Dominique Folloroux-Ouattara
| Dominique Nouvian-Ouattara | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First Lady of Ivory Coast | |
|
Assumed office 11 April 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Simone Gbagbo |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
16 December 1953 Constantine, French Algeria |
| Spouse(s) | Alassane Ouattara |
| Children | Two |
Dominique Ouattara (born 16 December 1953) is the current First Lady of Ivory Coast.
Biography
Born in 1953 in Constantine to Jewish parents in French Algeria, Dominique Nouvian moved to Côte d'Ivoire in 1975 with her first husband, Jean Folloroux, professor at Lycée Technique in Abidjan, with whom she has two children. Her husband died in 1984. She met Alassane Ouattara, Deputy Governor of the BCEAO in Dakar the following year, who late became President of Ivory Coast; they married on August 24, 1991, in the Town Hall of the 16th arrondissement of Paris. She is also a Christian despite being born Jewish and her husband being Muslim. Her eldest son, Loic Folloroux (named after her first husband) is Director of the Africa branch of Armajaro Trading Group Limited, a company specializing in trading cocoa and raw materials.
Career
Dominique Ouattara is a businesswoman, specialized in real estate. Since 1979, she was CEO of AICI International Group, a company that employs today more than 250 people on three continents. After strengthening her presence in Côte d'Ivoire particularly in Yamoussoukro, Bouaké, San Pedro and Jacqueville, Dominique Ouattara established, in 1989, AICI in Europe by choosing France as the European showcase. After a first branch in Paris, AICI continues its development in the south of France, since 1991, by launching an office in Cannes. In 1993, "Malesherbes Management", a realtor’s agent managing office of joint ownership, which manages more than 200 Parisian buildings, extended the expansion of AICI International Group. AICI International continues to develop in 2001, settling in 2006 in Gabon and Burkina Faso.
Meanwhile, Dominique Ouattara was appointed in 1996, CEO & CEO, EJD inc., a company that manages Jacques Dessange Institute in Washington. In 1998, she acquired the Jacques Dessange franchises in the United States and then became CEO of French Beauty Services which manages all U.S. franchises brand. Following Alassane Ouattara election as President of the Republic, and in accordance with campaign pledges the latter made, she ceases her activities as business leader, resigned from all her professional duties and sells US Dessange franchises to Dessange Paris Group to devote herself exclusively to her role as First Lady of Côte d'Ivoire and to her foundation, Children of Africa. She was appointed in 2012 as head of the National Oversight Committee of Actions Against Child Trafficking, Exploitation and Labor.
Children of Africa Foundation
In 1980, she conducted humanitarian missions in Côte d'Ivoire to the people and disadvantaged children, and in 1998 she created Children Of Africa Foundation ("Children Of Africa"). It includes dozens of volunteers. Princess Ira von Fürstenberg is the godmother of that foundation whose goal is "the welfare of the continent's children by providing support, listening to and affection". The association has to her credit, in Côte d'Ivoire, the construction of a center for abandoned children and another for those receiving minimum family structure in Abidjan, a school in Kong, various renovations and supplies equipment and the promotion of immunization campaigns. The association is also active in Gabon, Madagascar, Central Africa and Burkina Faso.
Decoration
Titles
• Commander of the Ivorian national order • Officer of the Order of Merit of Solidarity • Commander of the National Order of the Legion of Honor (France) • Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit (Lebanon)
Distinctions • 1991: " Honorary Chairwoman of Employer’s Union of Real Estate Agents of Côte d’Ivoire" (CSDAIM). • 2000: "Best Business Woman of the Year 2000" in the framework of The Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World. • 2008: " International Pan ICS Prize 2007-2008 Best Woman Prize of the best structure of Charity in West Africa for her education, training and assistance activities to destitue children and women in difficulties". • 2011: "Crans Montana Foundation Prize", in collaboration with UNESCO and ISESCO, presented by Irina Bokova, Director-General of Unesco. • 2012: " World Cocoa Foundation Prize (WCF)" in Washington, DC, for her commitment for children’s welfare.
External links
References
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