Casablanca Hosts First ‘Talents for the Procurement Leader of Tomorrow’ Conference

Rabat – Casablanca’s Ecole Centrale organized today its first conference on “Talents for the Procurement Leader of Tomorrow,” which took place on the school’s premises.

Exclusive speakers from the heavy industry and distribution sectors, including executives from groups such as Marjane, OCP, and Taqa Morocco, convened to share their visions on the key competencies needed to become a purchasing leader in a complex and constantly evolving environment, according to a statement the school issued today

Taha Benzekri, Executive Director in charge of Human Capital at Marjane Holding, Sponsor of MS Procurement and Leadership.

This opportunity will enable purchasing professionals to explore strategic topics such as designing local ecosystems for business profitability, designing the supply chain for business development, contributing to the digital transformation of companies, and other innovative initiatives promoting sustainable growth.

“The socio-economic development of our country and the influence of ‘Made In Morocco’ increasingly require purchasing skills that stand out in an international environment of multiple dimensions and high complexity,” said Meriem Bennis, founder of African Procurement Leaders.

For his part, Marjane’s Executive Director of Human Capital, Taha Benzekri, stressed that “being a strategic player, tomorrow’s purchaser will be an agile, technologically competent professional, capable of navigating a complex economic and social landscape, with ethical and durable considerations.”

The conference is also presented as an opportunity to explore Morocco’s industrial sovereignty through the development of Local Sourcing, promoting autonomy as a major creator of jobs and value.

“Our professions today are undergoing a dramatic transformation with the arrival of new technology, the development of E-commerce, the abundance of information, the world of data, and our concerns about sustainability,” stated Abderrahim Janati, Marjane Group’s Deputy CEO.

Meriem Bennis, Academic Leader of the MS Procurement & Leadership, Founder of African Procurement Leaders.

Taqa Maroc’s Purchasing Director, Nordine Zinbi, shared his expertise in reducing import dependency. Morocco’s industrial sovereignty is inextricably linked to the growth of ecosystems that often position industry as a major employer, especially for youth, and embed it in a positive cycle of development, he said.

“This represents an innovative approach to industrial acceleration plans to strengthen exports and job creation,” Zinbi stated, stressing that the main objective is to explore all potential avenues for future growth through procurement operations, promote local sourcing, reduce import dependence and ultimately gain a new place in global value chains.

The procurement leaders of tomorrow will be able to create procurement plans that prioritize the expansion as well as profit and loss of the business, explained Marouane Ouardi, OCP Group’s Head of Supply Chain, Risk Management, and Business Development.

These leaders depend on cutting-edge sectoral strategies and a transdisciplinary corporate culture, he added.

Meriem Bennis, Academic Leader of the MS Procurement & Leadership, Founder of African Procurement Leaders and Taha Benzekri, Executive Director in charge of Human Capital at Marjane Holding, Sponsor of MS Procurement and Leadership.

The Procurement and Leadership MS is an innovative academic program that provides a multidisciplinary procurement approach that integrates novel methods focused on growth, a leadership journey, and a commitment to the nation’s socio-economic development, the statement concluded.