Chief Change Officer
#120 From Paris Glamour to Senegalese Impact: Fatou Sagna Sow’s Journey Through Meaningful Career Change
Wed, 25 Dec 2024
What would you do if you were a top legal counsel managing billion-dollar financial transactions and leading a global team of 50 at the world’s largest banking groups? Most would stick to the safety of such a prestigious career. But not Fatou Sagna Sow. Born and raised in Paris, Fatou left her high-flying legal career at Societe Generale and BNP Paribas to return to her roots in Senegal. With her husband and two children, she traded a life of glamour in Paris for the challenges of driving economic and technological growth in Africa. Now the founder and CEO of New Deal Consulting, and a former advisor to the Senegalese President, Fatou is transforming local opportunities by empowering young talent from Senegal, France, and beyond. Her story is one of bold faith, careful planning, and fearless execution. Key Highlights of Our Interview: Trading Parisian Comfort for Dakar’s Call “I had a great career in France, but it wasn’t enough. Senegal was calling me—a chance to challenge myself and see if I could truly make a difference in my home country.” A Legacy for the Next Generation “As a mother, I wanted my kids to know their roots. To experience Senegal fully, so they can grow up understanding the world without barriers, enriched by both cultures.” Facing Fears and Finding Support “I worried about giving up financial security and providing for my kids, but I wasn’t alone. My strong network, including ministers and my husband’s connections, made the transition less daunting.” Bananas to the Rescue “Turning banana fiber into sanitary pads? Yep, that’s happening in Senegal. The Luna Na project is about innovation and solving local challenges with global ideas. It’s a first in Senegal and Africa, and it’s changing lives.” A Vision for Change “Luna Na isn’t just a project; it’s a movement. It’s about empowering Africa’s youth with opportunities, innovation, and hope for a brighter future. Watching this transformation unfold is my proudest accomplishment.” _________________________ Connect with Us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Fatou Sagna Sow ______________________ --Chief Change Officer-- Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself. Open a World of Deep Human Intelligence for Growth Progressives, Visionary Underdogs, Transformation Gurus & Bold Hearts. 6 Million+ All-Time Downloads. Reaching 80+ Countries Daily. Global Top 3% Podcast. Top 10 US Business. Top 1 US Careers. >>>100,000+ subscribers are outgrowing. Act Today.<<< --Chief Change Officer--Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself.Open a World of Expansive Human Intelligencefor Transformation Gurus, Black Sheep,Unsung Visionaries & Bold Hearts.EdTech Leadership Awards 2025 Finalist.18 Million+ All-Time Downloads.80+ Countries Reached Daily.Global Top 1.5% Podcast.Top 10 US Business.Top 1 US Careers.>>>170,000+ are outgrowing. Act Today.<<<
Full Episode
Hi, everyone. Welcome to our show, Chief Change Officer. I'm Vince Chan, your ambitious human host. Our show is a modernist community for change progressives in organizational and human transformation from around the world. Imagine this, you are in Paris, the city of lights, where you were born and raised.
Picture yourself as a highly skilled in-house counsel at one of the world's largest banking groups, overseeing a team of 50 and spearheading billion-dollar financial transactions. Life isn't just good. It's picture perfect. Now, what if I challenged you to leave it all behind?
What if I invited you to move with your whole family to Senegal, a vibrant country in West Africa, once a French colony, to start afresh? Would you take the leap? For many, the answer would be a no. But today's guest isn't just anyone.
Join me as I chat with Fatou Zeyna Sol, a remarkable individual I had the pleasure of studying together during our executive MBA classes in London and in Singapore with Chicago Booth. She has since moved from the well-established legal profession to economic development, technical advisory, and youth entrepreneurship in Senegal. In her own words, she aims not just to succeed, but to create magic.
What drives a person to embrace such profound change? How does a lawyer used to practicing set laws becoming a chief change officer, making her own laws of change for careers, for communities, and for societies? Fatou is going to tell her own story.
Hi, Vince. Thank you so much for having me. It's good to talk to you again. Thank you.
I'm so glad you agreed to come on board. Wow, it's been how many years? Last time I saw you in Singapore, is that right?
Well, last time I saw you, Vince, actually, it was in Singapore. It was in 2013, so indeed a long, long time ago. At this time, I was a financial lawyer at a bank in Paris. And I was also a municipality council of a small town in France, finishing my six-year terms as a municipality council. So a long, long time in it. As a background, as you know, I'm a financial lawyer. I studied law.
I always wanted to study law because law is the way you manage people to live together in a city. And I always wanted to know the rules and be able to be part of the law makers and policy makers. I studied law, of course, but I really wanted to be an economic lawyer. So I studied business law. I took a finance course as well. I also studied IT.
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