2. 1
C O N T E N T S
MOROCCO EXPORT SPECIAL REPORT
2
Hassan Sentissi El Idrissi, President,
Moroccan Exporters Association (ASMEX)
• Interview
3
Mohamed Fikrat,
CEO,
Cosumar
• Interview
4
Viral Effect
• Focus: Exports
7
Abed Chagar,
CEO,
Colorado
• Interview
8
Abdellaziz Taariji,
General Manager of Sehi Group
• Interview
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CEO
Ayşe Valentin
Regional Director
Carlos Martinez
Country Manager
Myriem Dahlab
Editorial
Terry Whitlam, Aidan McMahon
10
Saloua Karkri Ep Belkeziz,
Président Afrique,
INETUM
• Interview
11
Lamia Tazi,
Chairwoman & CEO,
Sothema
• Interview
13
Rida Sentissi El Idrissi,
CEO & General Manager,
Copelit Group / Damsa
• Interview
14
Hicham Amadi,
Chairman & CEO,
World Wide Loyalty System (2WLS)
• Interview
15
Philippe Miquel,
CEO, ENGIE Services Morocco
• Interview
16
Abdeljabbar Mezry,
Industrial Director, Facop
• Interview
18
Moulay Hassan Debbarh,
CEO, Cartier Saada
• Interview
3. 2
MOROCCO EXPORTS SPECIAL REPORT
I N T E R V I E W
Hassan Sentissi El Idrissi
P R E S I D E N T,
M O R O C C A N E X P O R T E R S A S S O C I AT I O N
( A S M E X )
VOICE OF
EXPERIENCE
ASMEX tries to provide high added-value support for exporters
through a wide range of services and initiatives.
BIO
Hassan Sentissi is the chairman of several companies including Radi Kolding,
Copelit, Novadeira Maroc, Pescaibu, SMP Tarpon, Pescarif, SAP Nassim, SAP
Jawhara, Badr El Bahr, Damsa, and Tissir Port. He is President of FENIP, ASMEX,
ANAFAP, and AFIEX, a member of the board of IFFO, and President of the Russian-
Morocco Business Council.
Since its establishment in 1982 in Morocco, ASMEX has become the
key point for exports, a reference for exporters, and valuable tool for
companies seeking to export. How would you describe the evolution of
the institution over these years?
Since its creation, ASMEX has devoted itself tirelessly to boost-
ing Moroccan exports to the most important and, more par-
ticularly, the most dynamic global markets. For this, ASMEX
has identified itself as a privileged partner of the public sec-
tors, namely the entire ecosystem concerned with exports, in
this case the Ministry of Industry, Trade, Investment, and the
Digital Economy, the Moroccan Investment and Export Devel-
opment Agency (AMDIE), and all other organizations. ASMEX
brings together all the exporting companies of different sec-
tors and sizes spread over the whole of Morocco, including the
500 most important companies. These benefit from input and
support from thematic commissions and ad-hoc committees
chaired by experienced manufacturers. In addition, ASMEX has
continued to innovate in terms of promoting Moroccan exports
through the creation of committees dedicated to specific nich-
es such as halal, organic, and others while creating and defend-
ing the “Made in Morocco” label.
ASMEX offers a wide portfolio of services such as information, advice,
logistics, promotion, and so on. What are the most demanded services
currently?
ASMEX tries through a wide range of services to provide high
added-value support for exporters. The most highly request-
ed services are much more focused on support relating to the
identification of new markets and linking with import plat-
forms. In this regard, ASMEX has signed various partnerships
benefiting all of its members with the aim of increasing exports.
How did COVID-19 impact exports and ASMEX’s operations, and what
key strategies have you followed to mitigate this impact and to support
your members?
The pandemic has severely impacted international trade, and
Morocco was not immune. All sectors have been impacted
to varying degrees. Notwithstanding, ASMEX has continued
to support all sectors by massively resorting to digitalization
through an adapted action plan including: webinars on doing
business with several countries and on all topics related to ex-
port competitiveness; B2B meetings with international pur-
chasing centers; training on digitalization and e-commerce,
and other similar initiatives.
What are your key goals and priorities for 2021?
2021 will be a year of economic challenges and rebound for us.
Among these challenges, we should mention the implemen-
tation of the recommendations of the study on the exportable
supply carried out in partnership with the Minister of Indus-
try, Investment, Trade, and the Digital Economy, and AMDIE;
support for exporters to take advantage of the new African Free
Trade Area (AfCFTA) that will soon come into force; strength-
ening of digitalization processes; the identification of new
exporters and new export niches, particularly in the regions;
strengthening the promotion and support of the halal and or-
ganic niches; and many more. ✖
“ASMEX brings together all the
exporting companies of different
sectors and sizes spread over the
whole of Morocco, including the 500
most important companies.”
4. MOROCCO EXPORTS SPECIAL REPORT
3
Mohamed Fikrat
C E O ,
C O S U M A R
SWEET SUCCESS
A pioneer of the sugar industry in Morocco, Cosumar is focusing on
both sustainability at home and international expansion.
ecosystem and ensure the activity of the factories. We were able
to maintain the production of this staple food, sugar, and all the
sites quickly deployed the necessary equipment in terms of hy-
giene in addition to constant awareness of barrier gestures. The
Attaissir digital platform, launched in 2019, was a fully adapted
and useful solution to manage the constraints of the situation. In-
deed, Attaissir was developed by our engineers in collaboration
with a Moroccan start-up and is intended for the digitalization of
upstream processes. Agricultural partners, farmers, transporters,
and service providers are using this system, which allows sowing
and lifting operations to be monitored online using machines
connected by GPS.
Cosumar is member of ASMEX. How much of your revenue comes from
exports, and what are your expansion plans?
Our export activity has developed gradually since its launch eight
years ago. The volumes exported have progressed gradually
reached over 650,000 tons, and these operations are conducted
outside the regulatory framework for subsidies. This represents
around 25% of our turnover, and we currently serve around 40
countries. To Cosumar, exports are linked to the capture of op-
portunities according to market prices and the white premium.
We have a production capacity of over 2 million tons of white sug-
ar for a local market of around 1.2 million tons.
What are your key goals and priorities for the year ahead and for 2021?
In 2021, we will pursue our strategic axes. We must first, at a na-
tional level, guarantee the coming agricultural seasons, because
the production from our locally grown plants represents an im-
portant source for our agricultural partners in the five regions.
The constraints encountered at the start of the year, mainly due
to the drought, the drop in the water level in the irrigation dams,
and then the January floods, were managed in such a way so as
not to impact local production. However, we are making all the
necessary efforts with our institutional partners, agriculture, and
the local authorities to support the ecosystem and farmers in the
five regions. The Casablanca-based raw sugar refinery, which is
recognized as one of the most efficient in the world, is designed to
meet the necessary needs for the national market. We also plan to
continue sugar production at Comaguis and prepare for the com-
missioning of the Durrah refinery in Saudi Arabia in the coming
weeks. ✖
Cosumar Group, since its establishment in 1929, has become a market
leader in sugar extraction. How would you describe the evolution of the
company over these 91 years?
Cosumar is the pioneer of the sugar industry in Morocco. The
company includes in its capital the Singaporean Groue Wilmar
as well as Moroccan institutions, namely, among others, pension
funds and insurance companies. Cosumar started its production
with 100 tons of sugar loaves produced per day in the Casablanca
site, and today this company has become a group with eight fac-
tories across the Kingdom, with projects targeting international
growth. We can be extremely proud of the progress made. Our
responsibility has always been preserving the Moroccan sugar
industry because it is a matter of national food security. Since
the acquisition of the public sugar factories in 2005, the group
has made great effort in terms of investments to modernize our
national sugar industry in areas such as agricultural productiv-
ity, industrial performance, energy efficiency, and preservation
of natural resources. These challenges also meet the expecta-
tions of our partners in our ecosystem. As a corporate citizen,
we are also committed to social responsibility based on trust in
our stakeholders: our employees, farmers, customers, sharehold-
ers, our suppliers, and institutional partners. For example, gains
in productivity and agricultural yield have enabled our farming
partners to benefit from a 10% increase in their incomes per year
on average. Today, Cosumar is recognized as a committed and
responsible socioeconomic player. Our sites are all QSE and FSSC
ISO22000 certified, and our CSR approach is CGEM certified and
recognized by the VIGEO EIRIS index of the Casablanca Stock
Exchange. We supply the Moroccan market, but our ambition is
international. We have launched white sugar production projects
overseas with foreign partners, such as in Saudi Arabia with our
partners Consolidated Brothers Company and Industrial Projects
Development Company and in Guinea Conakry in partnership
with SOGECILE. Our white sugar export activity was launched in
2013.
2020 has been a challenging year for all industries in Morocco. How has
COVID-19 impacted your operations, and what key strategies have you
followed to mitigate this impact?
2020 was particularly difficult for the economic sector and agri-
food business to a lesser extent. Cosumar had to put in place
extremely stringent measures to protect our human capital and
I N T E R V I E W
5. MOROCCO EXPORTS SPECIAL REPORT
4
F O C U S : E X P O R T S
The top 10 export products accounted for roughly three-quarters
of total export by value. The top five were electrical machinery and
equipment on USD5.3 billion (18.1% of total), vehicles on USD3.8
billion (13%), fertilizers on USD2.9 billion (9.9%), clothing and ac-
cessories on USD2.4 billion (8.3%), and inorganic chemicals on
USD1.43 billion (4.9%).
BANKING ON THE GREEN
Agricultural output has grown by 60% since the Green Morocco
plan of 2008, the plan being for it to lead the economic advance
over the subsequent 15 years by GDP growth, job creation and
exports. Drought every three years or so blights the sector, which
employs two thirds of the working population. This year, drought
slashed the local cereals harvest by 39% prompting a jump in soft
wheat and barley imports.
Increased efficiency and supports led to a 97% rise in Moroc-
co’s agricultural exports in the 2010-2019 period at over 3 million
tons according to Morocco’s export agency Foodex. In 2018, they
accounted for 21% of total exports, yet agriculture generates just
14% of GDP underscoring Morocco’s need for export diversifica-
tion. Fruits and nuts was the prominent export category of 2019,
up 14.4% YoY followed by aircraft and aerospace up 8.3% and elec-
trical machinery and equipment up7.6%. Yet the worst fall of 8%
YoY was in the seafood category. For 9M20 agriculture and food
industries were down 1.1% with sales of USD4.93 billion.
Seafood, frozen and canned, is a particularly interesting ex-
port proposition given available coastal resources. For 9M20,
fisheries exports had risen 7% YoY to 570,000 tons, notably to
Mauritania, the US and Ghana, according to the agriculture and
❱MOROCCO’S INCREASINGLY privatized economy since the
1980s has sought fresh investment opportunities, including for-
eign sources to develop export options. Meanwhile, existing poten-
tial is being tapped in traditional and less traditional sectors alike.
DIVERSIFYING FOR EXPORT POTENTIAL
A major economic hurdle has been dependency on the export of
raw materials, and consequent susceptibility to global commodity
price fluctuations. Since assuming control of the Western Sahara,
Morocco has around two-thirds of global phosphate reserves; a
material input of fertilizers and other commodities. And while bar-
ite, manganese, lead, and zinc enjoy limited export volumes, iron
ore and coal deposits are directed to the domestic market. These
industries require substantial energy input, another key problem.
Oil and natural gas exploration have been limited in nature.
Fortunately, there has been a shift in direction in recent decades
whereby innovative export sectors have come to the fore. Notable
among these are tourism and telecommunications. Tellingly, while
employing just a third of the workforce, they account for over two-
thirds of GDP. In 1999, the government introduced a loan fund to
catch the potential of such sectors, notably the SME component.
BY THE NUMBERS
In 2019, total exports claimed 8.9% of GDP at USD328.7, down from
9.3% for 2018. Of total exports 73.8% went to Spain (24.1% of global
total), France (21.6%), Italy (4.7%), the US (4%), Germany (3.2%),
Brazil (2.9%), India (also 2.9%), Netherlands (2.7%), the UK (2.5%),
Turkey (2.2%), Belgium (1.6%), and Portugal (1.5%). The next two
largest export destinations were Asia (12.2%) and Africa (7.8%).
VIRAL EFFECT
COVID-19 aside, Morocco’s export activity has faced certain difficulties
over the years that could be mitigated through economic diversification.
6. MOROCCO EXPORTS SPECIAL REPORT
5
F O C U S : E X P O R T S
fisheries ministry.
Tourism, accounting for 7% of GDP is an export revenue
source of potential. While in 2019 13 million tourists arrived,
COVID has dented revenues in 2020 by USD2 billion. Half a
million people staff the sector, which has only compounded the
national unemployment rate of 18%. By end September 2020
tourism revenue had lost 59.5% to USD2.65 billion.
THE COST OF COVID-19
The numbers are predictable. 9M20 exports of USD20.53 billion
were down 11.8 % YoY. A 5.8% economic contraction is forecast
for 2020 on a fiscal deficit of 7.5% of GDP. In May, the Ministry of
Economy and Finance announced that two months of confine-
ment had cost key export sectors dearly. The Aeronautics indus-
try had shed 81% in April following a 52% drop in March. The
Electronics sector fell 93% in April after a 51% slump in March.
Textiles output plunged 86.5% during April after a 40% slide in
March. And in July of 2020, King Mohammed VI revealed Mo-
rocco’s recovery plan for the most impacted economic sectors,
involving a USD12.8 billion injection to the economy.
For 9M20, imports of USD33.4 billion were down 16.2%, with
exports down 11.8% YoY to USD20.32 billion. Nascent recovery
was observed in early July and late September when exports and
imports respectively gained 19.4% and 8.1%. Between Septem-
ber 2019 and September 2020, Morocco’s exported services de-
creased by 35.1%, while imports declined by fell 26.8%.
The pandemic is an undeniable disaster all round, and yet na-
tional recovery plans will kick in to promote key export sectors
once the world declares normality, new or otherwise. ✖
Image:
Philip
Lange
7. 6
MOROCCO EXPORTS SPECIAL REPORT
I N F O G R A P H I C : E X P O R T S
• Electrical machinery (USD5.3 billion)
• Vehicles (USD3.8 billion)
• Fertilizers (USD2.9 billion)
• Clothing accessories (USD 2.4 billion)
• Inorganic chemicals (USD1.43 billion)
EXPORTS MAKE UP AN IMPORTANT PART OF ANY ECONOMY,
AND THE NEED FOR A DIVERSIFIED PORTFOLIO, IN TERMS OF PRODUCTS
AND DESTINATIONS, IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER WITH THE
COVID-19 CRISIS HANGING OVER EVERY SECTOR.
Exports as a
percentage of
GDP (2019):
Exports as a
percentage of
GDP (2018):
Exports for
9M2020:
Imports for
9M2020:
Economic
forecast for
2020:
8.9% 9.3% -5.8%
USD20.53 billion
(-11.8% YoY)
TOP 5 EXPORT DESTINATIONS: TOP 5 EXPORT PRODUCTS:
USD33.4 billion
(-16.2% YoY)
Spain France Italy US Germany
8. 7
MOROCCO EXPORTS SPECIAL REPORT
I N T E R V I E W
Abed Chagar
C E O ,
C O L O R A D O
CONQUER NEW MARKETS
Colorado paints is focused on new innovations in paints and
marketing to stand out from its competitors and meet the varied
needs of its clients.
other countries. Every year, we launch at least five new products,
and this is something special in our segment. We launched a new
range of products eight years ago that we call functional products,
which is paint with additional functions. For example, we have
a product called Stop Insect Paint, Coloclean that fights against
bacteria and virus, Coloflex that is waterproof, and more. We have
many similar new products that we can export everywhere. We
can also negotiate closely and export and adapt products quickly,
which is a major asset compared to European countries.
How much of your revenue comes from exports and to which markets?
What are your expansion plans?
Exports now represents 12% of our turnover, and we export to
more than 20 countries in Europe, the Middle East, and almost all
the French-speaking countries in Africa. We are not present in En-
glish-speaking countries at the moment. We first began exporting
in January 2008, and every year we are growing by 10%. Exports
will represent more and more of our turnover. We are a member
of ASMEX, and I am extremely active there. As vice president, I
am responsible for the competitiveness of companies, and I am a
member of the board. ASMEX now is doing a great job aggregating
the exporters from Morocco, helping them conquer new markets,
and defending their interests with the government in terms of lo-
gistics, taxes, and more.
How did you mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on your operations, and what
is your key goal and strategies for 2021?
Economically, the reaction from Morocco was great, and it
reached all the goals that were defined. For Colorado, it was dif-
ficult because of the lockdowns. In the first semester, we lost 30%
of our turnover, though fortunately in the second semester, the
economy practically recouped all the losses of the first semester.
Finally, it was a good year in terms of turnover and benefits. 2020
was extremely important for us in terms of testing our capacity to
react to a big crisis. We reacted extremely well and have strength-
ened our financial fundamentals compared to the start of 2020.
For 2021, we are optimistic, even though the pandemic is still on-
going. We have launched new products and have studied many
opportunities, as a crisis in general comes with many opportuni-
ties. COVID-19 is a moment for Europe to connect its economy to
the south. ✖
How would you describe the evolution of the company over the last 60
years?
Colorado is the only public company in the segment of paint with
20% of market share of the coating in Morocco. Colorado was es-
tablished in 1962 went through four phases. The main period of
evolutionofthecompanywasattheendofthe1990supuntilnow.
Our turnover in 2000 was around EUR12 million, and now we do
EUR50 million. In these 20 years, the staff went from 100 people
to 500, and we have acquired many certifications. We have also
won many awards in recognition of our impact on the Moroccan
market in terms of marketing, advertising, the profession, and the
ecosystem of paint in Morocco. One of the ideas we did 20 years
ago was to establish schools to teach applicators how to apply
paint, especially specialist textured paints. In this kind of paints,
we are not just a leader in Morocco but the Mediterranean. We
are among the three largest manufacturers in the region alongside
two Italian companies. We invest heavily because in this period
we also set up three new factories. The oldest one was established
in 2006 and measures 10,000sqm, and the most recent one was in
2010 measuring 90,000sqm where we produce 90% of our produc-
tion, which is liquid- and water-based paints.
What sets Colorado apart from its competitors within Morocco?
Our current capacity is 100,000 tons of paint a year, and we pro-
duce only around 45,000 tons because of COVID-19 and the reces-
sion from previous years. We have many competitive advantages
over our competitors. We are the only public company in Moroc-
co, and that means we are an example of compliance and respect
for regulations in terms of legislation, taxes, and so on. Women
are also important to our organization. I am the general manag-
er, and we also have two female deputy general managers. In our
company, 35% of our executives are female, for example. In our
board, three of the eight directors are women as well. In countries
like Morocco, it means a lot to have women in a job of direction
of management. It means it is a serious company that gives wom-
en the opportunity to empower themselves. Compared to our
competitors we have launched new ideas in marketing. We have
explored all the possibilities of markets: products, price, paints,
and so on. We have a team force and market that are connected to
painters all the time, for example. We now have 11 showrooms in
Morocco and 10 others aboard in Algeria, Benin, Qatar, and many
9. 8
MOROCCO EXPORTS SPECIAL REPORT
Abdellaziz Taariji
G E N E R A L M A N A G E R ,
S E H I G R O U P
SEHI has become a market leader in both Morocco and internationally.
How would you describe the evolution of the company over these years?
SEHI has known constant evolution since its creation in 1975,
when it introduced a new generation of pumps in Morocco and
started manufacturing generating sets. Some 10 years later,
SEHI became a reference in water supply and irrigation equip-
ment and a leading manufacturer of gensets. In the following
two decades, in addition to supplying equipment, SEHI devel-
oped the construction of turnkey pumping stations. In 2015,
SEHI introduced Pegasus, the first Moroccan brand to offer a
complete range of pumps according to international standards.
SEHI offers integral solutions in electrical, hydraulic, and industrial.
Which of your products make up the bigger part of your revenue?
Although water-related projects and pumps remain a major
part of SEHI’s business, power generators have become an im-
portant part of SEHI’s revenue.
2020 has been a challenging year for all industries in Morocco. How has
COVID-19 impacted your operations, and what key strategies did you
follow to mitigate this impact?
Our main priority was to conserve jobs and ensure a safe en-
vironment for our employees. In addition, our concern was to
also avoid recession, and in that regard, we decided to concen-
trate our efforts on those sectors that were not that heavily im-
pacted by the crisis.
How much of your revenue comes from exports, and which markets do
you export to?
To date, only 10% of our revenue comes from exports. None-
theless, SEHI, with the support of the primo export program,
aims to develop new markets in West Africa and reach dou-
ble-digit annual growth for its international sales.
What are your key goals and priorities for the year ahead and for 2021?
Considering the economic uncertainty and the lack of visibil-
ity, it is challenging to make forecasts for 2021. Nevertheless,
we are confident that the investments and the economic sup-
port that the Moroccan government has put in place will spur
growth. Our priority is to keep a close watch on the market
changes focusing again on sectors and markets that are most
likely to experience growth in 2021. ✖
MATTER OF
EXPERTISE
SEHI offers integral solutions in electrical, hydraulic, and industrial
areas and is looking to further expand its footprint beyond Africa.
BIO
As well as his position at Sehi Group, Abdellaziz Taariji is the CEO & founder of
Energy Holding, the former president of the Moroccan Association of Electricity and
Electronics (FENELEC), the first vice-president of the Moroccan Water Association
(AMEPA) and Moroccan Exporters Association (ASMEX), a member of the national
council of Moroccan Enterprises Network (CGEM), and the coordinator of the
consultative committee for economic affairs in the Casablanca-Settat region.
“Although water-related projects and
pumps remain a major part of SEHI’s
business, power generators have
become an important part of SEHI’s
revenue.”
I N T E R V I E W
10. MOROCCO EXPORTS SPECIAL REPORT
9
Casablanca is one of Morocco’s
main exports hubs
Image:
Sean
Pavone
11. 10
MOROCCO EXPORTS SPECIAL REPORT
I N T E R V I E W
dition, we have chosen a major consulting firm to support our
members through technical assistance. Our aim is to remove
all barriers between countries, so as to create a market that is
unique, important, and is a world player in terms of materi-
als, products, and services. We are, therefore, working on this
production, or value chain, which will foster the creation of an
integrated Africa, with a productive, job-abounding, inclusive
economy.
What main countries do you currently export to?
Outside Morocco in general, the majority are French-speak-
ing countries because of the Arabic-language culture, in total
around 25 countries, or where Moroccan companies are al-
ready exporting, such as Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast, or in Cen-
tral Africa, such as Cameroon and Gabon. There is also infra-
structure and public work in place, as well as real estate. The
pharmaceutical industry is also a strong performer. Many Mo-
roccan companies have invested in credit or have created digi-
tal production units. We also have companies with subsidiaries
in Africa. For example, when I was president of PBI from 2016
to 2020, our group launched a rather interesting initiative: the
Africa IT Expo, a major trade fair that aided small businesses
in approaching these markets and, thanks to these initiatives,
enabled them to start exporting.
What are your goals for ASMEX in 2021?
We have a highly ambitious program this year. From March,
we will be starting virtual B2B trade fairs. Most importantly, we
must put the initial guidelines into practice from the research
we carried out on products for export. We aim to enter into a
program contract with the government because, given that
there is an election in 2021, we do not wish anything to be put
into question, and we would like to have a long-term program
contract over a minimum period of three to five years. For this
reason, ASMEX is looking to secure all this business with a pro-
gram contract that will, in effect, bind our agreements for the
next three to five years and prevent a new government or min-
ister from putting these things into question. ✖
How would you characterize the potential of the digital acceleration in
Morocco with regard to the export of IT and digital services?
There are two sides to this: the digital side and exports. I agreed
to take on this responsibility as chairman of the commission
because, in the coming years, the issue at stake is Africa’s inte-
gration and that of its economy. It is an important market, both
in terms of products and services. Since the integration of Afri-
ca, and thanks to His Majesty’s policy put in place by the private
sector, Africa comprises 42% of Morocco’s FDI flows. We have
already signed the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
This is an important opportunity for both the development of
exports and for Africa, and there is synergy between the various
countries that is beginning to develop their positions along the
global value chain. Africa has an abundance of raw materials
and young people, and, in Morocco, we are equally fortunate
in the industrial, automotive, and food processing sectors, and
more. Bringing our industry together with the materials found
in sub-Saharan Africa, we can make real industrial projects
emerge. This is a growth opportunity for the middle class, and
one to foster inclusive development by reducing the gender gap
in Africa. My leadership has developed in terms of resilience, as
COVID-19 has had a definite negative impact on many sectors
in in Morocco. For this to happen, we will make the most of
each sub-Saharan country’s export opportunities through sev-
eral processes, including digitalization. On the business front,
we have specialist consultants who can offer insights into each
country. We are in the process of organizing missions. In ad-
Saloua Karkri Ep Belkeziz
P R É S I D E N T A F R I Q U E ,
I N E T U M
ALL TOGETHER NOW
ASMEX is a gathering of companies looking to leverage Morocco’s
strengths to take full advantage of the latest technological trends and
boost their exports.
BIO
Saloua Karkri Ep Belkeziz was CEO of GFI Morocco from 2003 until end-2018. She
is the founding and honorary president of the Association of Women Entrepreneurs
of Morocco, as well as president of the Federation of Information Technologies and
Offshoring. As an entrepreneur with decades of invaluable experience, she is also
member of the board of directors of the General Confederation of Enterprises in
Morocco. In 2000, she was decorated with the Royal Wissam El Arch by the King.
12. 11
MOROCCO EXPORTS SPECIAL REPORT
Lamia Tazi
C H A I R W O M A N & C E O ,
S O T H E M A
2021 will mark the 45th anniversary of Sothema’s founding. How has the
company evolved over the years?
Sothema is a success story. From a small laboratory consisting
of only three employees and two products, a toothpaste and a
mouthwash, Sothema has evolved steadily over the last 45 years
to become a leading pharmaceutical company in Morocco and
one of the largest producers of innovative medicines in Africa and
the Middle East. Our portfolio includes the latest biotherapies
like anti-cancer biosimilars, insulin, Enoxaparin, and more. In
terms of production, Sothema has the largest and most versatile
industrial facility in Morocco, operating with cutting-edge tech-
nologies. Our 300 brands cover the main therapeutic areas. In ad-
dition, Sothema is the first Moroccan pharmaceutical company
to open a subsidiary in Senegal. This African laboratory, called
West Afric Pharma, specializes in manufacturing and distributing,
both in Senegal and the West African region, specific medicine
like anti-malarial drugs. Thanks to its consistent efforts in terms
of investment, Sothema was awarded best investor of 2019 by the
UN Industrial Development Organization. In terms of R&D, the
development of its first boosted antibiotic worldwide received the
best innovation award by the European patent office.
What was the policy of the company during the lockdown?
Our policy consisted of two major decisions: contributing to the
efforts of the Ministry of Health by ensuring a constant supply
of medication, especially those used to treat COVID-19 like an-
ti-allergy drugs, antibiotics, and enoxaparin; and protecting our
employees from COVID-19. These two decisions formed our
Response Plan-COVID-19. Since the beginning of the state of
emergency put in place by the authorities, the number of hospi-
talizations due to COVID-19 jumped significantly, and Sothema
doubled its production of serums used in such cases. The situa-
tion was challenging for us. The safety measures enforced in our
plants, especially in terms of social distancing, obliged us to re-
organize the way we work and rely on a reduced number of em-
ployees. However, despite this, we figured out how to ramp up our
production of serums in order to meet the increasing demand. We
also decided to stop having our sales team make visits to the med-
ical community. We domestically manufactured hand sanitizers
and distributed a large number of safety kits to more than 8,000
doctors.
What are your expansion plans terms of investments in new areas, facili-
ties, and markets?
Sothema has an ambitious expansion strategy, both at the nation-
al and international levels, that consists of several investments.
Sothema continues to enrich its portfolio of brands by manufac-
turing and distributing new chemical and biological drugs, in-
cluding generics and biosimilars. Our main focus remains on bio-
therapies, but we also target some new areas like immunology. In
terms of exports, our pledge is to continue to serve as many new
African markets as possible. We also target other ways of entering
certain markets, like the Middle East, through the establishment
of subsidiaries.
How can local manufacturing be further promoted and encouraged?
When the pandemic occurred, the whole world is considering
promoting a robust and more viable domestic pharmaceutical in-
dustry. Today, the priority for all countries, including the most ad-
vanced ones, is to possess an industry capable of a quick response
against any crisis. The chief interest of any country is to first care
about its health security. For all these reasons, the Moroccan As-
sociation of Pharmaceutical Industry is working diligently to pro-
mote a strong domestic pharmaceutical industry. One of the main
measures that is urgent today is the implementation of a national
preference. That is why we are engaging in dialogue with the Min-
istry of Health that we hope will lead to a satisfying solution.
Can you elaborate on Ypeva and Zelva, Sothema’s new anti-cancer treat-
ment factories in Africa?
We are satisfied with the results of Ypeva and Zelva, the very first
anti-cancer treatment factories on the continent. The medical
community has also welcomed our products for their high qual-
ity and efficacy, as well as for their competitive prices. Ypeva and
Zelva are 40% cheaper than imported biological anti-cancers. ✖
SUCCESS
STORY
Sothema has evolved steadily over the last 45 years to become a
leading pharmaceutical company in Morocco and one of the largest
producers of innovative medicines in Africa and the Middle East.
BIO
Lamia Tazi is the Chairwoman & CEO of Sothema. She is also the general secretary
of the Moroccan Association of Pharmaceutical Industry. She studied pharmacy
and management in Belgium. After graduating, she rejoined Sothema as its
head pharmacist and general manager. In 2020, she celebrated 20 years with
Sothema. She is a member of the boards of several institutions like the Club of
Women Business Administrators and the Moroccan Agency of Higher Education
and R&D. She was ranked by Forbes Magazine as the 57th most powerful Arab
businesswoman.
I N T E R V I E W
13. MOROCCO EXPORTS SPECIAL REPORT
12
Image:
Mikadun
A view of Tangier and its port, the
closest major Moroccan port to the
European market
14. 13
MOROCCO EXPORTS SPECIAL REPORT
Rida Sentissi El Idrissi
C E O & G E N E R A L M A N A G E R ,
C O P E L I T G R O U P / D A M S A
2020 has been a challenging year for all industries in Morocco. How has
COVID-19 impacted your operations and what are the key strategies
you have followed to mitigate this impact?
Since Copelit group is very diversified, it has been able to min-
imize its losses. In fact, the group has its own fishing vessels,
and, therefore, was less impacted by the lack of fishing due to
the pandemic. The group also had to quickly adapt to the spe-
cial situation and did not lose any time to rapidly put in place
all sanitary requirements demanded by the authorities. This
strategy allowed the group to be able to continue the produc-
tion all over its plants.
Copelit is member of the exporters association, ASMEX. How much of
your revenue comes from exports and to which markets? What are your
expansion plans?
Copelit group is mainly oriented to export to international mar-
kets. Traditional markets for the fishmeal industry are located
in Turkey, Russia, Japan, China, Germany, Denmark, Norway,
Egypt, and so on. The main markets for the fish oil industry are
Peru, Chile, France, China, Japan, Turkey, and others, while
frozen products are mainly exported to Brazil, Russia, Spain,
France, Portugal, Bulgaria, and South Africa, among others. Fi-
nally, most of our canned products are exported to Italy, the
UK, France, Spain, The Czech Republic, Poland, the US, Portu-
gal, Brazil, South Africa, and most African countries. As per our
annual turnover, less than 5% of it is done locally.
What are your key goals and priorities for the year ahead and for 2021?
The main challenge nowadays, because of this special situ-
ation, is to fulfill all our contracts and commitments toward
our current customers first and eventually recover customers
whom we lost. ✖
Since its establishment in 1991, Copelit has become one of the pioneers
of the fishing industry in Morocco. How would you describe the evolu-
tion of the company over this almost 30 years?
The evolution was fairly simple actually. The group has always
followed the same path as the one established by the Moroccan
ministry of fishing. In other words, whenever our ministry was
launching a new fishing, or industry related to fishing, product,
we just made sure that we were among the first companies to
invest in that area.
Copelit offers a wide portfolio of products such as fishmeal, fish oil, and
frozen products. Which of your products is the most demanded?
Copelit group’s first investment was in the fishmeal and fish oil
industries in the early 1990s. Then, a few years later, the group
started investing in the freezing of pelagic fish such as sardines
and mackerel, before investing in one of the biggest fishing in-
dustries: canning. All the products from these industries (fish-
meal, fish oil, frozen fish, canned fish) have fairly high demands
all over the world; therefore, it would be hard to choose a spe-
cific one.
PATH TO SUCCESS
Offering a wide portfolio of products such as fishmeal, fish oil, and
frozen products, Copelit has become one of the pioneers of the
Moroccan fishing industry.
BIO
Rida Sentissi El Idrissi holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from
Saint Edwards University in Texas. In 1990, he was fleet manager of five high sea
deep sea trawlers and he became general manager of Copelit Group in 1998. Since
2014, he has been CEO & General Manager of Copelit Group/Damsa.
I N T E R V I E W
15. 14
MOROCCO EXPORTS SPECIAL REPORT
I N T E R V I E W
Hicham Amadi
C H A I R M A N & C E O ,
W O R L D W I D E L OYA LT Y S Y S T E M ( 2 W L S )
THE FUTURE
IS NOW
2WLS focuses on designing and selling new generation marketing
services based on customer loyalty and data management.
BIO
The associate founder of 2WLS, Hicham Amadi is now its Chairman & CEO. He
is also the chairman of HEETCH Morocco, which specializes in mobility and ride
sharing. He is also involved and engaged in the development of Moroccan ICT
companies and is the vice president Moroccan Exporters Association (ASMEX). He
was the chairman of the Association of Moroccan ICT companies (ASTEC) between
2013 and 2015 and sat on several governing boards such as Maroc Numeric Cluster,
Centre des Jeunes Dirigeants CJD, and others.
2WLS has become the leading specialist company in client capital man-
agement in Morocco since its establishment in 2005. How would you eval-
uate the evolution of 2WLS over the years?
2WLS was set up by three passionate relationship marketing ex-
perts, who had previously gained professional experience in the
fields of electronic money, telecommunications, and strategic
marketing. The founding idea was to design and sell a new gen-
eration marketing services based on customer loyalty, a market
that is growing at an annual rate of 13% globally. These services
are entirely focused on the growth of our customers’ turnover and
integrate all the concepts, techniques, and technologies arising
from three decades of the evolution of marketing featuring CRM,
data mining, profiling, big data, and so on. These services are for
operational and decentralized management, significantly con-
tribute to our customers’ strategic marketing, and are 100% prof-
itable services. Ongoing analysis of the ROI helps us ensure that
the gains in turnover for our customers are higher than the cost
of our services; our services are self-financed. Since its start, 2WLS
has worked with more than 50 brands, most of them our clients for
more than five years.
2020 has been a challenging year for all industries in Morocco. How has
COVID-19 impacted your operations, and what have been the key strate-
gies to mitigate this impact?
Since the first days of the lockdown, we implemented preventive
measures to ensure the health of our employees and clients. We
provide our employees with security so they can focus on client
services. As the lockdown has changed the lives of customers, we
have built all marketing campaigns in a new way. We also help
them use their points as a leverage to support their purchasing
powers. Through this strategy, we helped our client to maintain
the trust with their client and reinforce their relationships with
the consumers. We also successfully obtained the renewal of our
ISO 27001 certification. ISO/CEI 27001 is a standard international
information systems security intended for all types organizations
and defines the requirements for implementation of an informa-
tion security management system (ISMS). The information secu-
rity management system preserves the confidentiality, integrity,
and availability of information by applying management process
risks and assures the interested parties that risks are being man-
aged. Our platform is highly resilient; it is hosted on the cloud,
which limits the dependency on third-party suppliers.
How much of your revenue comes from exports? What are your expansion
plans?
2WLS operates in Morocco, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kenya,
and Uganda, and 73% of our revenues come from exporting ser-
vices. We work in those countries with major brands and entities.
The relevance and profitability of our services for our customers
can be evidenced by the renewal rate of our annual assignments,
which is over 80%. Our business model is based on repeat busi-
ness, enabling us to achieve a high value EBIT. Today, 2WLS is
an innovative, ready-to-use 100% operational vector. We seek to
firmly enter a new step of development in the international area
and reinforce our presence in sub-Saharan countries and the
MENA region, which constitutes our core international target.
What are your key goals and priorities for the year ahead and for 2021?
Some 15 years after its launch, 2WLS features a whole of commu-
nities that revolve around the brand that offer consumers the op-
portunity to experience the best of customer experiences. 2WLS
is a whole of merchants, experts and creatives united around new
notions of “market” and “retail.” 2WLS shares its experience by
focusing on innovation and creation. It also participates in the
development of the business and contributes to that of African
youth. 2WLS aims to become a major player in data management.
We plan to contribute and build for us and our partners an asset
based on data. ✖
16. 15
MOROCCO EXPORTS SPECIAL REPORT
Philippe Miquel
C E O ,
E N G I E S E R V I C E S M O R O C C O
ENGIE has become a market leader in electricity production and energy
services in Morocco. How would you describe the evolution of the company
over these years?
ENGIE’s ambition in Morocco has been to contribute to the coun-
try’s objective of a wide affordable and sustainable energy access.
With more than 1,600 employees in the country, we are present in
power production in Morocco with 1,700MW of installed capacity
with the Tarfaya wind farm (301MW) and the Safi thermal plant
(1,386MW) as well as in the field of energy services. We service
more than 200 customers on a daily basis in HVAC and fluid en-
gineering, electrical and electromechanical engineering, electrical
and telecom infrastructures, multi-technical maintenance, and
energy efficiency.
2020 was a challenging year for all industries in Morocco. How has
COVID-19 impacted your operations, and what key strategies have you fol-
lowed to mitigate this impact?
In 2020, in the context of the spread of COVID-19, our teams re-
mained constantly mobilized to ensure continuity of services on
our customers’ premises. We implemented business continuity
plans very early on, which enabled us to protect our employees
while standing by our clients to help them resume their activi-
ties. These plans have been considered as an industry standard.
In spite of the economic downturn, we continued to develop in-
novative solutions for a low-carbon future. For instance, Nexans
Morocco and ENGIE signed a 15-year contract for the design, con-
struction, servicing, and maintenance of a rooftop photovoltaic
plant with an installed capacity of 2.5MW, covering nearly 22% of
the plant’s annual electricity needs and preventing the emission
of more than 700 tons of CO2 per year. In 2020, we also installed
the first photovoltaic solar power plant for irrigation pumping in
the agricultural sector in Morocco.
In terms of exports, what are your expansion plans?
Let’s take two examples of the expertise that we export outside
of Morocco. The first one is with Groupement Orange Services
(GOS), a subsidiary of ORANGE in Côte d’Ivoire that manages Or-
ange’s network infrastructures. ENGIE Services Maroc supported
ENGIE Services Côte d’Ivoire in the award of the multi-technical
maintenance contract for the latest-generation data center that
GOS opened in Abidjan in 2017. ENGIE’s experience in Morocco
in the field of operating and maintaining data centers, with INWI
in the telecom sector, with BMCE Bank in the banking sector,
and with DXC Technology, was key to the successful award of the
contract to ENGIE. Another example is the construction of three
ground-mounted photovoltaic power plants coupled with power
generators to supply three villages in Gabon with our client AU-
SAR ENERGY, a joint venture by ENGIE Africa, ENGIE Ineo Scle,
and Centum Adetel. Our teams in Morocco managed the project
from the design to the commissioning of the three photovoltaic
power plants.
What are your key goals and priorities for the year ahead and for 2021?
For ENGIE, the crisis has taught us a great deal about our ability
to adapt and develop new ways of working. We have also demon-
stratedour agilityinthe transformationofouractivitiesto adapt to
the current and future needs of our customers. This led to creating
new development opportunities for the company in the context of
this economic crisis. In Morocco, as in many countries impacted
by COVID-19, adapting the economy and industrial capabilities to
reduce dependency on imports in key sectors was critical in re-
ducing the impact of the crisis. More generally, this objective to re-
think supply sources to be as close as possible could be extremely
beneficial to Morocco not only because of its proximity to Europe
but also the essential role it plays as an economic driver in Africa.
Finally, concerning the energy sector, there is a good chance the
energy world of tomorrow will be more oriented toward a sustain-
able and greener energy supply, a world where renewable energy
will be the norm. This is an area where, again, Morocco is leap-
frogging the competition. Here, too, we are ready to support all
economic actors in Morocco in their neutral-carbon strategy to a
greener economy. ✖
VALUABLE
CONTRIBUTION
By demonstrating its agility in transforming its activities and
developing new ways of working to adapt to the needs of its customers,
ENGIE was able to create new development opportunities.
BIO
Philippe Miquel has been Director of Customer Solutions at ENGIE Africa and
the CEO of ENGIE Services Morocco since 2019. Prior to this position, he served
for three years as CEO of ENGIE in West and Central Africa. He began his career
in 1996 at Gaz de France (GDF) as a research engineer. He is a graduate of the
Université de Technologie de Compiègne and holds a PhD from Johns Hopkins
University.
I N T E R V I E W
17. 16
MOROCCO EXPORTS SPECIAL REPORT
I N T E R V I E W
Abdeljabbar Mezry
I N D U S T R I A L D I R E C T O R ,
FA C O P
Since its establishment in 1997, Facop has become the leading company
in the paint market. How would you evaluate the evolution of Facop over
the years?
Since its founding in 1997, Facop remained to a process of contin-
uous development and innovation, which makes our company the
leader in solutions and services in paint systems today. With over
20,000 satisfied customers, Facop is a reference brand for profes-
sional actors. Its turnover has grown from MAD10.8 million in 2000
to over MAD200 million today.
Facop offers a wide portfolio of products for different purposes, from build-
ing painting to industrial and decorative. Which of your products is most in
demand?
Facop produces paints for buildings, industrial uses, car refinishes,
and flooring. We are well known as the supplier of technical prod-
ucts with high added value, such as decorative paints with special
effects. Today, Facop is a benchmark in the field of decorative
painting and construction. We have developed paint systems fully
guaranteed for the construction markets, residential or non-resi-
dential, renovation, and maintenance. Professional painters, ar-
chitects, and project managers are fully confident in our products,
not only for their quality but also for the technical support and the
provision of full service that we offer on all sites where we oper-
ate. Today, Facop is a reference brand of paint for the professional
construction industry. The industrial division of Facop manufac-
tures and markets a full range of solutions and latest generation,
anti-corrosion systems for the protection of concrete, steel, and
ferrous and non-ferrous materials for the maintenance of industri-
al sites, chemical, thermal, electric, food, tubes and pipes, bridges,
reservoirs and tanks, electrical towers, and many more. In addi-
tion,Facopproducespaintforcarrepair,witharangeofinnovative
products as well as support programs to assist in the development
of outlets. We have also developed a partnership with international
brands such Dupont to promote tinting machine.
2020 has been a challenging year for all industries in Morocco. How has
COVID-19 impacted your operations?
Faced with this pandemic, Facop, the leader in the manufacture
and marketing of paints, has launched, via a new industrial enti-
ty, the production of personal safety equipment such as protective
face visors, protective clothing, disinfectant mats, and so on. In this
difficult period, we have also developed and produced sanitizing
solutions and gel to help our country deal with the pandemic. We
have exported 1 million of plastic face shields to different countries
in Africa.
Facop is member of Moroccan Exporters Association (ASMEX). What is the
breakdown of your revenue in terms of exports?
Facop exports mainly to Africa, namely Mauritania, Senegal, Mali,
Gabon, Algeria, and Burkina Faso. Exports represent 5% of our
global turnover, equivalent to over MAD10 million. We have plans
to expand into new African markets such as Nigeria, Benin, the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Ivory Coast.
The paint industry has been historically competitive. What sets Facop apart
from its competitors?
Facop is placed third in the Moroccan market paint, and our com-
pany is one of the top five actors in this sector, which represent
90%.
What are your key goals and priorities for 2021?
First, our most important priority is to protect the health of our
employees. Subsequently, we want to develop new categories of
product that look after the environment and protect consumers’
health. ✖
THE GREATER
GOOD
The leader in the manufacture and marketing of paints, Facop has
also repurposed its production lines to help fight against COVID-19.
“With over 20,000 satisfied
customers, Facop is a reference
brand for professional actors.”
18. MOROCCO EXPORTS SPECIAL REPORT
17
Rabat, Morocco’s capital, is the
seat of government and decision-
making in the North African
country.
Image:
Souad
EL
OUAFI
19. 18
MOROCCO EXPORTS SPECIAL REPORT
I N T E R V I E W
Moulay Hassan Debbarh
C E O ,
C A R T I E R S A A D A
How has the company evolved since 1948, and what have been the main
milestones?
Cartier was founded by Mr. Cartier, a Frenchman who used to
live in Morocco. He had a Moroccan neighbor, and in 1965 they
broke the wall between each other’s houses, which became one
of the first mergers in Moroccan economic history. Since then,
the company has not stopped growing, and now among our
stakeholders we have customers, suppliers, and many different
people involved in the business. This makes it stronger than
any other business because of these converging interests.
How did COVID-19 affect your turnover in 2020?
Unfortunately, we did not escape the slowdown; we were im-
pacted but less so than many other companies. Our loss is
around 20%, and I take this as positive. We have been less af-
fected because of our balanced portfolio. First, we export to
over 33 countries, which has diversified our risk. Second, our
portfolio is balanced because we not only have the HORECA
business, but also supermarkets and wholesalers. Currently,
COVID-19 is not affecting all sectors the same way, and having
a balanced portfolio makes things less dangerous.
What are the main products and services that you are selling the most?
From our diversified portfolio, olive is the core business, es-
pecially during this period. Even though olive consumption
has fallen, olives make up one of the main features of tapas in
Spain. Even during COVID-19, people are gathering their close
family members, and olives are part of these special moments,
especially in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and the US,
which are our main markets. The crisis is always a threat and
an opportunity; however, for us, it is always better to be pos-
itive. We will move forward while ensuring safety first for our
people, customers, and our partners. We have a long-term view
and perhaps we might lose a battle, but we will not lose the war.
How is your partnership with the Angel Camacho Group progressing,
and do you have any other partnerships?
With the Angel Camacho Group, we share human values, and
this is the basis of our partnership and strategy. This has taken
us much further than one can imagine. Today, we have techni-
cal exchange, human experience exchange, and portfolio shar-
ing, and we have a total strategy as a group. Angel Camacho
Group owns only 10%, but we feel we have been working to-
gether for years. We have a lot in common, and together we will
have many good surprises for the market. Our penetration of
the US market has been excellent because the Angel Camacho
Group owns its own subsidiary of distribution for the American
market. We need it, and it needs us, and we can progress to-
gether hand in hand.
What are your goals and main priorities for 2021?
Our main priority is safety first, but we also want to keep mov-
ing forward. We still aim to increase our figures, quality, and
relationship of people and be near our customers, even if we
use technology. Being near someone does not mean being near
them physically, but we need to hear them, feel them, and sat-
isfy them. ✖
QUALITY FIRST
Exporting to over 30 countries, Cartier Saada has been less severely
affected by the pandemic due to its diversified and balanced portfolio.
BIO
Moulay Hassan Debbarh is CEO of Cartier Saada. He is also on the board of Cooper
Pharma, Banque Populaire de Marrakech-Béni Mellal and Zoubairi Distribution.
Debbarh received an undergraduate degree from Ecole Supérieure de Commerce
de Toulouse and an undergraduate degree from Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de
Marrakech.
“We will move forward while ensuring
safety first for our people, customers,
and our partners.”