Lakoun OUATTARA is a recognized international expert in strategic transformation and private sector development.
Graduated from the Abidjan Business School (ESCA) of the INPHB in 1993, he enriched his career with advanced executive training at HEC Paris, AMP-MDE, Stanford SEED, as well as international training programs such as the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) from the USA and the JICA program from Japan.
Lakoun has worked with several international law firms including Coopers & Lybrand (now PricewaterhouseCoopers – PWC) and in 1996, he decided to devote himself to the development of the private sector.
He joined the business world and took over the management of the General Confederation of Enterprises of Côte d’Ivoire (CGECI), which he headed from 2007 to 2015, after having contributed to the development of FNISCI and UGECI.
Under his leadership, Ivorian employers are experiencing significant growth, strengthening their role as the main interlocutor of the Ivorian private sector and catalyst for national and international economic relations. It also works to promote the competitiveness of Ivorian companies, both nationally and internationally.
Thus, among the many reforms aimed at improving the business environment, he was the bearer of the dossier of the Côte d’Ivoire 2040 private sector development strategy and contributed to the elaboration of National Development Plans (PND 1, 2 and 3).
He also strengthened the representation of the Ivorian private sector, contributing to the implementation of the main advances and projects of WAEMU and their extension at the level of ECOWAS.
From 2011 to 2018, as Manager of the Liberalization of the Economy category within the National Committee of the Compact Millenium Challenge Corporation-CNPMCC Program, he contributes to the eligibility of Côte d’Ivoire to the Compact Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) for a support of more than 400 million USD.
In 2016, he founded a consulting firm, specialized in the competitiveness of companies, organizations, regional integration and digital transformation.
In this context, he has carried out major studies for the telecom / ICT sector, such as the “Study on the mechanisms of coverage of white and deprived areas as part of the Digital Solutions Project for the Opening Up of white areas and e-agriculture – PSNDEA”, the “Study on the Measurement of the Information Society” in Côte d’Ivoire, as well as the sectoral development strategy for telecom operators, without forgetting specific work on behalf of the latter.
Since January 17, 2025, Lakoun OUATTARA has been the Director General of the Ivory Coast Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.
Married and father of a family, he is a Commander in the Order of National Merit.