Philibert | Assistant, Cabinet of the Minister of State in charge of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Benin

Since September 2021, I have joined the Cabinet of the Minister of State in charge of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Benin, as his Assistant. I am still learning about the position, as the issues dealt with are so diverse. Indeed, I have a rather large mission perimeter, which covers all the subjects of the Ministry. Without being exhaustive, since I arrived at the office in September, I have been more involved in subjects related to project financing, improving the business climate, and the attractiveness of foreign direct investment, energy, taxation...

I did a 6-month internship in Private Equity at Améthis, which allowed me to understand the contours of this profession and grasp the issues related to the financing of the Private Sector, especially in Africa.

My experience in government consulting at Rothschild & Co in Paris was without a doubt the most striking. I had the opportunity to work on infrastructure financing, financial rating, development of local financial markets and bond issues on international financial markets, etc., including the issuance in July 2021 of the Republic of Benin's ODD bonds, the first ODD issue by an African State. These experiences allowed me to confirm my choice to put my know-how and my career at the service of the African continent, and reinforced the option I made to seize the opportunity I was offered to return to work in my country, the Republic of Benin, after my studies at Sciences Po.

Make the most of your network: it is not easy to find a job (internship or employment) in Africa, regardless of the country, if you are from France or outside of Africa. The only opportunities we often see are those offered by multinationals, international organizations, international NGOs, etc. To find other opportunities, sometimes more interesting, it is important in my opinion to make the most of one's academic and professional networks (LinkedIn, Alumni, contacts, etc.)

Be open: We are fortunate to live in a time when the continent (in its diversity) is being built and has a great need for competence, both internal and external. Unfortunately, things are often not very structured and opportunities are less perceptible. It is therefore necessary to be open and ready to make concessions to seize the best opportunities that arise.

Write your own story: As Steve Jobs said, "...Don't be a prisoner of the dogmas that force you to live in obedience to other people's thinking. Don't let the external noise drown out your inner voice. Have the courage to follow your heart and your intuition. Both know what you want to be. The rest is secondary."