In the dynamic landscape of West African business, few figures embody the spirit of entrepreneurial leadership as profoundly as Yerim Sow, the Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Teylion Group. With a career spanning over three decades, Mr Sow has established himself as a foundational architect of modern industry, steering a diversified portfolio that encompasses banking, telecommunications, real estate, and hospitality across Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.
His leadership journey is one of remarkable consistency and vision. He has been the Group Chairman of Teylion for an impressive twenty-four years, assuming the additional role of Chief Executive Officer in 2020. This long tenure underscores a deep, sustained commitment to building enterprises that contribute meaningfully to the region’s economic fabric.
Mr Sow’s influence extends far beyond his own group, evidenced by his esteemed chairmanship of several of West Africa’s most prominent corporations. He has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for MTN Côte d’Ivoire for over a quarter of a century, a role that placed him at the forefront of the continent’s telecommunications revolution. Similarly, his chairmanship of Free au Sénégal and ECSEN highlights his strategic oversight in shaping competitive markets and driving innovation.
His executive career is rooted in the telecoms sector, where he was a pioneering force. He served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Telecel CI in Abidjan for over seven years, following earlier leadership roles in paging systems with Access Telecom. This ground-level experience in a then-nascent industry provided the critical insights that would later inform his strategic board-level decisions.
An engineer by training, Mr Sow’s academic foundation was laid in North America, with studies in computer engineering at Boston University College of Engineering and at Polytechnique Montréal. This technical background has undoubtedly informed his methodical approach to business development and complex project management.
From procuring computer materials in Dakar in the late 1980s to now presiding over a vast industrial group, Yerim Sow’s career trajectory mirrors the extraordinary economic transformation of West Africa itself. His story is not merely one of personal success, but of a lifelong dedication to fostering the industries and infrastructures that empower nations and connect communities.
