A team of Experts.....

In Energy

For her Future.....

Our Team

Sequoia Emerging Markets Finance’s staffing

  • Four Managing Directors with a total of more than 100 years of experience in infrastructure finance in emerging markets;
  • Six Associates with expertise in energy, water and ICT under contract with Sequoia. All Associates have more than ten years of experience and have worked in Africa during their career;
  • Fifteen Experts available upon request in energy, water and ICT with professional experience ranging from five to twenty years in their sector.

Michel Layec
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Layec is an international energy economist, energy planner and financial analyst with over 25 years of experience in the energy sectors of emerging markets, as a staff of the World Bank and in the private sector. He has extensive and recognized in-depth expertise in the design of energy sector policy and planning, in economic evaluation of investment and policy options, and in the financial analysis of specific energy sector investment, sector-wide investment programs, energy policies and strategies. He holds an MBA in Finance (Quebec), a Master in Economics (France). and training in corporate accounting.

Ananda Covindassamy
Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer

Dr. Covindassamy had a distinguished career as a Finance Specialist and Economist in international financing institutions (World Bank, EBRD) and consulting firms. He held senior management positions in infrastructure financing for more than 15 years. Dr. Covindassamy holds a degree in Business from the HEC School of Management, France, a PhD in business and applied economics from the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania and a Master’s in Economics from the University of Panthéon-Sorbonne in Paris.

James Bond
Managing Director and Vice President of Business

James Bond is an independent financial advisor specializing in energy and infrastructure in emerging economies. He is Senior Advisor to the French arm of Lazard Frères, an investment bank. Most recently he was the Chief Operating Officer of Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) of the World Bank Group. James was World Bank Country Director for several francophone countries in West Africa. His sectorial responsibilities at the World Bank have included those of Director of Energy, Mining and Telecommunications, and Director of Rural Development, Agriculture and Environment for the Africa Region.Before joining the World Bank Group James spent ten years with Total, the international oil and gas company. James holds a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, a graduate degree in energy economics and finance from the French engineering school ENSPM, and a doctorate in economics from the University of Panthéon-Sorbonne in Paris.

Mohammed Bekhechi
Managing Director and General Counsel

Mohammed A. Bekhechi is an International legal expert specialized on investments in natural resources. He completed more than two hundreds assignments in over a hundred of countries during his forty years practice. Mohammed spent eighteen years as Lead Counsel with the World Bank. He came to the World Bank after a twenty year long and successful career as professor of law, Member of the Constitutional Council of his native country, Algeria. Mohammed Bekhechi has a PhD (Doctorat d’Etat) from Paris University (Sorbonne Paris II) in Public International Law. He holds a Master Degree (DES) in Political Sciences from Paris University (Pantheon Paris II) and a Master Degree (DES) on International, European and Comparative Law from Paris University (Paris I). He has authored several books on international, public and environmental law.