Vista Group, a financial services holding company with a mission to become a leading global pan-African banking institution, has received approval by the French banking regulator, ACPR, to establish Vista Bank in France.
Vista Bank France will launch in the second half of 2025. It will be Vista Bank’s first banking operation outside of Africa and its first greenfield bank since acquiring numerous former French banks in Africa.
Over the past few years, Vista Group has pursued an ambitious growth strategy, having acquired BNP Paribas and Societe Generale’s subsidiaries in several African countries.
Mr Simon Tiemtore, Chairman of Vista Group Holding, said: “Establishing Vista Bank in France is a milestone in Vista Group’s global expansion strategy and underscores our position in the global financial market.
“Our operation in France is the start of our global gateway to support the strategic growth of Vista Banks on the African continent by providing correspondent banking, corporate banking, international trade financing, factoring, foreign exchange and treasury management and advisory services.”
“Vista Bank in France will greatly benefit African businesses – helping drive trade, supporting the economies of the countries where we operate, and driving trade growth for Africa.
“This strategic expansion is a testament to our unwavering belief in Africa’s potential and our dedication to unlocking opportunities for our clients and the continent.”
Vista Bank France exemplifies Vista Bank’s mission to transform Africa’s financial landscape and reinforces its global commitment to empowering African businesses.
About Vista Group
Vista Group, owned by Lilium Group LLC, offers a full range of innovative banking products, solutions, and services accessible to everyone, including individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), businesses, and governments. It helps to promote financial inclusion, economic growth, and prosperity in its countries of operation.
Vista Group is a financial services’ holding company that is building a world-class pan-African financial institution group that contributes to economic growth and financial inclusion in Africa.
Vista has entered into strategic partnerships with various global financial institutions to drive its growth strategy by focusing on MSME (SME banking, leasing, factoring, mesofinance, women’s banking, etc.), trade and supply chain finance, corporate banking and bancassurance. Through these partnerships, Vista also aims to increase profitability while reducing operating costs and mitigating risk.
Vista Group is focused on maximising the opportunities in its respective markets to become the financial institution of choice through its innovative banking and insurance products.
About the Chairman
Simon Tiemtore is the Chairman of Lilium Capital Group, an Africa-focused investment holding company based in the United States.
Lilium Capital Group specializes in strategic investments in high-potential sectors such as financial services, energy, hospitality, agro-industry, healthcare, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG).
It is the parent company of Vista Group Holding. Mr Tiemtore is also the Chairman of Vista Group Holding, the holding company of Vista Bank Group. Vista Bank is one of the fastest-growing pan-African banks, with a strategic expansion strategy to promote investment and trade in Africa.
Under Mr Triemtore’s leadership, Vista Group Holding acquired numerous BNP Paribas and Société Générale banks upon their exit from Africa and rebranded them as Vista Bank.
Before founding Vista Group, Mr Tiemtore was the Group Head of Corporate Finance and Advisory Services at the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and a member of the Executive Management Committee. He successfully led several African investment bank and debt capital markets transactions.
He previously worked at Morgan Stanley in New York, where he led several M&As in the US, Europe, and Asia. Prior to that, he was a lawyer at Skadden, Arps in New York.
He is currently involved in several initiatives in Africa. Mr Tiemtore is a member of the Board of the US Chamber of Commerce-Africa, where he co-chairs the Banking and Financial Institutions Task Force. He is also a member of the Board of the US Chamber of Commerce-Ecowas Initiative.
He is a member of the New York Bar Association, the American Bar Association Section of International Law, Business and Practice, and the NYU School of Laws Weinfeld Fellows. He is also a board member of the TEN Children Foundation, a charity that supports orphanages across Africa.
Mr. Tiemtore holds an LLM in Law from the New York University School of Laws, an LLM in International Studies from the American University—Washington College of Law in Washington, DC, and an LLB in Law from the University of Ouagadougou School of Laws.
