Fifth Annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit will be hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco

Over 3000 entrepreneurs, Heads of state, government officials, global entrepreneurs, small medium enterprises (SMEs), corporate leaders, and young entrepreneurs

MARRAKECH, Morocco, November 6, 2014/ -- The fifth annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit (#GES2014) will take place on November 19 – 21, 2014 in Marrakech, Morocco, the first time in an African nation.  The Summit, the largest gathering of entrepreneurs during Global Entrepreneurship Week, will be hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco, and held under the High Patronage of his Majesty King Mohammed VI, brings together over 3000 entrepreneurs, Heads of state, government officials, global entrepreneurs, small medium enterprises (SMEs), corporate leaders, and young entrepreneurs.

The theme of this year’s Summit, “Harnessing the Power of Technology for Innovation and Entrepreneurship,” will explore the positive impact of technology on innovation and entrepreneurship.

Speakers will discuss:

•          Financing new ventures

•          Scaling up enterprises and moving to the formal sector

•          Turning talent into entrepreneurship

•          Engaging in social entrepreneurship

Vice President Joe Biden will lead the United States (U.S) delegation to the Summit in addition to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker.  Members of the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship (PAGE) initiative will be joining Secretary Pritzker, as entrepreneurship ambassadors.

They include:  

•          Daphne Koller, Co-Founder and President, Coursera

•          Hamdi Ulukaya, Founder and CEO, Chobani

•          Alexa von Tobel, Founder and CEO, LearnVest

Other U.S. speakers include Toni G. Verstandig, Chair Middle East Programs, Aspen Group, Kerry Healey, President of Babson College and John Macomber, Senior Lecturer in Finance, Harvard Business School, Ron Bruder, Founder, Education for Employment, and Zainab Salbi, Founder of Women to Women International.

Moroccan speakers include Salaheddine Mezouar, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Mohamed Boussaid, Minister of Economy and Finance, Mbarka Bouaida, Delegate Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Moulay Hafid Alami, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and the Digital Economy, Nizar Baraka, President, Social, Economic & Environmental Council (CESE). 

Moroccan corporate leaders include Mohamed El-Kettani, CEO, Attijariwafa Bank, Othman Benjelloun, President and CEO of BMCE, Abdeslam Ahizoune, CEO of Maroc Telecom, Anas Sefrioui, CEO of Addoha Group, and Miriem Bensalah-Chaqroun, President, Confédération Générale des Entreprises du Maroc (CGEM). 

Visit the 2014 Global Entrepreneurship Summit’s website (www.gesmarrakech2014.org/en/home). Register for the event here: https://registration.gesmarrakech2014.org/ and for a list of speakers go to:http://www.gesmarrakech2014.org/en/program/speakers. 

Richard Attias & Associates (RA&A), Part of WPP Group, is the Executive Producer of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2014.  

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) 

Investing in Moroccan poultry

Rabat, Morocco, November 12, 2013—IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is making an equity investment in Zalagh Holding, a leading grain trading and poultry group, to help create jobs and encourage economic development in rural Morocco. 

IFC’s $24 million investment in Zalagh will support the company as it expands and creates new jobs, including those for women. The expansion will also help generate indirect employment in rural areas, where Zalagh is a key economic player.

"This agreement will support our strategy to become a major player in a rapidly expanding sector and strengthen our integrated value chain,” said Ali Berbich, Chairman of the Management Board of Zalagh Holding. “As well, IFC will bring with it its agribusiness expertise and its extensive experience in optimizing corporate governance and institutionalizing family businesses.”

This investment is part of the IFC strategy in Morocco to support the manufacturing and agribusiness sectors.

"Supporting the development of Zalagh Holding is part of our effort to spur job creation and promote sustainable growth in rural areas of Morocco,” said Guy Ellena, Director of IFC’s Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services Department in Eastern and Southern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle-East, and North Africa. “We are excited to partner with a company with such an extensive experience and a reputation for supporting communities.”

The project will also support the growth of the poultry industry and promote the use of top-notch environmental and health standards.

Zalagh Holding is embarking on an ambitious 350 million Moroccan dirham expansion over the next three years. It is planning to ramp up production of animal feed, increase its supply of chickens and turkeys, and build poultry farms across the country. 

 For more information, visit www.ifc.org