| Franck Biya | |
| Birth Name: | Emmanuel Franck Olivier Biya |
| Birth Date: | 21 August 1971 |
| Birth Place: | Yaoundé, Cameroon |
| Occupation: | Businessman, entrepreneur |
| Parents: | Paul Biya (father) Jeanne-Irène Atyam (mother; deceased) Chantal Vigouroux (stepmother) |
Emmanuel Franck Olivier Biya (born 21 August 1971) is a Cameroonian businessman and entrepreneur and son of incumbent President Paul Biya.
Biya was educated in Cameroon before attending University of Southern California where he obtained a bachelor's degree in Political Science and Economics in 1994.[1] [2] He then worked as an intern at Bank of Central African States from 1995 to 1997.[1] [2] From 1997 to 2004, he was a partner of a forestry conglomerate named I.N.G.F.[1] [2] In 2004, he established Venture Capital PLC, a private fund that focuses on the investment to foreign corporations, not only in Africa but also in other continents.[1] [2]
Franck Biya has been speculated as a potential successor to his father Paul Biya who has been serving as the President since 1982.[3] [4]
During the 2011 presidential election where Paul was running for re-election, Franck was found to be campaigning to his father.[5] He was suggested to run in the 2018 presidential election instead of his father, although this never happened.[6] Several supporters of Franck was reportedly formed non-governmental organisations to support his bid, such as the Citizens Movement in Support of Franck Biya for Peace and Unity in Cameroon.[4]
Critics of Biya family cited that Cameroon is not a monarchy and Franck is not legally in the first line of succession throne.[4]
Franck Biya was born in Yaoundé to Paul Biya from a relationship between Biya and his first wife Jeanne-Irène Atyam's sister[7] or niece; Jeanne-Irène adopted him.[8] [9] He is married and has 4 children.[1]