“I AM THE ONE WHO IS AT EVERYONE’S SERVICE”
Even before taking the helm of one of the largest Swiss companies in Morocco, Abdelilah Mourid was no stranger to the Moroccan business world. The young Managing Director of Sicpa Morocco, the Moroccan subsidiary of the world leader in security inks and integrated security solutions for banknotes and valuable documents, already had a rich career behind him, making him a personality who needs no introduction. This graduate of the École Centrale, who began his professional career with two years of national service as a teacher at the École Hassania des Travaux Publics, made a lasting impression during his time at “Astral”, one of the best-performing Moroccan paint manufacturers. “In 1985 I joined Astral, which was part of the Akzo group, which became Akzo Nobel, and spent a good part of my career there. This gave me the chance to go through every function and to work on projects of international scope”, he explains. Even five years after leaving, the leader still feels the same pride: “My greatest professional achievement is having been an important link in the development of Akzo Nobel, which enabled us to double our sales volumes and to be by far the market leader”.
Doing business in hostile environments…
To achieve this performance, growth drivers had to be sought everywhere. A quest that led Abdelilah Mourid off the beaten track, he who would have been an explorer had he not known the joys of engineering. “The professional project that marked me the most was leading the creation of a group company in Libya. Discovering the paint market in a country under embargo (at the time) and discussing with its authorities to make the project happen was an interesting experience for me”, he recounts.
Today, at the head of Sicpa, whose African ambitions are no secret to anyone, equally important projects await him. “I am happy to take part in building the SICPA group hub that will be in charge of West Africa”, he reveals.
Telling a joke to Driss Jettou
But an exemplary career also means golden encounters. And Mourid has had a great many. “I remember several professional encounters with brilliant young engineers, suppliers, senior executives of the group, Moroccan officials…” And he adds: “The one that struck me the most was with Mr Driss Jettou (current President of the Court of Auditors and former Prime Minister – 2002-2007, editor’s note) in 1994. At the time, he was Minister of Industry and I was a young engineer who had the privilege of taking him on a visit of a sophisticated new workshop and, at a brisk pace, was able to exchange a joke or two with this great personality”, he recalls with a barely concealed smile.
To build such a career, a source of inspiration is also essential to boost one’s willpower. And our young leader has not been deprived of this good fortune. “Professionally, I was inspired by a person who has since passed away and who contributed greatly to my training, namely the Technical Director of Astral France”, he confides with nostalgia.
His muse? Angelina Jolie.
Behind this workhorse lies a generous man. A member of the famous charity Rotary Casablanca, Abdelilah Mourid is imbued with the values of giving and altruism. Qualities that are, moreover, reflected in the way he works, since he describes his role in the company’s General Management as “that of someone who is at everyone’s service”. Indeed, among the people who inspire him most, he mentions Angelina Jolie. However, make no mistake. For him, the film star is an example to follow not for her artistic talents but for her humanitarian work, for which he has great respect.
Alongside his professional activity, Abdelilah Mourid is also a dynamic member of the very active Association of Alumni of the École Centrale Paris. He even held for a time (between 87 and 95 and from 2000 to 2004) the position of Secretary General of the association before becoming responsible for relations with the École Centrale Casablanca. “I am very lucky to stay in touch with the student world and to help make the students of this School members of Africa’s future elite”, says the man who is also a graduate of the ISCAE Advanced Management Programme.
If you were…
A colour, which would you be?
Blue.
A country, which would you be?
Morocco.
A personality?
Mohandas Karamchand Ghandi and Nelson Mandela.
An animal… ?
The elephant.
A dish… ?
Couscous.
A film… ?
Avatar by James Cameron.
A book… ?
La confrérie des éveillés by Jacques Attali.
A song… ?
Inta Omri by Oum Kalthoum.