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Mr. Lacina Koné currently serves as the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of Smart Africa, a position he assumed in March 2019. With extensive experience in the ICT industry spanning over 25 years, he is responsible for shaping Africa's digital agenda and has played a pivotal role in developing strategic blueprints for various continental initiatives, including Digital Identity, ICT Start-ups and Innovation Ecosystems, Smart Villages, and Africa's Smart Broadband 2025 Strategy. His exceptional contributions in advancing Africa's digital transformation have earned him recognition as one of the top 50 personalities driving this progress in 2021.

Prior to his current role, Mr. Koné held prominent advisory positions within the Republic of C?te d'Ivoire, serving as an advisor to both the Prime Minister (2017-2018) and the President (2011-2017). His expertise in digital transformation and public reforms was instrumental in shaping the country's agenda during these tenures. Mr. Koné's professional journey includes notable positions in leading organizations such as Booz Allen Hamilton and Intelsat, where he held high-level technical and managerial roles within the telecommunications, satellite, and intelligent transport system sectors.

Mr. Koné serves on the advisory boards of Benya Capital in Egypt and Townlabour Technologies in the USA, highlighting his commitment to fostering technological advancements, and holds a Commissioner position in the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development (BBCOM), demonstrating his dedication to driving sustainable progress in global broadband access.

He studied in three continents, obtaining a bachelor's degree in electronic engineering from the United Arab Emirates, completing his Polytechnique rank at the University of Brunel in the United Kingdom, and acquiring an MBA from George Washington University in the United States.