Credit Risk, Digital Lending & Financial Advisory

20+ Years Transforming Credit Risk & Digital Lending Decisions

Customised advisory for development finance institutions, digital banks, fintech lenders, and traditional banks — from mobile lending model design to operational implementation.

Mobile & Digital Lending Operational Advisory Customised Advisory Basel III IFRS 9 AI-Powered Compliance
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About SYLBEN

Our Firm

SYLBEN (formerly Azerrisk Advantage) is an independent consulting firm founded in 2008, specializing in risk management, digital lending advisory, regulatory compliance, and financial inclusion.

Active across France, Africa, Europe, and the MENA region, we partner with development finance institutions, digital lenders, and traditional banks to design, calibrate, and operationally deploy credit strategies — from mobile scoring models to full IFRS 9 frameworks.

Global Reach
40+ successful engagements across Europe and Africa with leading banks and development organizations
Financial advisory meeting

Our Leadership

Benoit Cougnaud

Benoit Cougnaud

Founder & Managing Partner

Former Banque de France / ACPR supervisor, Deputy Head of General Inspection at Exane BNP Paribas. 20+ years in credit risk modelling, digital & mobile lending, Basel III, IFRS 9, and ALM strategies.

Sylvie Cougnaud

Sylvie Cougnaud

CEO

Expert in data analysis, financial modelling, and predictive analytics. Leads our R&D on generative AI for regulatory compliance.

Who We Serve

We tailor our advisory model to the mandate and constraints of each client — from multilateral institutions to fast-moving digital lenders.

🌍

Development Finance Institutions

Credit scoring diagnostics, model recalibration, and technical assistance missions for DFIs and their portfolio companies, including instant/mobile lending programs in emerging markets.

Track record includes IFC and African Development Bank engagements
📱

Digital Banks & Fintech Lenders

Operational advisory for mobile and instant lending platforms: scoring model design, rapid recalibration cycles, and customised deployment that fits agile, API-first product teams.

Built for the pace and constraints of digital-first lenders
🏦

Commercial & Retail Banks

Full-scope IRB, IFRS 9, and ALM advisory for established institutions modernising legacy credit infrastructure or expanding into digital lending channels.

Trusted by Société Générale, Monte Paschi, Banque Delubac and others

Core Expertise

From strategy to hands-on implementation — advisory calibrated to your operating model.

Digital and mobile lending CORE FOCUS

📱 Digital & Mobile Lending Advisory

End-to-end advisory for instant and mobile lending products: scoring model design for thin-file and alternative-data segments, rapid recalibration cycles, and API-ready deployment support for digital-first lenders.

Instant Lending Alternative Data Mobile Scoring Thin-File Segments
Operational and customised advisory CORE FOCUS

⚙️ Operational & Customised Advisory

Advisory built around each client's constraints — team capacity, systems, regulatory regime, and timeline. We work embedded with your teams, not just on paper, from diagnostic to operational rollout.

Embedded Advisory Tailored Frameworks Change Management Training
Credit risk modelling

💳 Credit Risk Modelling

Advanced credit scoring, portfolio diagnostics, and predictive performance optimization. Specialized in instant lending, SME, and retail segments with proven track record in recalibration and model improvement (up to 4x enhancement in predictive power).

Scoring Models Basel III PD/LGD/EAD
IFRS 9 provisioning

📊 IFRS 9 & Provisioning

Expected Credit Loss (ECL) modelling, hedge effectiveness testing, and forward-looking provisioning frameworks. Portfolio diagnostics tools and scenario-based macroeconomic projections.

ECL Modelling IFRS 9 Stage Migration
IRB rating systems

🏦 IRB & Internal Rating Systems

Comprehensive IRB framework design, implementation, and validation. Calibration of rating systems, capital requirements calculation, and supervisory compliance documentation.

IRB Framework Rating Systems Capital Requirements
Financial inclusion Africa

💰 Financial Inclusion & SME Lending

Tailored credit solutions for underserved markets. Custom scorecards for MSMEs, localized risk frameworks, and integration with banking systems across Africa and MENA region.

MSME Scoring Financial Inclusion Local Adaptation
ALM financial forecasting

🎯 ALM & Financial Forecasting

Asset-Liability Management strategies, stress testing, and scenario analysis. Financial forecasting tools, interest rate hedging optimization, and commodity price risk management.

ALM Modelling Stress Testing Interest Rate Risk
Model validation and audit

🔍 Model Validation & Audit

Independent model review, performance validation, and supervisory audits. Comprehensive testing of credit, market, and ALM models with anti-fraud assessments.

Model Validation Backtesting Performance Review

Recent Missions

Orange Bank Africa mobile lending

🌍 Orange Bank Africa

IFC - World Bank | Washington - Abidjan | 2024-2025

Mobile Credit Risk Modelling Expert. In-depth recalibration of mobile instant lending credit scoring models. Enhanced model performance with predictive power multiplied by 4x.

📈 Impact: 4x improvement in predictive accuracy for mobile lending decisions
Oxygen Bank diagnostic mission

🏛️ Oxygen Bank Nigeria

IFC - World Bank | Washington - Lagos | 2024-2025

Instant Credit Risk Models Assessment. Comprehensive diagnosis and recommendations on instant credit risk models. Strategic roadmap for model enhancement and regulatory compliance.

🎯 Impact: Actionable optimization strategy for credit risk framework
Axa Banque financial advisory

💼 Axa Banque

Financial & ALM Modelling Expert | Paris | 2023-2025

ALM Modelling & Financial Forecasting for the CFO. In-depth analysis of forecasting tools, interest rate environment impact, and cash flow projections.

💡 Impact: Enhanced financial forecasting accuracy under changing rate scenarios
Crédit Agricole model validation

🛡️ Crédit Agricole Consumer Finance

Model Validation Expert | Paris | 2022-2023

Transition Manager - IRB, IFRS 9 & AML Model Validation. Internal validation of credit, provisioning, and anti-fraud models with governance framework implementation.

✅ Impact: Comprehensive validation framework & regulatory compliance

Banking References

Bank Audi Banque Delubac Monte Paschi BFCOI CIH Bank Tunisie Leasing & Factoring Groupe BPCE Natixis Viel & Cie African Development Bank

🇪🇺 Europe

Banque DelubacIRB models, multi-segment scoring
Monte PaschiTax statements, IFRS 9 reporting
BFCOI (Société Générale)Automation of financial data extraction
Dexia / BPCEALM and stress test training

🌍 Africa & MENA

Tunisie Leasing & FactoringTailored leasing/factoring scoring models
Bank AudiLocally calibrated SME/Micro scoring
BCP BankRetail-SME models and IT integration
African Development BankProject risk rating frameworks

AI & Innovation

Generative AI and machine learning applied to credit risk, compliance, and digital lending decisions.

Generative AI for compliance

🤖 Generative AI for Compliance

Development of AI-powered tools for regulatory compliance, risk forecasting, and financial decision-making. Ethical and responsible AI implementation with full auditability and confidentiality.

  • Compliance automation & documentation
  • Risk analysis & forecasting
  • Portfolio diagnostics
  • Regulatory reporting
R&D machine learning

🔬 R&D Projects

Active research in machine learning for credit risk, advanced analytics, and market risk optimization. Collaboration with academic institutions and financial innovation labs.

  • ML-based credit scoring
  • Predictive analytics
  • Anomaly detection
  • Stress scenario generation
Responsible AI

⚖️ Responsible AI

Ensuring ethical application of AI in banking. Full transparency, auditability, and compliance with emerging AI regulations. Bias detection and responsible decision-making frameworks.

  • Bias & fairness assessment
  • Model explainability (SHAP/PDP)
  • Ethical compliance
  • Governance & audit trails
Predictive intelligence

📈 Predictive Intelligence

Advanced data science applied to banking challenges. Proprietary tools for portfolio analysis, scenario generation, and forward-looking risk assessment.

  • Scenario-based forecasting
  • Macroeconomic modeling
  • Portfolio optimization
  • Hedge effectiveness testing

Let's Connect

Start Your Credit Risk or Digital Lending Project

Whether you're a DFI, a digital lender, or a traditional bank — let's discuss how a customised advisory engagement can support your credit strategy.

Email
bcougnaud@gmail.com

Phone
+33 6 84 94 15 14

Address
10 rue de Sully, 94220 Charenton-le-Pont, France

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