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BUSINESS CIRCLES

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1005 - 09/02/2012
MOROCCO
Why Odghiri won king's pardon

How can the pardon that Mohamed VI granted to Khaled Oudghiri on the occasion of the Mouled religious festival on Feb. (...) [211 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1005 - 09/02/2012
MOROCCO
Bakkoury quits sun for shadow

Morocco’s “new political scene” has been good to Mustapha Bakkoury. Boss of the MASEN solar agency and ex chief of CDG, he will shortly join the ranks of PAM (Parti Authenticite et Modernite), according to our sources. (...) [255 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1005 - 09/02/2012
ALGERIA
GR5 gas pipeline finally on track

The oil majors operating in Algeria are breathing a sigh of relief. Work on building the GR5 gas pipeline - Sonatrach awarded the contract several months ago to Cosider- is expected to start at the end of this year, according to our sources. (...) [181 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1005 - 09/02/2012
TUNISIA
Adwya closes chapter on Materi era

Another minor earthquake has shaken Adwya, the country’s leading pharmaceutical company. The firm’s board, dominated by official receivers tasked with managing the 35% stake owned by Moncef Materi before it was impounded by the government following last year’s revolution, has named a new managing director, Ramzi Sandi. (...) [173 words] FREE

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1005 - 09/02/2012
TUNISIA
Armed forces upgrade helicopter fleet

Washington doesn’t appear in the least worried about the victory of the Islamic Ennahda party in last autumn’s election. The Pentagon is currently seeking sub-contractors to fit new engines to the Tunisian military’s American UH-1 Iroquois helicopters. (...) [175 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1005 - 09/02/2012
LIBYA
Customs & militia battle for borders

Finance minister Hassan Zeglam is intent on evicting militia forces that have taken control of the country’s main borders. Rebels from Zintan hold sway over customs at Tripoli airport and militia from Misrata control most of the ports and land border posts. (...) [201 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1004 - 02/02/2012
MOROCCO
Oil companies focus on Tarfaya

The region of Tarfaya in the north of Western Sahara has already served up heavy oil, the offshore Cap Juby oil field, discovered by Exxon Mobil. (...) [197 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1004 - 02/02/2012
ALGERIA
Canadian manager for Cevital

Cevital, Algeria’s biggest private group, is to undergo something of a revolution. According to Maghreb Confidential’s sources, Issad Rebrab, Cevital’s founder and chairman of the board, has hired Canadian Louis Roquet as the company’s new managing director. (...) [156 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1004 - 02/02/2012
TUNISIA
No Marshall Plan in the offing

Washington does not intend to launch a Marshall Plan for Tunisia, was the message that U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Neal Steven Wolin and U. (...) [190 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1004 - 02/02/2012
TUNISIA
Water and gas to quell unrest

Gafsa and Sidi Bouzid, which were cradles of the uprising that brought President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali’s reign to an end last year, are receiving special attention from the new government. (...) [208 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1004 - 02/02/2012
LIBYA
Hong gets foothold in Tripoli

In the new technology world, everyone wants to befriend Libya. The Korean-origin U.S. businessman Adrian Hong, who heads the discreet strategic advice consultancy Pegasus Strategies, recently began working on the organisation of TEDx Tripoli, a conference that will take place in the Libyan capital’s Rixos Hotel on February 13. (...) [192 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1004 - 02/02/2012
LIBYA
IMF plays it subtle

On a visit to Tripoli at the end of January to carry out one of its Chapter IV audits, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) gave some precious advice to the new financial authorities in the country, and offered to advise on the development of “Sharia compliant” banking products and Islamic banking, which will be the object of amendments to the country’s banking law. (...) [186 words] FREE

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1003 - 26/01/2012
LIBYA
When unfrozen assets still remain frozen

The unfreezing of assets doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone’s back in business. Companies that hoped to resume operating in Libya with the payment of billions of dollars that Libya salted away abroad (MC 998) are going to have to wait for a while to pocket their money. (...) [530 words] [$11,2]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1003 - 26/01/2012
MOROCCO
Norwegian NGO targets K&L Gates

After launching a campaign against Innophos which buys phosphates from Western Sahara, the Norwegian NGO Western Sahara Resources Watch (WSRW) is now taking on its lobbyist, K&L Gates LLP. (...) [191 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1003 - 26/01/2012
ALGERIA
Raffarin may run into closed doors

Is former French prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin likely to get much change when he visits Algiers on February 1? Asked by Nicolas Sarkozy to break the logjam concerning several big investment programs in Algeria (in particular, those of Total, Lafarge and Renault), he could well be snubbed on his arrival. (...) [225 words] FREE

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1003 - 26/01/2012
ALGERIA
Kouninef plans sugar war with Cevital

A highly diversified holding company headed by Redha Kouninef (who boasts of his closeness to Abdelaziz Bouteflika (MC 869), the Kouninef group has bought two of the three sugar refineries of state-owned Enasucre, in Mostaganem and Khemis Miliana, according to our sources. (...) [177 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1003 - 26/01/2012
TUNISIA
Ben Arfa back in harness as consultant

The former boss of Societe Tunisienne d’Electricite et de Gaz (STEG), the national utility, Othman Ben Arfa has tiptoed back into the energy business. (...) [159 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1003 - 26/01/2012
LIBYA
Google lends hand to NTC

The “new” Libya could shortly get a leg-up from Google to put its administrative services on line. Maghreb Confidential has learned that Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of the Internet giant who is visiting the region (he also dropped in on Tunis, see Page 4), has begun talks with the government of prime minister Abdel Rahim Al Keeb to set up an “e-government,” a term that means putting state services on line. (...) [212 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1002 - 19/01/2012
MOROCCO
Boulif turns up heat on ONE

Ali Fassi Fihri, boss of Office National de l’Electricite (ONE), has serious reason to be worried. According to our sources, the new junior minister for general affairs and governance, Najib Boulif from the Islamist PJD party, is intent on pushing through changes at the Caisse de Compensation, starting with a halt to subsidies to ONE for purchases of fuel. (...) [200 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1002 - 19/01/2012
MOROCCO
Circle Oil to double production

The Ireland-based firm Circle Oil expects to double its gas output in Morocco this year. The independent company is due to inaugurate its new Sebou-Kenitra gas pipeline later this month. (...) [167 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1002 - 19/01/2012
ALGERIA
Abdelhak to lead new 3G drive?

In something akin to total discretion, Algeria’s Autorite de Regulation de la Poste et des Telecommunications (ARPT) appointed a new managing director, Yacine Abdelhak, to succeed Fodil Benyelles a few days ago. (...) [225 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1002 - 19/01/2012
TUNISIA
Will donors come through in 2012?

The coming months are likely to prove economically crucial for Tunisia and its new finance minister Houcine Dimassi. The billions of dollars in “transition assistance” pledged at the G8 summit meeting in Deauville last May have been slow in materializing. (...) [219 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1002 - 19/01/2012
TUNISIA
STUDI turns hand again to real estate

Tunisia’s leading engineering concern, STUDI, has moved into promoting real estate. It has just set up an affiliate named STUDI Immobiliere with a registered capital of EUR 750,000, ten times more than legally acquired to start in this line of business. (...) [191 words] FREE

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1002 - 19/01/2012
LIBYA
Sonde explores again on Joint Oil

The small Canadian oil company Sonde Resources is breathing a sigh of relief. Based in Calgary and listed in Toronto and New York, it has just been awarded an extension to its exploration contract for the Joint Oil Block (which until recently went by the name of Block November 7). (...) [165 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1001 - 12/01/2012
MOROCCO
Mollof spins web in North Africa

The Paris-based investment banker Wladimir Mollof and his Altium firm are discreetly advancing in North Africa. By buying out Viveris Management from France’s Caisse d’Epargne Provence-Alpes-Corse (CEPAC, BPCE group), Altium’s venture capital unit, ACG Private Equity, now has a foot in the door in Morocco and Tunisia. (...) [212 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1001 - 12/01/2012
ALGERIA
Banque d’Algerie targets ship owners

The shipping world in Algeria could be heading into choppy waters. Maghreb Confidential understands the Banque d’Algerie is scrutinizing hard currency operations by several foreign shipping companies, including France’s CMA-CGM (leading container operator in Algeria), Maersk, MSC and Arkas. (...) [120 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1001 - 12/01/2012
TUNISIA
Benatia, a trailblazer for OpinionWay

With no less 150 political parties battling for the favor of just 3.6 million registered voters, Tunisia’s youthful democracy looks like a highly promising market for opinion polls. (...) [203 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1001 - 12/01/2012
TUNISIA
Nouira back in harness as banker?

Chakib Nouira, a 60-year-old banker who left the business in 2007 after being fired from Banque Internatinale Arabe de Tunisie by Marouane Mabrouk, may soon be back in business. (...) [201 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1001 - 12/01/2012
LIBYA
Al Ghurair to patch up refinery

A former partner of the National Oil Corporation (NOC) - it signed a contract to renovate the Ras Lanuf refinery in 2008 - the United Arab Emirates firm Al Ghurair Group is preparing to make its way back to Libya. (...) [156 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1001 - 12/01/2012
LIBYA
A bit of slack in French offensive?

Despite France’s active role in toppling Muammar Gaddafi, French firms are going to encounter an ever-tougher business environment in Libya in coming months. (...) [213 words] FREE

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1000 - 05/01/2012
MOROCCO
Corporate chiefs set eyes on Africa

A new business think tank chaired by Mohamed Benamour (boss of the Palaces & Traditions hotel group) and named Conseil du Developpement et de la Solidarite (CDS) is organizing its first Rabat Forum on Jan. (...) [205 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1000 - 05/01/2012
ALGERIA
Celio back with Nia as partner

As Maghreb Confidential anticipated, (No. 963), the French Celio men’s ready-to-wear company headed by the Grosman brothers will shortly be back in business in Algeria. (...) [171 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1000 - 05/01/2012
ALGERIA
Al Magharibia TV’s odd background

Son of Abassi Madani, founder of the banned Front Islamique du Salut, Oussama Madani found a lot of colorful bed-fellows to help him set up his Islamic satellite television station Al Magharibia in London. (...) [199 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1000 - 05/01/2012
TUNISIA
Hurdles stand in way of MCC's millions

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) presented a fine New Year’s gift to prime minister Hamadi Jebali. The day his government was formed on Dec. (...) [179 words] [$7]

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1000 - 05/01/2012
TUNISIA
Idriss the point man in Libya

Chokri Idriss, president of the Federation des Entreprises de BTP, a wing of the Tunisian employers’ federation UTICA, seems to be emerging as the point man for Tunisia in doing business with next-door Libya. (...) [179 words] FREE

MAGHREB CONFIDENTIAL n°1000 - 05/01/2012
LIBYA
August & Debouzy send path-finder

August & Debouzy was the only law firm to join a French business delegation that visited Tripoli on Dec. 20 under the auspices of France’s junior minister for foreign trade, Pierre Lellouche. (...) [230 words] [$7]

MCE n°1005 - 09/02/2012
TUNISIA

Barouni leaves US-Tunisia function
Long a valued contact for American diplomats and businessmen in Tunisia, Moncef Baro (...)

[81 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1005 - 09/02/2012
MOROCCO

Benkhadra to stay put
Former energy and mines minister Amina Benkhadra, whose portfolio was handed to Foua (...)

[147 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1005 - 09/02/2012
TUNISIA

Fethi Mokhtar targets Libya
Active in iron and steel (Sidenor, Sacinor, etc) and construction materials (Tunisie (...)

[54 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1005 - 09/02/2012
MOROCCO

Najib Boulif seeks to rope in AMDI
The name of Fathallah Sijilmassi’s successor as head of Agence Marocaine de Developp (...)

[98 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1004 - 02/02/2012
TUNISIA

Taoufik Boussarsar
Appointed minister of tourism at the end of December, Elyes Fakhfakh has handed over (...)

[72 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1004 - 02/02/2012
ALGERIA

Azzedine Fridi
The ANESRIF (Agence Nationale d’Etudes et de Suivi de la Réalisation des Investissem (...)

[108 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1004 - 02/02/2012
UNITED STATES/LIBYA

Adam Hock
On February 22, Adam Hock, the president of the U.S.-Libya Chamber of Commerce will (...)

[137 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1004 - 02/02/2012
EGYPT

Ahmed El-Hessiny
The head of Egyptian Electrical Cables (ELEC), Ahmed El-Hessiny, is to send a delega (...)

[54 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1003 - 26/01/2012
TUNISIA

Mohamed Dahmani-Fathallah
Tunisian graduates of Harvard are getting their act together. Bio-technician Mohamed (...)

[101 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1003 - 26/01/2012
TUNISIA

Antoine Courcelle-Labrousse
The director of the new Tunisian outpost of the International Finance Corp. (...)

[95 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1003 - 26/01/2012
TUNISIA

Hamadi Jebali
The government of Tunisian prime minister Hamadi Jebali is about to organize a “dono (...)

[120 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1003 - 26/01/2012
LIBYA

Osama Al Jouili
Libyan defense minister Osama Al Jouili has decided to impound the goods of the Liby (...)

[60 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1002 - 19/01/2012
LIBYA

Mouayed Makhlouf
The North Africa and Middle East director of the International Finance Corp. (...)

[105 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1002 - 19/01/2012
TUNISIA

Aziz Miled
Tunisian mogul Aziz Miled appears to be poor health, according to Maghreb Confidenti (...)

[80 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1002 - 19/01/2012
NORTH AFRICA

Gerard Debrinay
The new general manager of the Euro-Mediterranean think tank Ipemed, Gerard Debrinay (...)

[77 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1002 - 19/01/2012
FRANCE

Laurent Jacquet
The research director of the French firm EPEE, Laurent Jacquet, has asked us to rect (...)

[95 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1001 - 12/01/2012
TUNISIA

Ayache Tanazefti
A general practitioner based in Djerba, Ayachi Tanazefti is about to become a major (...)

[60 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1001 - 12/01/2012
LIBYA

Igor Chlapak
Recently named bureau chief of Ubifrance in Libya, Igor Chlapak knows the country in (...)

[125 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1001 - 12/01/2012
TUNISIA

Mourad Mhenni
Boss of the family group founded by his father Ali, Mourad Mhenni is continuing to w (...)

[73 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1001 - 12/01/2012
ALGERIA

Hind Benmilloud
A corporate lawyer and “queen of the franchising trade” in Algeria, Hind Benmiloud w (...)

[101 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1000 - 05/01/2012
IRELAND

Raymond Coyle
Boss of Largo Foods, a leading snack foods maker in Ireland, Raymond Coyle may be th (...)

[122 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1000 - 05/01/2012
TUNISIA

Habib Sfar
After swearing it would no longer interfere in the appointment of bank chiefs (MC 96 (...)

[123 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1000 - 05/01/2012
LIBYA/TUNISIA

Sayed Charchari
Owner of three brickworks in Tunisia, the Libyan businessman Sayed Charchari has jus (...)

[72 words] [$2,1]

MCE n°1000 - 05/01/2012
UNITED KINGDOM

Andrew Waller
Up to now Carlson Wagonlit Travel’s vice president in charge of the United Kingdom a (...)

[80 words] [$2,1]

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Africa Energy Intelligence | Africa Mining Intelligence | Top African Leaders |
Africa Business Intelligence | African Government & Political News | Intelligence Online