Lacina Koné

Biography

Lacina Koné is Director General and Chief Executive Officer of Smart Africa, a pan-African digital transformation initiative endorsed by the African Union, which he joined in March 2019. At Smart Africa he has overseen continental blueprints on digital identity, start-up ecosystems and smart villages, and defined the Smart Broadband 2025 Strategy.

From 2011 to 2017 he was an adviser to the President of Côte d’Ivoire, and from 2017 to 2018 he advised the Prime Minister on digital transformation and public reform. His earlier career of more than 25 years in information and communication technology spans telecommunications, satellite and intelligent transport systems, including senior technical and managerial roles at Booz Allen Hamilton and Intelsat. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electronic engineering from a university in the United Arab Emirates and an MBA from George Washington University.