 Following the 1999 Ivorian coup d'état, he resumed a private sector career and rejoined McKinsey in Paris from 2000 to 2002, then worked as a senior executive for Aviva before being recruited by Prudential.Thiam was born in the Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire) on 29 July 1962.He is a descendant of two prominent families from Senegal and Ivory Coast.