Areas of work: Trade Policy Issues and Technology policy around Data centres management, Data Privacy, Cybersecurity and Transparency, and Artificial intelligence. Innovation Policy issues including incentives and regulations for Startups, early-stage and scale-up investment frameworks, and sectoral aspects in Fintech, Healthtech or Edtech. Public policy production through government affairs engagements, stakeholders participatory processes, and Industry coalitions.
Serge advises international institutions, NGOs and the private sector on innovation policy. His current work includes building Public Policy strategies for AfriLabs, a pan-African network of 350 hubs and building a model pan-African innovation framework as a standing member of expert groups on AI, Data policy and start-up regulations at Smart Africa Alliance. Previously, Serge led Policy and Government Affairs for Microsoft in the Middle East and Africa. While at Microsoft, he designed and executed the development and implementation of Microsoft’s public policy initiatives at national and local levels with regard to creating market access for Cloud solutions. His role also deepened the company’s relationships with government elites, regulatory bodies, the legislature, international organisations and academia.
Serge worked at Microsoft for 14 years, serving in various roles starting as Intellectual Property (IP) Lead for Africa, where he led high-level engagements and Programs in IP Policy and Enforcement. He also held the Legal and Corporate Affairs Manager position for West and Central Africa and was responsible for advising the regional Leadership Team on Legal, Compliance and Institutional affairs.
Before joining Microsoft, Serge worked as a Trade Law Adviser for the International Trade Center/World Trade Organization in Switzerland, the European Commission and British American Tobacco in Nigeria and across West and Central Africa.
Serge holds an LLM in International Trade Law and Policy from the University of Pretoria in South Africa and a Postgraduate Degree in European Trade Law from the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Serge received multiple Scholarships from the World Bank and the European Union Commission. He is a member of the French Association of Corporate Counsels and a founding member of the Corporate Counsel Association of Cameroon and Cameroon’s Business Angels Network.