(Togo First) - Lassiné Diawara, born in 1949 in Bobo-Dioulasso to a family of merchants, has served as chairman of the board of Bank of Africa (BOA Togo) since December 2024.

After completing his secondary education, he moved to Togo, where he earned a master’s degree in economics with a concentration in management from the University of Benin, now the University of Lomé. He later returned to Upper Volta, now Burkina Faso, and began his career at the Chamber of Commerce, Agriculture and Industry, where he rose rapidly through the ranks to become secretary-general.

His experience helped him build an extensive network and develop a strong understanding of investment dynamics in West Africa. A turning point came in 1986 when he met Vincent Bolloré. Diawara then invested in several strategic sectors, including tobacco, banking, port logistics and rail transport.

He went on to serve as chairman of the Board of the Burkina Cigarette Manufacturing Company (Mabucig), Bank of Africa Burkina Faso and, in 2009, became the first African to chair the board of Sitarail, the railway operator linking Abidjan and Ouagadougou.

Known for his low profile and influence in West African business circles, Diawara is also involved in social and environmental initiatives. Today, he remains one of the leading figures of West African capitalism and a prominent contributor to the region’s economic development.