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Showing posts from July, 2025

Salwa Idrissi Akhannouch: The Retail Queen of Morocco

 Introduction From Berber Heritage to Business Empire: The Extraordinary Journey of North Africa's Most Powerful Female Entrepreneur In the bustling streets of Casablanca, where ancient medinas meet modern skyscrapers, one woman has quietly revolutionized how an entire nation shops, dreams, and connects with global fashion. Meet Salwa Idrissi Akhannouch, the visionary entrepreneur who transformed Morocco's retail landscape and became one of North Africa's wealthiest and most influential businesswomen. A Legacy Written in Tea Leaves Salwa's story begins not with her own achievements, but with the remarkable legacy of her maternal grandfather, Haj Ahmed Benlafkih. In the 1960s, when Morocco was still finding its footing as an independent nation, Benlafkih dominated the country's tea trade, building a business empire that would lay the foundation for his granddaughter's future success. This wasn't just about commerce—it was about understanding the pulse of ...

The Rise of Issad Rebrab: From Teacher to Algeria's First Billionaire

Introduction In the bustling landscape of African business, few stories are as compelling as that of Issad Rebrab, the man who transformed from a humble accounting teacher into Algeria's first billionaire. Born in 1944 in Algeria, Rebrab's journey embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship and resilience that has come to define a generation of African business leaders who dared to dream beyond conventional boundaries. Humble Beginnings: The Foundation Years Issad Rebrab was born in 1944 in Algeria to a modest family during a time when the country was still under French colonial rule. The son of revolutionaries who struggled for the Independence of Algeria, Rebrab's early life was shaped by the political upheaval and social transformation that characterized mid-20th-century Algeria. Growing up in this environment instilled in him a deep understanding of struggle and perseverance that would later become cornerstones of his business philosophy. The values of hard work, determ...