Léonce Yacé, Souheil Skander
Léonce Yacé, Chief Executive Officer of NSIA Banque Côte d’Ivoire and NSIA Holding Financière, discusses every aspect of a unique and innovative approach: from certifying a single pilot entity to certifying an entire group. An approach that has become a genuine corporate culture.
What is the purpose of certification?
NSIA Banque Côte d’Ivoire, listed on the Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières (BRVM), was our pilot entity. Having put financial communication mechanisms in place and made strong commitments to transparency, we felt it was worthwhile to submit ourselves to a rigorous certification process.
This translated into obtaining, in 2023, the AML 30000 certification, an international standard dedicated to combating financial crime, particularly money laundering and terrorist financing. This was followed, in 2024, by the MSI 20000 certification, the leading international standard for the financial quality of institutions, which confirmed the strength of our financial governance and further reinforced the confidence of our investors and partners.
This demanding process brought us an undeniable boost in credibility with all our stakeholders, in terms of stability, governance, and performance quality. Our message to investors is clear: certification proves that the performance we deliver rests on a sustainable model and solid fundamentals. It’s a long and demanding path, but we’re proud to have taken it!
Today, are all your banking subsidiaries across the continent certified?
Indeed, in the same spirit, we chose to carry out certification processes in Benin, Guinea, Togo, and Senegal. Every entity supervised by the Holding company, of which I am Chief Executive Officer, is engaged in one, or even two, certification processes. And today we’re taking a further step by signing a certification agreement for NSIA Holding Financière. Our governance must be exemplary at every level.
What impact have these certifications had on your employees?
At NSIA Group, we have the distinctive feature of having implemented an employee share ownership policy. So, just as with investors, certifications strengthen employees’ confidence, and with it our ability to attract and retain talent. That confidence can’t simply be declared, it doesn’t rest on statements of intent alone. It has to be proven!
Finally, I’d like to mention the impact of certifications on all our stakeholders, our international banking correspondents in particular. There’s a well-known saying that “only the rich get loans.” I’d say it differently: certified companies get loans more easily.
What would you say to companies that are still hesitant?
I’ll let you in on a secret… I regularly talk with others who, like us, obtain certifications to structure their activities. And as it happens, it was the relevance of a fellow banker’s approach that first got me interested in certification processes. Don’t hesitate to share your experience with everyone engaged in a continuous improvement process, so we can all adopt better practices and meet the highest standards. Greater trust, transparency, and accountability are missions that concern us all! We must never rest on our laurels.