The West African banking landscape is poised for an impactful moment with the appointments of Estelle Fafa Akue Komlan as Managing Director of Ecobank Togo and Salamata Diallo as head of Ecobank Liberia. These announcements, made by the pan-African banking group based in Lomé, mark a significant step for the promotion of female leadership in the regional financial sector.
Estelle Komlan’s appointment will be effective as of April 7, 2025, succeeding Souleymane Touré, whose term in Togo is coming to an end. Estelle Komlan, already a respected figure in Togolese finance, will bring to the leadership of Ecobank Togo a rich experience of over 15 years in corporate banking, treasury, and financial management. Her impressive career includes notably heading the trading room of Orabank Togo, the only one in the country, where she played a key role in its creation. A graduate of HEC Montréal and a certified public accountant (CPA Canada), Ms. Komlan has also held high-responsibility positions at Diamond Bank, where she oversaw liquidity risk management, correspondent banking, trade finance, and balance sheet optimization. Prior to her appointment at Ecobank Togo, she held the position of Head of Commercial Banking for Businesses at Orabank Togo, in charge of key accounts and cash management.
This wave of female leadership continues with the designation of Salamata Diallo to steer Ecobank Liberia, also effective from April 7, 2025. With more than two decades of rich and varied banking experience, Salamata has risen through the ranks at Ecobank with palpable determination. Her expertise encompasses both corporate and retail clients, as well as risk management, corporate finance, and operational efficiency. Her journey at Ecobank Guinea, where she began her career as a teller, demonstrates a remarkable ascent, leading her to key roles such as branch manager and deputy risk management director. Before taking the reins of Ecobank Liberia, she led the Corporate and Investment Banking division in Guinea, injecting new dynamism into its strategy and growth. Her time at Ecobank Gambia, notably as Head of Corporate Banking and acting Managing Director, was marked by a significant expansion of the corporate portfolio and the structuring of large-scale financing agreements. Her expertise was also honed within Ecobank Development Corporation (EDC) in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, where she participated in syndicated loan and corporate finance transactions, thus consolidating her profile in investment banking and capital markets.
For the ECOBANK Group, these appointments to leadership positions not only demonstrate their commitment to advancing gender equality by entrusting more management roles to women but also their dedication to their Growth, Transformation, and Returns strategy. Salamata Diallo, holder of an MBA in Finance from the University of Akron (USA) and a Master’s degree in Economics from Kofi Annan University of Guinea, is a bilingual leader and former Fulbright scholar, deeply immersed in the dynamics of the Sub-Saharan African banking market, particularly in West Africa. Her academic background is further enriched by an ITB certificate from the Centre de Formation de la Profession Bancaire (CFPB) of France and participation in numerous high-level training programs, marked by accolades.
The arrival of Estelle Komlan at the head of Ecobank Togo carries high expectations for the country’s largest bank in terms of deposits. Her expertise and in-depth knowledge of the Togolese market are major assets for driving the institution’s growth ambitions. Similarly, Salamata Diallo’s assertive leadership and diverse experience will be cornerstones for guiding Ecobank Liberia’s operations to new heights.