Patrick Zakka

Jean-Patrick Zakka is Program Manager for Francophone West Africa at Smile Train Africa, based in Côte d'Ivoire. He is an experienced business and operations leader with nearly 20 years of experience working across healthcare, technology, distribution, and business development in West Africa.

Throughout his career, he has led commercial growth initiatives, built and managed high-performing teams, established strategic partnerships, and overseen complex operations in multicultural environments. Prior to joining Smile Train, Jean-Patrick served in senior leadership positions, including Country Manager roles, where he was responsible for driving organizational performance, operational excellence, and stakeholder engagement.

Jean-Patrick is passionate about creating sustainable impact through strong partnerships, effective program execution, and capacity building. He is committed to supporting Smile Train's work expanding access to safe, high-quality cleft care and strengthening local healthcare systems across the region.