In brief
Tidjane Thiam, previously the CEO of Credit Suisse and a prominent figure in the business world, is entering the political arena as the single candidate for the leading opposition party, PDCI, after moving abroad for 20 years.
Former Credit Suisse boss Tidjane Thiam is preparing to enter the race for the presidency of Ivory Coast, with his political party, the PDCI, confirming his candidacy. The 62-year-old, who has made a name for himself in various influential global companies, is particularly noted for being the first Ivorian to head a major UK company as CEO of Prudential. Thiam has relinquished his French citizenship to qualify for the presidential election, a strategic move given his extended absence from Ivory Coast.Political observers, such as Geoffroy Kouao, have noted that Thiam might face challenges as he is not well-known among the Ivorian populace, due to his two-decade absence. In contrast, the current president, Alassane Ouattara, aged 83, is expressing intentions to run for a fourth term, whilst three notable political figures, including former President Laurent Gbagbo, have been disqualified from the election.Thiam’s career has had its ups and downs; after becoming the first Ivorian to pass the entrance exam to France's prestigious Polytechnique engineering school, he briefly served as planning minister in Ivory Coast before a coup forced the PDCI from power. His prominent business journey saw him at the helm of Credit Suisse until 2020 when he resigned amid a scandal involving allegations of corporate espionage.Thiam's family ties to Ivorian politics are notable, being the great-nephew of the country's first president, Félix Houphouët-Boigny, and the nephew of a former Senegalese prime minister. His connections could potentially bolster his campaign as he aims to secure a foothold in Ivorian politics ahead of the elections scheduled for October.
