BUSINESS CIRCLES

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°935 - 22/07/2010
TUNISIA
Carthage Douses Gafsa Riots with Phosphate

Can phosphoric acid dissolve an unemployment problem? The Carthage Palace certainly seems to think so. To battle against joblessness that regularly triggers riots in the mining region of Gafsa, the state-owned Groupe Chimique Tunisien (GCT) has decided to set up a major phosphoric and sulphuric acid production unit at M’dhilla in the Gafsa region. (...) [539 words] [$9.5]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°935 - 22/07/2010
MOROCCO
U.S. Fishermen Re-Locate to Dakhla?

Fishing companies in Louisiana that have been laid low by the BP oil spill are only too welcome to shift their operations to Morocco. (...) [220 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°935 - 22/07/2010
ALGERIA
Ouyahia’s Policy on Public Contracts

New legislation on government contracts adopted on July 11, and which now needs only to be endorsed by president Abdelaziz Bouteflika by decree at the end of the month, is pretty well a carbon copy of the “industrialization” measures laid out by Ahmed Ouyahia in 2009. (...) [199 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°935 - 22/07/2010
ALGERIA
U.S. Firms Plan September Onslaught

While business dealings between France and Algeria remain limited, American corporate leaders are plotting a major offensive for late September. (...) [192 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°935 - 22/07/2010
TUNISIA
Mourad Trabelsi a Would-Be Tycoon?

Far more discreet than other members of the Trabelsi clan, Mohamed Mourad Trabelsi clearly sees himself as a potential magnate like his brother, Belhassen (Karthago group) and his nephew Imed (Med Business Holdings, see below). (...) [156 words] [FREE]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°935 - 22/07/2010
TUNISIA
Imed Trabelsi Shakes up Bricorama

There has been a major executive shake-up at Bricorama, the do-it-yourself department store inaugurated with considerable fanfare in Tunis in late 2008 by Imed Trabelsi, nephew of Leila Ben Ali. (...) [211 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°935 - 22/07/2010
LIBYA
A Skyscraper for Aicha Kadhafi

Aicha Kadhafi, the rising star among the children of Libya’s leader, is a lawyer by training who has cultivated her connections to the point of being named “goodwill ambassador” of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in July, 2009. (...) [195 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°934 - 15/07/2010
LIBYA
Crucial Turning Point for Gas Market

The leading figures in Libya’s gas industry were in Rome in late June to take stock of the state-of-play in the sector at the Libya Gas Summit, organized by the CWC Group. With reserves of at least 1500 billion cubic meters - as much as next-door Egypt’s - Libya has all the cards in hand to become one of the continent’s top producers. (...) [591 words] [$9.5]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°934 - 15/07/2010
MOROCCO
Shift in Business & Image for Elalamy

Moulay Hafid Elalamy has moved into higher gear. In planning to float 15% of the insurance group CNIA Saada on the Casablanca stock exchange he is taking the first step in what seems to be a total facelift of the parent company Saham. (...) [228 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°934 - 15/07/2010
MOROCCO
Ivalis On Move With Serghrini

Almost inexistent in Morocco for the moment, the business of outsourcing inventories (of supermarkets, etc.) looks like it is finally taking off. (...) [153 words] [FREE]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°934 - 15/07/2010
ALGERIA
Revamp in French Business Circles

Change is sweeping through French business circles in Algiers. Three new French foreign trade advisers have been appointed. In what is an official but unpaid function, the advisers traditionally put their local expertise at the disposal of both the French government and potential investors in the country. (...) [208 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°934 - 15/07/2010
ALGERIA
Strategica to Survive Ban on Siagh

Deutsche Bank can breathe a sigh of relief. It will retain its position as leading underwriter on Algeria’s stock market despite a government ban on its former partner El Hachemi Siagh. (...) [217 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°934 - 15/07/2010
TUNISIA
BAT privatizes Zarzis Port

Will Zarzis emerge as the biggest logistic hub in southern Tunisia? Maghreb Confidential understands that the Banque d’Affaires de Tunisie (BAT), an affiliate of Societe Tunisienne de Banque (STB), has been contracted to draw up specifications for awarding a concession for the management of a concern encompassing the Zarzis free trade zone, the port and the future industrial zone. (...) [240 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°934 - 15/07/2010
LIBYA
Not Everybody in Tripoli Loves BP

The pro-BP campaign led by the boss of NOC and energy minister Shokri Ghanem and by Abdallah Badri, secretary-general of OPEC (MC 933 ) has not gone unnoticed by supporters of prime minister Baghdadi Mahmoudi. (...) [192 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°933 - 08/07/2010
TUNISIA
Shaky Start for Enfidha Airport

Are weeds about to push through cracks in the runway at the Zine el Abidine ben Ali airport at Enfidha? Built to set a spur to the Sahel region and showcase Tunisia’s economic miracle, the brand new airport managed by Turkey’s TAV appears to be undergoing a reality check. (...) [611 words] [$9.5]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°933 - 08/07/2010
ALGERIA
Too Much Liquidity for Banks

The uncertainty that prevailed following Algeria’s adoption of a budget clause in 2009 and a ban on household loans appears to have subsided. (...) [178 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°933 - 08/07/2010
MOROCCO
Giving Western Union Run for its Money

Western Union may soon no longer rule the roost in Morocco. The American cash transfer giant could shortly lose its leading position to its “younger brother,” Moneygram, another American that’s fast building up its network. (...) [217 words] [FREE]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°933 - 08/07/2010
MOROCCO
Akhannouch Plans LNG Terminal

Morocco’s farm minister and head of an oil products distribution group Akwa, Aziz Akhannouch, is counting on Morocco’s LNG market taking off in a big way. (...) [207 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°933 - 08/07/2010
TUNISIA
Riva y Garcia Plays Ball with Tlemcani

The “Mediterranean” equity fund Fons Mediterrania has found a partner of choice in Tunisia. The fund, managed by the Catalonian financial services group Riva y Garcia, has bought a stake in Bitaka. (...) [145 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°933 - 08/07/2010
TUNISIA
Doghri Turns Hand to Telecoms

Did the arrival of Orange in Tunisia help to make up his mind? Now that the French operator has launched its mobile telephone service, one of the four brothers that run the Doghri group, Nejib Doghri, is turning to telecommunications. (...) [211 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°933 - 08/07/2010
LIBYA
Tripoli Returns Favor for BP

Libya is pulling out all the stops to save BP. The country’s leaders are mounting a lobbying campaign to assist the British energy giant caught up in the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. (...) [252 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°932 - 01/07/2010
MOROCCO
BMCE in Palace Hands, Qatar May Grab Share

The succession of Othman Benjelloun as boss of BMCE Bank has been decided. The leading stakeholder in BMCE through his insurance company RMA-Watanya, the “king’s banker” finally opted in favour of the former regional governor of Marrakech, Mounir Chraibi, to take over as head of the bank, according to our sources. (...) [556 words] [$9.5]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°932 - 01/07/2010
ALGERIA
Will Yousfi Dispel Majors’ Oil Blues?

Ever since Youcef Yousfi replaced Chakib Khelil as energy minister, oil companies are keeping their fingers crossed. (...) [179 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°932 - 01/07/2010
TUNISIA
Canal Plus Drops Amara for Chiboub

Canal Overseas waited for a full three years for permission to broadcast in Tunisia. That long wait finally ended on June 25 when it penned an agreement with communications minister Oussama Romdhani. (...) [245 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°932 - 01/07/2010
TUNISIA
Banks Start Restructuring at Last

Change in Tunisia always starts from the top. In June, the government made the first moves in a sweeping restructuring of the banking sector as banks work to reduce their non-performing loans (which still average out at 15%). (...) [254 words] [FREE]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°932 - 01/07/2010
TUNISIA
Fidal Helps Aerolia to Take-Off

The Fidal law firm is broadening its footprint in North Africa. Highly active in the region but without a local operation - its international desk is run out of Paris by Maya Kellou - the corporate law firm discreetly set up shop in Tunisia in January. (...) [189 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°932 - 01/07/2010
LIBYA
Washington Eyes Refinery Market

In its latest business guide concerning Libya, the U.S. State Department is urging American businessmen to look at opportunities in refining oil products. (...) [197 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°932 - 01/07/2010
MOROCCO
Sijilmassi Hires the Services of Publicis

To persuade small and medium sized companies abroad (SMEs) to invest in Morocco, Fathallah Sijilmassi, managing director of the Agence Marocaine de Developpement des Investissements (AMDI) hasn’t hesitated to pull out the check-book. (...) [199 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°931 - 24/06/2010
MOROCCO
Rosatom Prepares for Nuclear Tender

Initiated during Vladimir Putin’s state visit in September, 2006, Russian-Moroccan cooperation in the nuclear field is beginning to take shape. (...) [194 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°931 - 24/06/2010
ALGERIA
Bouterfa’s New List of Priorities

Maghreb Confidential understands that Sonelgaz is turning up the heat on JGC to bring more Algerians into the operational and maintenance (O & M) side of the future power plants of Terga and Kouddiet Eddraouch, which are to each generate 1500 MW. (...) [206 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°931 - 24/06/2010
TUNISIA
Chaibi Hands Torch to New Generation

According to our sources, the founder and chief executive of the Ulysse Trading and Industrial Companies (UTIC) group, Taoufik Chaibi, is about to stand down in favor of his son, Nabil, whom he appointed managing director. (...) [191 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°931 - 24/06/2010
TUNISIA
A Key Position for Nur Energie

The founder and general manager of the British solar energy start-up Nur Energie, Kevin Sara was named second vice president of the Chambre de Commerce Tuniso-Britannique when its executive board was renewed. (...) [187 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°931 - 24/06/2010
LIBYA
Spinneys Knocks on Tripoli’s Door

Is Libya ready to play host to its first hypermarkets? The Spinneys supermarket chain well known to Western expatriates in the Middle East, is persuaded that it is, and intends to open its first store in Libya at the end of 2011, followed by a second in 2012. (...) [191 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°931 - 24/06/2010
LIBYA
Layas Shakes Up Banking Landscape

The Libyan Foreign Bank (LFB), an offshore establishment wholly owned by the Libyan Central Bank, is bolstering its international banking network. (...) [237 words] [FREE]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°930 - 17/06/2010
MOROCCO
Work to Start on Entretres in late 2010

Spanish businessmen are still beavering away in Morocco despite the financial storm sweeping through Spain. Hatched in 2007, a project to set up a 382 hectare “Spanish” industrial zone in Settat, south of Casablanca, was launched under the supervision of industry and trade minister Ahmed Reda Chami last week. (...) [173 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°930 - 17/06/2010
ALGERIA
Hassi Messaoud Under Treasury Scrutiny

The new city of Hassi Messaoud finds itself in troubled waters again following cancellation of a contract awarded to Canada’s SNC Lavalin to design the town and monitor work on it. (...) [229 words] [$5.4]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°930 - 17/06/2010
ALGERIA
French Looking for Digital TV Switch

With much of Algeria glued to its television stations to back the Algerian team in the World Cup in South Africa, the French are blowing into their vuvuzelas to celebrate the arrival of terrestial digital TV (DTV) in Algeria. (...) [216 words] [$5.4]

MCE n°935 - 22/07/2010
TUNISIA

Didier Georget
A specialist in automatism and industrial robotics, Gape-Cemes, a firm based in Poit (...)

[53 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°935 - 22/07/2010
MOROCCO

Yassir Zenagui
Moroccan tourism minister Yassir Zenagui may have gotten a little ahead of himself. (...)

[86 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°935 - 22/07/2010
TUNISIA

Hatem Chaabouni
Like other businessmen from Sfax, Hatem Chaabouni has gained a solid foothold in Tun (...)

[119 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°935 - 22/07/2010
SOUTH AFRICA/LIBYA

Theo de Jager
A project by Theo de Jager, vice president of AgriSA, to have South Africans farmers (...)

[107 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°935 - 22/07/2010
TUNISIA

Laurent Auzel
Ingerop is revamping its business in Tunisia. The French engineering group has opene (...)

[89 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°934 - 15/07/2010
FRANCE/MOROCCO

Frederic Sallet
In charge of Alcatel-Lucent’s operations in North, West and Central Africa, Frederic (...)

[49 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°934 - 15/07/2010
TUNISIA

Naima Ben Ali
The sister of president Zine el Abedine Ben Ali, Naima Ben Ali, has turned her hand (...)

[63 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°934 - 15/07/2010
LIBYA

Salim Ben Ghriba
Is the National Oil Corporation (NOC) about to appoint an official to audit its book (...)

[71 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°934 - 15/07/2010
TUNISIA

Zalmay Khalilzad
RAK Petroleum, the oil company of the Ras Al Khaimah emirate, has finalized its firs (...)

[115 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°934 - 15/07/2010
MOROCCO

Youssef Chraibi
In spearheading a campaign against the French state secretary Laurent Wauquiez who w (...)

[96 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°933 - 08/07/2010
TUNISIA

Hirant Manakian
French businessman Hirant Manakian is setting up shop in Tunisia. (...)

[62 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°933 - 08/07/2010
TUNISIA

Nefissa Trabelsi
Sister of first lady Leila Ben Ali, Nefissa Trabelsi has turned her hand to agricult (...)

[68 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°933 - 08/07/2010
MOROCCO

Jean-Jacques Fourny
As publisher of Another Editions, France’s Jean-Jacques Fourny is building a small p (...)

[89 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°933 - 08/07/2010
FRANCE/ALGERIA

Meziane Idjerouidene
Aigle Azur, an airline owned by the GoFast group run by Arezki and Meziane Idjerouid (...)

[57 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°933 - 08/07/2010
BRAZIL/LIBYA

Clementino Coelho Souza
The man in charge of Codevasf, a state-owned company tasked with the integrated deve (...)

[77 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°932 - 01/07/2010
TUNISIA

Hassen Zargouni
A leading figure on North Africa’s media scene, Hassen Zargouni, whose firm Sigma Co (...)

[157 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°932 - 01/07/2010
ALGERIA

Abdelmalek Zitouni
With the departure of Sonatrach ’s secretary-general, Abdelmalek Zitouni, on June 7, (...)

[74 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°932 - 01/07/2010
FRANCE/NORTH AFRICA

Francoise Nicolas
A researcher at the Institut Francais des Relations Internationales, Francoise Colas (...)

[118 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°932 - 01/07/2010
TUNISIA

Youssef Sayeh
Up to now highly discreet, Tunisian businessman Youssef Sayeh is trying his hand at (...)

[83 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°931 - 24/06/2010
TUNISIA

Abdulhamid Bouricha
The co-founder of Poulina, Abdelhamid Bouricha, is overseeing property development o (...)

[100 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°931 - 24/06/2010
MOROCCO

Haykel Hajjaji
A lawyer in the Paris office of Cleary Gottlieb, Haykel Hajjaji is serving as the fi (...)

[120 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°931 - 24/06/2010
ALGERIA

Zine Artebas
Co-manager of SGGT Algerie, which manufactures crash barriers on motorways, Zine Art (...)

[113 words] [$1.8]

MCE n°931 - 24/06/2010
TUNISIA

Jamel Artem
The boss of the Arem Group holding company, Jamel Arem, has finalized his acquisitio (...)

[93 words] [$1.8]

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