Lionel Zinsou
Lionel Zinsou | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 23, 1953 Paris, France |
| Occupation(s) | Economist, investment banker, politician |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Known for | Prime Minister of Benin (2015–2016) |
Lionel Zinsou (born 23 October 1953) is an economist and investment banker of French–Beninese heritage who held the office of Prime Minister of Benin between 2015 and 2016. Since June 2017, he has been at the helm of Terra Nova, a French think tank aligned with centre-left ideologies.
Early life and education
Zinsou was born in Paris and is related to Émile Derlin Zinsou, who served as President of Dahomey from 1968 to 1969. His paternal roots trace back to Benin, formerly known as Dahomey. He completed his higher education at the École Normale Supérieure and also attended the London School of Economics.
Career
During the mid-1980s, Zinsou established connections with French socialist figure Laurent Fabius and worked under his guidance. He became a partner at Rothschilds prior to joining the investment firm PAI Partners in 2008. Between 2006 and 2011, he acted as Special Adviser to Benin’s President, Yayi Boni.
In 2013, through his Zinsou Foundation, he inaugurated the first museum dedicated to contemporary art in sub-Saharan Africa outside South Africa, situated in Ouidah, Benin.
On 18 June 2015, President Yayi Boni appointed him as Prime Minister with a focus on economic development. This role had remained unoccupied for much of Boni’s presidency, and its reestablishment near the conclusion of Boni’s term was interpreted as positioning Zinsou as a likely successor.
Zinsou announced his bid for the 2016 presidential race representing the Cowry Forces for an Emerging Benin, emphasizing agricultural financing and the formalization of informal jobs.
He survived a helicopter accident on 27 December 2015 while visiting Djougou.
In June 2017, Zinsou assumed leadership of Terra Nova, thereby strengthening his standing within France’s centre-left policy environment.
Other activities
- Member of the Board of Directors, Danone
- Board Member at Atos (2010–2014)
- Director on the Board of Chr. Hansen (2009–2011)
- Board Member at Kaufman & Broad S.A. (2009–2015)