in different positions :

 I- PUBLIC/ PRIVATE SECTOR’S PARTNERSHIP’S ORGANISATION

  • National Coordinator of the definition of the National Strategy for Export of Côte d’Ivoire (SNE).
  • Coordinator of the SME Revitalization and Governance Project (PARE/PME), a 15 million USD project funded by the World Bank and whose objective is to contribute to improving the performance of SMEs and the specific business environment in which they operate, in order to stimulate economic activity, investment, growth and job creation.

II-PRIVATE SECTOR’S ORGANISATIONS

  • Independent Director of ECOBANK Côte d’Ivoire (ETI Group).
  • Chairman of the Board of SAAR-CI (Société Africaine d’Assurance et Réassurance de Côte d’Ivoire).
  • Director of Life Insurance Policy of Côte d’Ivoire (SAAR-Vie).
  • Chairman of the Board of NOVEL CI (Commodity Trading /Cocoa-Coffee).
  • General Manager of the RENAULT Abidjan Branch
  • Deputy Head of Export operations at the International Affairs Division of RENAULT S.A – Paris Headquarters
  • Deputy Head of Africa and Middle East Department at Air Liquide SA, Paris – France.
  • Director of Development for Africa, Bernard Krief Consulting Group PARIS and its subsidiary FRANCOM PARIS
  • Chairman of the United Nations Global Compact Network Côte d’Ivoire (Promotion of corporate social responsibility and good governance).
  • Director of Arbitration Court of Côte d’Ivoire (CACI).
  • Chairman of the NEPAD Business Group Côte d’Ivoire and co-chairman of the NEPAD Business Group West Africa within the NEPAD Business Group Africa. NEPAD Business Group is a coalition of national and regional companies, SMEs, professional associations, parastatals entities, with the aim to promote intra-regional trade and investment within the vision and framework of NEPAD.

He is married to Maggy, economist, and has two children (Marine and Marc Ibrahim). He is bilingual (French/English). He enjoys playing golf.