Tidjane Thiam: Ex-Credit Suisse boss to run for Ivory Coast president

Seasoned business executive Tidjane Thiam is named as the candidate for Ivory Coast's main opposition party.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcastsRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersFormer Credit Suisse boss to run for Ivory Coast president5 hours agoShareSaveWedaeli Chibelushi & Nicolas NégoceBBC News, London & AbidjanShareSaveGetty ImagesTidjane Thiam was the first black person to head a major company in the UKFormer Credit Suisse boss Tidjane Thiam is to run for president in Ivory Coast's forthcoming election, his party has confirmed.

Thiam, 62, was the only candidate vying to represent the country's main opposition party, the PDCI.

Thiam has spent the last two decades living abroad, and had to give up his French citizenship to be able to stand in the presidential election.

The former minister has held senior positions in leading international businesses like Aviva, Prudential and Credit Suisse, though he resigned from the latter following a spying scandal.

Political scientist Geoffroy Kouao told the AFP news agency that Thiam was not "well known to Ivorians," after spending more than 20 years out of the country pursuing his business career, and so would have to run a strong campaign in order to win October's election.