Tidjane Thiam’s new memoir, Without Prejudice, offers a clear and engaging look at his life across business, politics, and global leadership. Thiam, one of Africa’s most respected CEOs, rose to the top of major companies. Yet in 2024, he was prevented from running for president in Côte d’Ivoire, the country where he was born.
Early life and family background
Thiam grew up with both opportunity and hardship. His mother came from the aristocratic Akoué family. Her uncle, Félix Houphouët-Boigny, was Côte d’Ivoire’s first president and ruled from 1960 to 1993.
But Thiam also faced emotional loss early in life. His father, Amadou, was jailed on political charges, leaving young Tidjane without a strong father figure. He became very close to his mother, who shaped his character and cultural values.
After his father was cleared and released, the family moved to Morocco, where his father served as ambassador. Côte d’Ivoire and Morocco maintained strong pro-Western ties during the Cold War, which influenced Thiam’s global outlook.
Education and challenges
In Rabat, Thiam learned how bias could shape people’s lives. On his first day in an elite French school, he was the only Black student and was attacked by racist classmates. Despite this, he excelled in his studies and became the first Ivorian admitted to the highly selective École Polytechnique in France.
Later, he studied at the École des Mines, where he explored subjects ranging from engineering to finance. During this period, he also faced deep personal grief when his mother died of a rare illness.
Entering the professional world
Thiam struggled to find internships through standard applications. He felt that the French job market was not as merit-based as it claimed. Through his father’s connections, he eventually secured a placement at a large French company, which opened the door to his future career.
He later joined McKinsey, moved briefly to the World Bank, and quickly returned to McKinsey due to frustration with bureaucracy.
Return to Côte d’Ivoire
After President Houphouët-Boigny died, Thiam returned home. The new president, Henri Konan Bédié, appointed him to lead the agency responsible for major state projects. Thiam sensed rising political tension and sent his family to the US.
When a coup d’état removed Bédié from power, Thiam stayed in Abidjan for a short time. His work was reviewed by the new military government and he was cleared. He even received an offer to serve under General Robert Guéï but declined and eventually left the country.
Côte d’Ivoire soon fell into civil conflict, and Thiam focused fully on his corporate path in Europe.
Rise in global business
Thiam joined Aviva in the UK and later moved to Prudential (“the Pru”). During the 2008 financial crisis, he led major strategic decisions and eventually became CEO. One major challenge was the failed $35bn bid for AIA, which brought criticism from regulators.
Even so, Thiam was soon recruited by Credit Suisse. Under his leadership, the bank attracted $200bn in new funds, raised capital, and cut costs. But in 2020, he resigned after a boardroom dispute linked to a spying scandal inside the bank, despite not being directly involved.
Entering politics
After leaving Credit Suisse, Thiam decided in 2023 to enter politics. He ran to lead the Parti Démocratique de la Côte d’Ivoire, founded by his great-uncle Houphouët-Boigny. His platform highlighted education, prosperity, technology, the rule of law, and sustainable growth.
He won party leadership, but his presidential run faced a major legal barrier. A court ruled that he could not be a candidate because he held French citizenship when he registered, even though he later renounced it.
As a result, he was removed from the electoral roll, and President Alassane Ouattara secured another term.
What comes next?
Thiam’s attempt to reshape politics in Côte d’Ivoire ended abruptly, and his next steps remain unknown. His memoir closes at this turning point, leaving readers curious about what he will do next.
Without Prejudice by Tidjane Thiam is published by William Collins.