KemetLeads
Alassane Ouattara
President of Ivory Coast; former IMF deputy managing director
The economist who survived a decade of political exclusion to rebuild the Ivorian miracle.
The rise
An economist who served as Governor of the Central Bank of West African States and IMF Deputy Managing Director, Ouattara was barred from running for president by the 'Ivoirité' doctrine targeting his northern origins. After the contested 2010 election and a brief civil war, he took office and has since overseen Ivory Coast's return to strong economic growth.