Casablanca – Morocco World News nominated Mr. Mostafa Terrab, the current Chairman & Chief Executive of OCP (former Office Chérifien des Phosphates), personality of the year for his great contribution to the development of the most vital sector of the Moroccan economy.
Since the appointment of Mr. Mostafa Terrab, a PhD holder from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, OCP underwent, under Mr. Terrab’s leadership, a holistic transformation, which translated into higher revenues for the company and the launching of programs that aim at creating jobs for the most underprivileged people in Morocco, especially unemployed graduates from cities such as Khouribga, Youssoufia and Benguerir, which host about 98% of the country’s phosphates. He also turned OCP into a world class company run according to international standards.
Mr. Mostafa Terrab, who is known for his humility, has contributed greatly to the inauguration of avant-garde projects such as OCP skills and by bolstering Morocco’s export potential regionally and internationally.
He also contributed to the launching of of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, a world-class institution of higher learning to be built in the new Mohammed VI Green City in Benguerir, 50 miles north of Marrakech. First of its kind in the country, the University will “focus on education, research and development (R&D), transfer of technologies, the adoption of innovative and promising projects and partnerships with the corporate world,” according to an OCP press release.
The project “OCP Skills”, which was launched in 2011 funded 52 small and medium size companies in the cities that host the OCP industrial compounds.
In this unprecedented initiative, OCP, one of the world’s leaders in Phosphates and its derivatives, offered 11000 beneficiaries the opportunity to benefit from a training delivered by the Vocational Training Office and other institutions, namely the institute for Post office and communication, the Mohammedia School of Engineers, the Moroccan school of Bridges and Roads and Casablanca School for Engineers.
Mr. Terrab has also elicited admiration for his visionary strategies manifested through the expansion into new markets. Last June OCP announced its partnership with “Toros Tarim”, a leading Turkish firm in the manufacturing of fertilizers.
The partnership aims at establishing a new company under the name” The Black Sea Company for fertilizers Trade”. The OCP is a major shareholder in this new company with 70% of a stocks share while the Turkish firm detains the remaining 30%.
Under the stewardship of Mr. Terrab, OCP had also launched in 2010 the OCP Innovation Fund for Agriculture (IFA) to promote investment in agriculture and food industry. The project budget is estimated to 200 Million Dirhams. The OCP IFA is directed towards all projects liable to create job opportunities and sustainable development. The entrepreneurs selected will also benefit from coaching and counseling in management provided by experts.
OCP stands out also as a pioneer in green investment. It has laid the foundation of two concepts “Green Mine” and “Green city” in the regions where it has mining projects. The OCP intervention includes the creation of green areas in cooperation with the local authorities.
Mr. Terrab aggregated substantial expertise and excellence throughout his prestigious academic and professional journey. He holds a PhD in Operational Research from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT Cambridge) and a master in Engineering from the same institution. He graduated also from the l’Ecole Nationale des Ponts ET Chaussées in France.
Mr. Terrab was hired by Bechtel Civil (1983/85) ET Minerals Inc. in San Fransisco as a system analyst where he was in charge of planning the construction of Damman International Airport in Saudi Arabia as well as the project of the strait of Gibraltar permanent link.
He was also a Teaching Assistant at MIT between 1986 and 1989. He won the Frederick Hennie III award for his exceptional contribution to the elaboration of the curriculum for the Electric Engineering and Information department in the prestigious MIT.
Mr. Terrab was also an assistant professor in Rensselear Polytechnic Institute in New York. In 1992, he was entrusted with a mission by the Royal Cabinet and in 1995 he was appointed secretary general for the Economic Summit for the Middle East and North Africa.
Before his appointment at the helm of the OCP, Mr. Terrab worked as president of the ANRT (National Agency of Regulation and Telecommunication).
