Panou, who was from Lacs Prefecture in southern Togo, graduated from ESIJY in Yaoundé, Cameroon in the 1970s and worked as a journalist. He became Director of National Television in 1986, then was a Special Advisor to the President. After serving as Secretary-General of the Presidency, he was named Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1996, in which position he served until September 1, 1998, when he was named Minister of Communication and Civic Education. After two years in the latter position, he was again named Minister of Foreign Affairs on October 8, 2000. He was a member of the West African mediation group during the Ivorian Civil War and participated in the cease-fire negotiations. He remained Foreign Minister until being replaced by Roland Kpotsra in the government named on December 3, 2002.