The West African Center for Banking Studies and Training (COFEB), the training and research center of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), and HEC Paris held a Certificate award ceremony for the 26 participants of the 2024 edition of the “Executive Certificate in Strategic Banking Management, Level 1” (CEMSTRAT 1).

This event marked a crucial milestone in efforts to assist banking executives in their pursuit of managerial and strategic excellence. Participants representing banks and financial institutions from across WAEMU and the Republic of Guinea diligently attended this intensive course, facilitated by a team of professors and experts from HEC Paris, over a period of 7 months spanning from May 15 to November 15, 2024.
This course is designed to help participants develop essential management skills, enhance their leadership abilities, and nurture the right mindset to rally teams around their companies’ strategic objectives.
The subjects covered included the art of leadership, finance, change management, digital strategy, cybersecurity, blockchain technology, the banking economy of the future, and public speaking, presented in a hybrid form that began with online instruction and transitioned to in-person sessions for the final two modules, followed by the presentation of a collective project.

This program targets operational executives and departmental directors in private financial institutions and public administrations, thereby enhancing the capacities of key players in the banking and financial sector. As an integral component of the BCEAO’s systemic support approach, this course is designed to address the challenges presented by a constantly evolving sector.
Since 2013, hundreds of managers have benefited from our certificate programs in general management, human resources management, banking strategy and digital transformation (PMG, CEMGAB, CEMRH, CEMSTRAT, CEB2D), demonstrating the success of the partnership between COFEB and HEC Paris.
The ceremony was held at BCEAO headquarters in Dakar following the dissertation presentations, in the presence of Mahaman Tahir Hamani, General Manager of COFEB, and Armelle Dufour, Director of International Strategic Programs at HEC Paris.