BrandWikiReturn

Vista Bank Group

Vista Bank is a banking group that operates across several African countries, controlled by Burkina Faso-born financier Simon Tiemtoré. It has been described as one of a new cohort of multinational banking groups in Africa, together with Coris Bank.[1]

History

In 2016, Tiemtoré set up a holding company in New York City, Lilium Capital, through which he acquired the distressed First International Bank (FIBank), a lender based in the Gambia with operations in Guinea and Sierra Leone,[2] which he renamed Vista Bank in 2021.[3]

In 2020, Vista Bank announced its acquisition of the stakes held by BNP Paribas in two banks, BICIGUI in Conakry, Guinea and BICIAB in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.[4] BICIGUI was renamed Vista Guinée (VistaGui) in July 2021.[5]

In August 2023, Vista announced an agreement to acquire a majority stake in distressed multinational banking group Oragroup based in Lomé, Togo,[2] but the acquisition process failed to obtain regulatory approval and was eventually terminated after a year.[6]

In November 2023, Yao Kouassi, who had served as a senior adviser at Vista Group Holding, was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Vista Bank Group.[7]

In December 2023, Vista announced the acquisition of Société Générale's majority stakes in its respective subsidiaries in Burkina Faso and Mozambique.[8] The latter transaction was finalized in August 2024.[9]

See also

  • Coris Bank
  • Ecobank
  • Banque Internationale pour le Commerce et l'Industrie
  • List of banks in Africa

References

  1. French Banks’ Exit from Africa to Spur Local Banks’ Growth, Competition Fitch Ratings, 2024/04/26^
  2. Omar Ben Yedder. Banking expansion just the start for Lilium Capital African Business, 2023/09/18^
  3. FIBank is now Vista Bank (Gambia) Limited B&FT Online, 2021/02/23^
  4. Ristel Tchounand. Banques : Simon Tiemtoré s’offre les filiales de BNP Paribas au Burkina Faso et en Guinée La Tribune Afrique, 2020/10/19^
  5. Mamadou Aliou Diallo. Guinée : Vista Bank officialise l’acquisition de la Bicigui qui devient Vista Guinée Financial Afrik, 2021/07/30^
  6. Facing Acquisition Roadblocks, Oragroup Turns to Recapitalization Ecofin Agency, 2024/08/29^
  7. Rédaction. Yao Kouassi nommé Directeur Général de Vista Bank Group Financial Afrik, 2024-01-15, retrieved 2025-12-17^
  8. Societe Generale signs agreements to sell two subsidiaries in Africa to Vista Group Société Générale, 2023/12/07^
  9. Vista Group Holding finalise l’acquisition de Banco Société Générale Moçambique SA Le Faso.net, 2024/08/08^