On my Harvard experience: The most consequential course I took at Harvard was in my first year—Business, Government, and International Economy. It shaped how I think about international political economies and the macro dynamics of how countries operate, which directly relates to my work today.
My second year further deepened this with courses like Globalization and Emerging Markets, and Managing International Trade and Investment. These classes taught me to balance thinking of Africa as a continent of opportunity while understanding the unique needs and trajectories of individual countries like Senegal, Kenya, and Nigeria. This ability to shift between macro and micro perspectives has been critical in my work.
As a Senior Advisor to the Minister of Economy in Senegal, I applied these frameworks to shape post-COVID economic policy, approach international investors, and engage multilateral partners. Harvard’s lessons on global interconnections have been invaluable, particularly when events like the Ukraine war highlighted the impact of global supply chains on local economies—such as Senegal’s reliance on wheat imports from Ukraine. Harvard taught me to approach challenges on a larger, macro scale. For instance, rather than focusing solely on Senegal’s rural electrification rate of 77%, I’ve learned to think about the broader issue—which is, that 600 million Africans still lack access to electricity. Solving this requires mobilizing technical expertise and financial instruments on a much larger scale.
Harvard pushed me to think holistically and consider the bigger picture when tackling such complex issues. The insights I gained continue to influence my approach to my work at the intersection of finance and public policy in Africa.
On making a difference post-Harvard: In 2020, I moved back to Senegal to join the minister's cabinet as a senior advisor. Initially, my role was focused on private sector development, but with the onset of COVID-19, I became one of the principal architects of Senegal’s response to the crisis. What I learned at Harvard, particularly in general management courses, helped me approach the problem holistically. We had to coordinate across multiple sectors—health, agriculture, finance—and ensure that the response was comprehensive.
I applied a similar methodology to what I learned in consulting and investment banking: analyzing the problem from various angles, benchmarking against what other countries were doing, and adapting those lessons to Senegal's specific needs. For instance, we focused on fiscal policy, given our limitations with monetary policy, and implemented actionable measures like forgiving electricity and water payments to provide liquidity to the poorest households.
This holistic approach, rooted in my Harvard experience, was critical in shaping Senegal’s COVID-19 response, which was later recognized as one of the most innovative responses to the pandemic globally.
On Impact: One of my proudest achievements is my work on securing the African Union’s permanent membership in the G20. In 2022, during Senegal’s chairmanship of the African Union, I worked closely with the President’s economic advisor and led the technical efforts on finance and development for the continent. I negotiated communiqués and drafted key arguments for why the African Union should have a seat at the G20 table. If you're thinking about why that's important, it's because representation matters. Africa doesn't have a seat at the table when decisions are being made, but oftentimes, the policies aren't well implemented because we weren't at the table when they were being designed.
I helped prepare the President’s speech for the G20 Leaders Summit and lobbied at a technical level to ensure Africa’s voice was heard. The key focus areas were equitable energy transition, concessional financing, and re-channeling special drawing rights to the most impoverished countries.
This work culminated in the African Union becoming a permanent G20 member at the 2023 New Delhi Leaders Summit. Knowing that I contributed to securing Africa’s representation at the highest level of policymaking is a source of great pride, and I continue this work today at the African Development Bank.
On Failure: I could talk about this for an entire day! Sometimes having a Harvard degree can work against you. For me, the challenge was transitioning from the U.S., with its more capitalist and Anglophone mindset, to working in the public sector in a Francophone country with a socialist philosophy. It was like night and day. The differences were everywhere—from moving between the private and public sectors to navigating different ways of thinking.
One specific challenge was language and communication style. In English, especially when writing speeches, you state your thesis up front and then develop your points. In French, particularly in government, you build up the argument first, then arrive at your conclusion. Adjusting to this shift in mindset was difficult because it wasn’t just about language but about how problems and solutions are approached.
Another challenge was my posture. Coming from the U.S. and a background in banking, where I was used to driving policy and capital, I suddenly found myself in a government role where I had to ask for capital. It was a very different posture—moving from someone who allocates resources to someone who has to request them. But I learned that it’s about asking with respect and maintaining pride in your country, ensuring that you’re not just begging for help but showing the world that you want to develop independently.
Just because you have a Harvard degree, people sometimes assume you think you’re better than others. When I came into my role in government, it was a position typically reserved for senior civil servants who had worked their way up. Being a young, 30-year-old Harvard graduate who spoke English made some people envious, which meant I didn’t always get the benefit of the doubt. Some colleagues weren’t as collaborative due to the persona that I represented, and it became necessary to bring myself down to earth—to show that I wasn’t better than anyone, but simply there to work together and contribute.
The biggest lesson I took from Harvard was the importance of co-creation and collaboration, but I had to adapt to the reality that vulnerability, which was encouraged in the safe space of Harvard, could sometimes be used against you in a more competitive or political environment. In the public sector, showing too much vulnerability can be risky because envy or jealousy may cause people to use it against you. So, while it’s important to be open, I also had to protect myself and be mindful of how I navigated that space.
Fortunately, I was surrounded by good people. My mentor, the minister who appointed me, was someone I could trust, and I had a team of like-minded people who were open to learning and working together. That made a big difference in overcoming these challenges.
On Advice to Current or Prospective African Students: My advice is to avoid being purely critical. Instead, find ways to contribute. It's easy to criticize African governments while you’re abroad, but once you're involved in the system, you realize how complex it is. Many people in government are hardworking and ethical, but there are immense constraints—limited resources, lack of capacity, and external pressures. People only see the surface of the challenges, while the deeper issues remain hidden. Governments need proactive ideas and solutions, not just criticism. Remember, the success of your country is tied to the success of its government. So, stay politically engaged and help move your government forward.
