After more than 20 years of experience in procurement in Europe, Luc Damiani made the decision to relocate to Côte d’Ivoire to start his entrepreneurial journey. Through strategic preparation, on-the-ground immersion, and support from Entourage, he shares the behind-the-scenes of a thoughtful and ambitious transition.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your background?
My name is Luc Damiani, I’m 41 years old, and I built my entire career in France in procurement. I worked as a consultant for 10 years, then joined the Crédit Agricole Group, where I managed international teams. At the same time, I developed a consulting firm specializing in tender responses. Today, I aim to deploy this expertise in West Africa, strting in Côte d’Ivoire.
What motivated your move to Africa?
There was a real personal turning point. After several family events, I realized I had been waiting too long to pursue what I truly wanted. I already had this desire for change, fueled by my travels. At some point, I told myself: stop waiting and take action.
How did you prepare for your relocation?
This project took nearly two years to build. I started by connecting with professionals on LinkedIn, then spent a month in Côte d’Ivoire to meet my network. After that, I financially prepared my move to secure a one-year transition period and multiplied discussions to challenge my project. It was a strategic, financial, and human preparation.
What challenges have you faced since your arrival?
The main difference is that you can’t move forward alone. In Europe, many things can be done independently. Here, everything relies on your network: finding housing, understanding administrative processes, moving forward on key topics… it requires more patience, humility, and above all, knowing how to ask for help.
Why did you turn to Entourage during this process?
I discovered Entourage through webinars I followed for several months. At a key moment in my preparation, I decided to join ENTOURAGE+ to go further: structure my project, challenge my offer, and benefit from concrete feedback.
How did Entourage accelerate your relocation?
Very concretely, Entourage’s support was structuring on multiple levels. Before my move, dinners with experts like Stanislas Zézé, Régis Facia, and Sarah Doukouré gave me very practical insights into the local reality and how to prepare my arrival.
I then refined my positioning through one-on-one exchanges, notably with Nabou Fall on my branding strategy, and with Moulaye Tabouré, whose advice was decisive: shifting from a general procurement consulting pitch to a clear expertise in tender responses. This repositioning made my offer immediately more understandable.
At the same time, member dinners in Paris and Abidjan allowed me to confront my project with others’ experiences and avoid common mistakes. Ultimately, I didn’t move forward alone—I joined an ecosystem that helped me save time, refine my strategy, and accelerate my network from day one.
What role did the ENTOURAGE+ community play in your project?
ENTOURAGE+ is not just a platform, it’s an active community. From the moment I joined, I attended events, exchanged with diverse profiles—many from the diaspora or already based locally. Through this community, I gained practical feedback, on-the-ground advice, a better understanding of local realities, and most importantly: support and an immediately actionable network. When you carry this type of project, you’re often alone. Here, that’s no longer the case.
How do you see the evolution of your activity in the coming years?
In the short term, I want to secure recurring clients. In the medium term, my vision is to grow a procurement consulting business, begin a knowledge transfer process in my field, and start training others. My goal is also to build a team and contribute to structuring this profession locally.
How would you describe your experience with Entourage in one sentence?
“Alone we go fast. Together we go further.” Entourage gave me a framework, a network, and above all, support in a project where you can quickly feel isolated.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a business in Africa?
Don’t romanticize your project. It’s crucial to go on the ground, take time to observe, meet people, prepare financially, and most importantly: stay humble and curious. That’s the key.
Want to structure your relocation or business project in Africa? Book a session with our experts on Entourage or join the ENTOURAGE+ community to accelerate your journey
