Rabat – Moroccan businesswoman Rita Maria Zniber won the European Women’s International Leadership Award (EWILA) in Brussels on Monday.
Zniber won the award alongside eight other women in recognition of their outstanding contributions across various fields.
The event, organized by the International Women’s Leadership Forum, aimed to spotlight women who have broken traditional norms, challenged male-dominated fields, and acted as role models for those who face challenges in making their voices heard.
The awards were presented by Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana MEP, vice-chair of the Committee on Development and member of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality.
As the chairman and CEO Diana Holding – one of Morocco’s leading agro-industrial companies – Zniber is at the helm of one of the MENA’s biggest family businesses.
With over 40 years of experience, Zniber’s career in the corporate world began in 1988 when she first joined Diana Holding.
The company, under her leadership, has grown into an agro-industrial conglomerate with a diverse business portfolio, producing products ranging from both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to poultry, sea products, and plastics. Diana Holding also oversees key sectors in production, distribution, and retail, including the cultivation of agricultural goods such as olives.
Throughout her career, Zniber has showcased a commitment to innovation and development. In November 2021, Diana Holding joined forces with Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in a partnership that aims to contribute to the creation of a more sustainable and innovative agricultural ecosystem.
Zinber’s career reached a significant milestone in March 2022 when Diana Holding and Morocco’s Ministry of Industry and Trade signed a $12.1 million investment agreement for Berkane Juice Processing. The subsidiary of Les Domaines Zniber was another step forward for the holding’s expansion ambitions.
The company said that it plans to use the funds to launch a citrus juicing and processing unit in Berkane with a capacity of 30,000 tons of citrus. The venture would have a potential annual turnover of over $7.8 million and will create at least 240 direct jobs, Forbes Middle East reported.
In November 2022, Diana Holding continued its expansion strategy by announcing a partnership with the Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company to acquire the Atlas Bottling Company.
Beyond the corporate world, Rita Maria Zniber is recognized for her dedication to philanthropy. As the Founding President of the Rita Zniber Foundation, and a Member of the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, Zniber actively engages in initiatives that address social challenges and promote sustainable development.
In an interview with Forbes Middle East, Zniber said that Diana Holding is planning to announce another partnership with Alpla Morocco in September 2023, a major international player in the plastic industry.
On several occasions, Zniber was named among the 100 most influential women in the Arab and African world rankings by Forbes.
Her accolades include the prestigious AllAfrica Female Leadership Award and the distinguished title of “Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur”, bestowed upon her by President Emmanuel Macron.
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