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Who we are

  • Our VisionTo become the preferred financial institution for small businesses in Ghana.

  • Our MissionProvide client centric financial services to small businesses and low and middle income employees and individuals in a sustainable and responsible manner.

Our values

Open

Committed

Entrepreneurial

Innovative

Our shareholders

The Board of Directors

Ben Berko, Chairman of the Board

Ben Berko has 31 years of experience in Retail, SME and Corporate Banking business covering sales, client relationship, and risk management. This experience spans 10 years as Branch Manager at several outlets, Head of Business Credit Administration & Leasing having responsibility for Credit/Business risk analysis. 

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He retired from banking as Head of Corporate Banking at Societe Generale Bank in December 2014, and currently a Banking/Investment Consultant.

He holds an MBA[Finance], BA[Political Science/Philosophy] both degrees from the University of Ghana and he is a graduate of The FinAfrica Institute[Milan, Italy] from where he obtained a Diploma in Advance Economics of Banking.

Ben joined the Board of Directors of Advans Ghana in June 2015. He is an Independent Director since June 2015 and Chairman of the Board since April 2019.

Sydney O. Vanderpuye, Independent Director

Sydney O. Vanderpuye has 18 years of experience in Corporate Finance and Management. He is the Director for Finance and Accounts at the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development. Sydney led the first-time adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and the IFRS 9 implementation process. 

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He currently holds the position of an Honorary Treasurer of Global Network of Export Import Banks and Development Financial Institutions (G-NEXID) since July 2018. Sydney has held roles and served in various organizations such as of Chief Finance Officer at Societe Generale Ghana (SG). He also served in Intercontinental Bank Ghana limited/Access Bank, Ernst and Young (Ghana), London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, and Vodi Technik.

Sydney joined Advans Ghana’s Board as an Independent Director in August 2019.

Amma B. Benneh-Amponsah, Independent Director

Amma B. Benneh-Amponsah has for the past eighteen years led and implemented talent resourcing & management, employee development, workplace culture enhancing programs and initiatives to define and enhance overall business performance. 

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Amma is the Human Resource Executive for MTN Ghana (Scancom Limited), a role she assumed since 2008 wiht the responsibility to oversee a Learning Academy for 9 countries in West & Central Africa. She has worked with the company since 2001 to date, going through various roles such as Senior Human Resource Lead 2001-2003, 2003 to 2007 - Senior Manager - Human Resources.

Before joining MTN Amma worked with Shencare, Birmingham UK as the Human resource advisor 1999-2000, Amma served on the boards of trustees of Enterprise Life and the Institute of ICT Professionals Ghana (IIPGH) Chairperson of the board of trustees for the MTN Ghana Pension & Provident fund. 

Amma joined Advans Ghana’s Board as an Independent Director in July 2019.

Olivier Bailly-Béchet, Executive member

Olivier Bailly-Béchet is an Executive member of the Board since April 2019.

Richmond Sam, Non-Executive Director

Richmond Sam works at Societe Generale Ghana and is the Deputy Head of Group Reporting, Budget and Research unit of the Finance Department. He is responsible for the preparation, co-ordination and presentation of the bank’s Annual budget and financial forecast to management.

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He manages and supervises the ALM team in the preparation, monitoring and reporting on all ALM risks of the bank for management decision making, group reporting purposes and regulatory requirement.Prior to joining Societe Generale Ghana, he worked as an audit trainee for 2 years at KPMG Ghana.

He’s a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and holds a degree in Bachelor of Science in Administration (Accounting) and an MBA in Finance from the University of Ghana.

Richmond joined Advans Ghana’s Board as a non – executive director in June 2020.

Grégoire Danel - Fédou, Non-Executive Member

Grégoire Danel – Fédou is currently the Deputy CEO of Advans International (formerly called Horus Development Finance) based in France and in charge of the direct supervision of HR, IT, Operations and implementation of strategic projects to ensure the sound growth and innovative development of all affiliates. 

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He has 18 years working experience in Economic analysis, Investment and Corporate Finance. He worked in the Horus’ Investment unit, participating in the setting up and management of Advans SICAR and conducting feasibility studies for the creation of new microfinance institutions.

Before joining Advans International in 2003, he worked with Air France’s Internal Audit and Management control departments.

Grégoire holds an MBA in Business Strategy and Management Control from ESSEC Business school. Grégoire is a non-Executive Director of the Board in December 2020.

Our Team

Olivier Bailly-Béchet, Chief Executive Officer

Olivier Bailly-Béchet has a solid background in economics and business management and 23-years’ experience in financial services, management and financial inclusion. 

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He has rich experience of microfinance operations, notably products and credit methodologies definition, development and implementation policies and procedures, planning, training, network development/management, and sales team management.

Prior to joining Advans Ghana in 2018,Olivier worked with Advans International where he managed the Head of Credit portfilio. He held positions such as COO/Deputy at Advans Cameroun and Advans Côte d'Ivoire. In addtion, he was a member of the Board and Audit Committee in different subsidiaries notably Advans Bank Tanzania, Advans Pakistan and Advans Cameroun. 

Olivier worked with France Active (member of the “Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations” Group), the Microfinance African Institutions Network (MAIN) and the Société d'Investissement et de Développement International (SIDI) prior to joining Advans International in 2003.

 He holds a Master II, Analysis & Development strategies in Developing countries form the University of Paris X Nanterre, France and a Master I, Economic Science – Business Management form the University of Paris II Panthéon Assas, France.

Olivier has since 2019 being an Executive member of the Board.

Francis Owiredu, Deputy Chief Executive Officer

Francis Owiredu is a Chartered Accountant and member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (Ghana). He has over 10 years professional experiences across the Manufacturing Industry and the Shipping Industry.

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Prior to joining Advans Ghana in 2009, he was the Financial Accountant at MOL Ghana Limited and later Financial Reporting Manager at Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited.

Barbara Odei, Chief Sales and Distribution Officer

Barbara Odei joined Advans Ghana with vast experience and exposure in Microfinance. She has over ten years microfinance experience in areas of Credit management, Branch management, Human Resources management and Organizational development. 

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She holds a degree from the University of Cape Coast and an MBA in Finance from Methodist University College. She has attended several work shops and seminars organized by Bank of Ghana, Banking College, Gamey & Gamey, among others.

Sylvester Wilson, Chief Finance Officer

Sylvester is a Chartered Accountant (ACCA) with over 12 years experience in the financial services industry. His experience spans across accounting and reporting, financial analysis, treasury and capital markets.

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Prior to joining Advans Ghana, Sylvester worked with Glico Capital as Finance and Compliance Officer and later promoted to Corporate Finance Manager. He joined Advans Ghana as Senior Accountant, rose through the ranks to attain the Chief Accountant role then later promoted to Deputy Chief Finance Officer.

Sylvester holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics with mathematics from the University of Ghana.

Jean - Brice Robert, Chief Business Development Officer

Jean-Brice Robert has 20 years of experience in Digital and Innovative Products and Services & entrepreneurship. During the first 10 years, he was mostly providing short and long-term strategic consultancy to various big corporate companies in Europe, Algeria and Cote d’Ivoire to help them in defining and implementing their digital strategy and designing and launching new products.

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He co-founded 2 companies specialized in providing Payment technology and infrastructure to MNOs, banks, financial services operators and distribution networks and in digitalizing and modernizing Healthcare ecosystems in Europe and various West African countries (Senegal, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Nigeria, etc.). 

He graduated from Institut Politique de Strasbourg (France) in Economics & Finance and holds a Master in Direct Marketing and eCommerce at Skema Lille Business School (France).

Prosper Dalton Akati, Chief Risk Officer

Prosper has over 10 years of experience in the UK and Ghana, especially around key Risk functions such as Operational risk management, Compliance and Anti-Money Laundering, Enterprise risk management, Fraud risk management and Recovery.

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Prosper previously worked for Bayport Savings & Loans and throughout his career, his different positions both in UK & Ghana have spanned several senior and middle management functions like Analyst, Risk and Research, Deputy Internal Auditor, forensic analytics manager and deputy manager for risk, compliance and AML. 

Among others, Prosper is an associate member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (USA), a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors and a graduate of  Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (BSc Materials Engineering)  and  Glasgow Caledonian University, (U.K) in Financial Services, Risk and Operations (MSc).