OCP Anti-trust & Compliance Seminar
2024-02-15 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
Navigating Business Law: OCP Group’s Anti-trust and Compliance Seminar Explores Global Perspectives and Expert Insights.
In the framework of the business law seminar series organized by the Legal Direction of OCP Group and co-hosted by ABS, a two-day seminar on Anti-trust and Compliance was held on Thursday, Jan 18th , and Friday, Jan 19th , in collaboration with the Strategic Business Unit (SBU) Specialty Products & Solutions (SPS). Featuring seven distinguished international experts from Covington advisory firm, the seminar specifically targeted OCP collaborators, drawing over 60 participants in a hybrid format. This executive training covered a diverse range of topics, with the first day focusing on Permanent Establishment, Transfer Pricing, CFIUS (Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States), EU Foreign Investment Clearance, and Sanctions/Trade Controls. The second day delved into Global Antitrust/Competition, US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and Anti-corruption/Anti-Bribery, offering insights from industry experts in each respective field.

Game Theory Days
2024-02-15 08:00 - 17:00
Launch of the Moroccan Center for Game Theory
In a compelling convergence of minds, the Moroccan Center of Game Theory hosted a remarkable workshop that unfolded from January 22 to 24. The morning of January 24 witnessed the opening session, presided over by Professor Rida Laraki. This momentous occasion was embellished with the unveiling of the center’s grandeur and a comprehensive presentation of its esteemed PhD program. Attendees were captivated by the unfolding narrative of academic excellence and research innovation. As the day progressed, six erudite keynote speakers, hailing from renowned academic institutions in the US, UK, and France, took the stage. Each luminary, deeply embedded within the fabric of the PhD program, shared their insights, sparking intellectual excitement among the participants.

Complexity Seminar
2024-02-15 08:00 - 17:00
Decoding Complexity: Insights from Africa Business School’s Seminar on the Scientific Exploration of Organizational Dynamics
The Complexity Seminar, hosted by the Africa Business School through the Complexity ∞ Humanities Chair and Custom Programs, took place on January 25 and 26, 2023, at the UM6P campus in Rabat. The seminar delved into the scientific exploration of complexity, focusing on the concept of the “whole greater than the sum of its parts.”Participants engaged in an intensive immersion into complexity sciences, gaining insights into contextual challenges that often elude conventional methodologies. The seminar aimed to bridge these insights with managerial approaches, providing participants with firsthand knowledge to address empirical situations in their professional spheres.

Internship Placement Days for MIM & QFM Students
2024-02-15 08:00 - 17:00
Internship Placement Days: Bridging Academia and Industry for Professional Opportunities and Networking Excellence
Internship Placement Days, a collaborative effort between Full-time programs and the Career Center at Campus Rabat, offered an enriching experience for second-year MIM and QFM students. The event took place in Rabat Campus and brought together a prestigious lineup of companies, including Huawei, Atos, KPMG, L’Oreal, Dell, Innovex, Viseo, Docaposte, and others. The day featured engaging sessions, informative presentations from participating companies, and networking opportunities, providing students with an invaluable platform to connect directly with potential employers. By facilitating this interaction, Internship Placement Days aimed to bridge the gap between academia and industry, empowering students to kickstart their professional journeys with leading organizations in their respective fields.

UNLEASH Hacks Morocco: Young Innovators Tackle Climate Issues with AI Solutions
2024-02-24 09:00 - 17:00
Young African Innovators Convene at UM6P, Collaborating Across Borders to Tackle Climate Challenges through AI and Ingenuity.
Young African minds gathered at UM6P for UNLEASH Hacks Morocco, a two-day hackathon aimed at addressing climate challenges and disaster risk reduction using artificial intelligence (AI). Organized by the global initiative UNLEASH in collaboration with the African Consulting Club (ACC) and the African Youth Advisory Board on Disaster Risk Reduction (AYAB DRR), the event brought together 40 participants, including representatives from several other African countries, who unleashed their creativity to develop solutions around three critical themes:
1. Reinventing Early Warning Systems: Exploring advanced AI solutions to enhance early warning systems, ensuring comprehensive coverage and rapid responses to climate threats.
2. Planetary Harmony: Using AI to address challenges in sustainable resource management, biodiversity conservation, and adaptation to climate change.
3. Prosperity through Inclusion: Implementing innovative solutions to bridge the digital divide and integrate indigenous practices, promoting inclusive development, equitable access to information, and socio-economic resilience in Morocco.
Throughout this intense weekend, participants engaged in brainstorming, prototyping sessions, and presented their ideas to a panel of experts. Impressive with their “Sun Alert” solution, a plug-and-play AI-powered early warning system, fueled by solar energy and connected to local mosques, the Disaster Squad Team emerged victorious. Their innovation has the potential to provide personalized warnings to both local residents and authorities with increased accuracy and efficiency.

Exchange Session "Overcoming Challenges and Achieving Transformation
2024-03-18 18:00 - 22:30
As part of the launch of the Master in Business Analytics for Transformation
Exploring the Role of Data Analytics in Business Transformation: Insights from Africa Business School’s Private Event as part of the imminent launch of the Master in Business Analytics for Transformation
On Monday, March 18th, Africa Business School hosted a compelling exchange session centered around the theme “Overcoming Challenges and Achieving Transformation: Integrating Analytics into the Core of Your Organization.” The event served as a precursor to the imminent launch of the Master in Business Analytics for Transformation program.
The session commenced with a convivial ftour, setting the stage for engaging discussions. Professor Jean Staune inaugurated the dialogue, providing a contextual backdrop on data utilization and the contemporary challenges facing businesses worldwide.
Prof. Staune emphasized the pivotal importance of mastering data usage and artificial intelligence, accentuating his points with vivid examples, concrete anecdotes, and success stories. In today’s digital landscape, information reigns supreme, underscoring the criticality of data-related inquiries. The manipulation of data stands as an indispensable facet of modern operations. Prof. Staune concluded by asserting that while AI and data facilitate remarkable narratives, they harbor limitations, underscoring the perennial necessity of human involvement.
Following Prof. Staune’s enlightening introduction, Salma Chakir, Managing Partner at Catalyst IA, and Agnes Gorge, Director of the MBAT program, jointly led the interactive exchange session with the participants.
The session aimed to bridge the chasm between theoretical paradigms and real-world organizational dynamics, contextualizing concepts within participants’ everyday realities. Chakir and Gorge kickstarted proceedings by unveiling a conceptual roadmap outlining the indispensable stages for successful transformation. This framework served as a springboard for dialogue, allowing participants to articulate their experiences, identify requisite competencies, pinpoint challenges, and elucidate internal practices vis-à-vis these transformational stages.
A diverse array of stakeholders representing various sectors including banking, corporate entities, and public institutions congregated, sharing their distinct experiences with data utilization, emerging technologies, and artificial intelligence within their respective organizations. While some recounted challenges, such as data fragmentation within their enterprises, others regaled success stories, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis. These shared narratives unveiled prevailing trends and diverse approaches, encompassing skill enhancement, user-centricity, customer journey mapping, among others, thereby bridging the chasm between high-tech aspirations and operational realities.

Spiritual Ftour
2024-03-19 06:00 - 22:30
An event organized by the Science and Quest for Meaning center
On Tuesday, March 19th, a “Spiritual Ftour” was held as part of the second edition of Discovery Encounters organized by the Science and Quest for Meaning Center. The theme of the event was: “In our current situation, in a modern, or even post-modern world, how can Muslim values, culture, and tradition assist us in finding meaning in our lives?”
Following a convivial meal, attended by Mr. Bruno Guiderdoni and Professor Jean Staune, two speakers, Mr. Ghaleb Bencheikh and Mr. Jean Baptiste Julliard, a Muslim and a Christian respectively, offered their insights on the topic from various perspectives.
Mr. Ghaleb Bencheikh is an Islamologist and holds a Ph.D. in sciences from the University of Paris 6, in addition to philosophical training at the University of Paris 1. He is a member of the Council of Sages of Secularism and serves as the president of the World Conference of Religions for Peace – France. He has also been elected president of the Foundation of Islam in France.
Mr. Jean Baptiste Julliard is an Associate Professor of Philosophy and General Culture, with a degree from Sciences Po Paris. He teaches general culture in economic and commercial CPGE at Intégrale prépa and is a lecturer in general culture at Sciences Po Paris.

Save the date: Orientation Day
2024-03-25
Discover, Explore, and Shape Your Path – Join us on March 23rd at UM6P Rabat Campus for Guidance and Insight.
We are thrilled to announce that the Orientation Day dedicated to Masters programs, will take place at the UM6P campus in Rabat on Saturday, March 23rd, from 10 am to 4 pm.
This day holds great significance for your academic and professional journey, providing a unique opportunity to explore the Masters programs offered by the various schools of UM6P, as well as the career prospects they offer.
To participate in this enriching event, please fill out the following registration form:
https://bit.ly/OrientationDaysRabat
We look forward to welcoming many of you on March 23rd for this day dedicated to guiding you towards academic excellence.

Conferences by Dr. Gorkem Celik & Dr. Marie Bessec
2024-04-18
Certification Strategies & Environmental News Impact: Insights from Africa Business School
On April 18th, two conferences took place at Africa Business School:
Dr. Gorkem Celik from ESSEC Business School presented “Selling Certification and Market Information,” a paper co-written with Dr. Roland Strausz from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. In their paper, they consider a monopolistic certifier offering certification services to a seller with partial private information. The certifier can publicly reveal the private information of a seller as well as publicly certify additional market information about the good’s quality. They show that the certifier maximizes profits by fully revealing the seller’s private information and by only partially revealing the additional information about the good’s quality. Thus, optimal contracts eliminate any inefficiencies associated with private information, but by not fully eliminating market uncertainty, inefficiencies remain. The certifier finds it suboptimal to provide full market information as it requires high information rents from the privately informed seller.
Following this, Dr. Marie Bessec from Paris Dauphine University presented “The Impact of Green Sentiment Measured From Media Data on Financial Markets,” a paper co-written with Dr. Julien Fouquau from ESCP Business School. Their paper examines the impact of environmental news coverage in US newspapers on stock markets. Using textual analysis with a dictionary-based approach, they obtained several measures of attention, tonality, and uncertainty in the coverage of environmental news in major US newspapers. They considered different weighting schemes to account for the visibility and relevance of the text sources, as well as several sets of newspapers to measure the possible impact of their editorial line. Their results show that greater attention to environmental news in the US media reduced the excess returns of carbon-intensive stocks and increased their volatility over the last decade, especially when the coverage was uncertain. In contrast, green assets are less sensitive to the coverage of environmental news. Restricting the corpus of texts to conservative newspapers mitigates the impact of coverage. Overall, their results illustrate how rising environmental concerns lead investors to change their asset allocation.

Kick-off of the Master in Business Analytics for Transformation
2024-04-20
MBAT, Africa Business School’s new flagship program
The Master in Business Analytics For Transformation (MBAT), Africa Business School’s new flagship program, kicked off on Saturday, April 20. The event featured key messages from the program director and vice dean, addressing the challenges of success in the digital age.
Africa Business School tackles these challenges with a program that:
• Is accessible to all, targeting a diverse audience beyond engineers or scientific profiles.
• Takes a practical and holistic approach, focusing on learning through business applications and viewing professions through an analytics lens.
• Emphasizes profound transformation, guiding students in identifying potential applications and practicing comprehensive project management in Analytics.
During the kickoff, it was emphasized that despite the performance of advanced analytical tools and models, their adoption remains insufficient. Success in the digital age requires becoming a Generalizing Specialist, understanding both technology and its implications.
Efficient change management approaches are crucial for adopting technologies and solutions inferred by analytics tools and models, involving strategies, business models, and operating models. Incumbents who fail to manage change risk disruption, as data, digital, and analytics become integral to disruptive business models. Organizations must adapt to exponential technological change, particularly complex auto-adaptive organizations.

ABS Perspectives & Dialogues in collaboration with University of Ghana Business School
2024-04-24
Welcoming Dr. Rita Amoah Bekoe & Dr. Godfred Matthew Yaw Owusu
As part of the ABS Perspectives & Dialogues Series, two seminars were organized in collaboration with the University of Ghana Business School. On Wednesday, April 24th, Dr. Rita Amoah Bekoe, representing the Accounting Department, delivered a talk on the topic “What have we learnt from Corporate Sustainability performance research in the past two decades?” The session aimed to delve into the insights gleaned from research on corporate sustainability over the last twenty years.
Following this, on Thursday, April 25th, Dr. Godfred Matthew Yaw Owusu, an Associate Professor from the Department of Accounting, presented on “An Investigation into Financial Behaviour and Financial Well-being of Professional Footballers in Ghana.” This session explored the financial dynamics and well-being of professional footballers within the Ghanaian context.
These seminars provided valuable platforms for scholarly exchange and critical examination of pertinent topics within the realms of corporate sustainability and financial behaviors, contributing to a deeper understanding of these subjects among attendees.

Africa Business School hosts EC Africa Program
2024-04-29
Inaugural Morocco Immersion Week
The EC-Africa Program, hosted at the Africa Business School and in collaboration with Columbia Business School, recently launched its inaugural Morocco Immersion Week. This dynamic initiative provided participants with a comprehensive experience delving into Morocco’s vibrant business landscape while also marking the commencement of the project implementation phase. The program tackled the pressing issue of climate change in Morocco and Africa during a session moderated by Prof. Rachid Serraj, Director of Strategy and the Africa Initiative at UM6P, alongside three esteemed experts.
The session delved deep into the challenges and opportunities posed by climate change, offering invaluable insights into Morocco’s strategies and the broader implications for the African continent. Prof. Rachid Serraj shared his pioneering efforts in understanding climate risks, laying the groundwork for sustainable solutions. Meanwhile, Fatima Driouech traced the evolution of climate progress from COP22 to COP29, shedding light on the milestones achieved and the roadmap ahead. Additionally, Ghani Chehbouni explored the intersection of agriculture and climate resilience, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges faced in Morocco and across Africa.
This collaborative effort between academia and industry underscores a proactive approach to addressing global challenges within the realm of business education. By combining immersive experiences like the Morocco Immersion Week with in-depth discussions on pressing topics such as climate change, the EC-Africa Program is setting the stage for groundbreaking advancements in global business education, fostering a holistic understanding of the interconnected issues shaping our world today.

How Africa Can Contribute to US Clean Energy Supply Chains ?
2024-05-23
Featuring Dr. Cullen S. Hendrix
Dr. Cullen S. Hendrix, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and nonresident senior research fellow at the Center for Climate & Security, led a thought-provoking discussion on the intersection of contentious politics, environmental dynamics, and global markets. With a Ph.D. from the University of California, San Diego, Dr. Hendrix delved into Morocco’s potential as a hub for exporting refined products to the US and explored the prospects of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) evolving into a full-fledged Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The talk, titled “How Africa Can Contribute to US Clean Energy Supply Chains,” offered an insightful exploration of international relations and economic opportunities.

Andrew Forrest Conference
2024-05-29 18:00 - 19:00
Going on Offense: Transforming Hard to Abate Sectors
Dr. Andrew Forrest, Founder and Executive Chairman of Fortescue Metals Group, Australia’s largest iron ore exporter, was the keynote speaker at Africa Business School on May 29th, 2024. The theme of his presentation was “Going on Offense: Transforming Hard to Abate Sectors.”

Dr. Forrest is a global business and philanthropic leader dedicated to ending the use of fossil fuels, creating green energy solutions, and tackling global challenges like modern slavery and oceanic destruction through overfishing and plastic pollution. He holds a PhD in Marine Ecology from the University of Western Australia and owns Squadron Energy, Australia’s leading renewable energy company. He also chairs the Minderoo Foundation, a philanthropic organization focused on issues ranging from gender equality and climate change to rebuilding Ukraine.

During the conference, Dr. Forrest focused on several key points:

– Fortescue’s partnership with OCP for sustainable technologies in agriculture.
– Fortescue’s values which are the key to success
– A brief presentation on Fortescue as a world leader in iron ore production.
The event was attended by 73 participants, leading to interesting exchanges between Dr. Forrest and the attendees.

Capitalism & Environment Conference
2024-05-30 08:00 - 17:00
Featuring Jean-François Ponsot & Eric Berr
We are pleased to reflect on the successful conference organized by ABS on “Capitalism & Environment”.
Moderated by Said Hanchane, Professor of Economics at UM6P, this conference brought together two renowned professors of economics to address the pressing challenges of ongoing global transformations, such as dedollarization and the environmental transition. The discussions offered a fresh perspective, diverging from the mainstream Washington Consensus and instead employing a post-Keynesian analytical framework.
Jean-François Ponsot, Professor of Economics at Université de Grenoble Alpes and researcher at PACTE, presented on the theme: “Dollarization, Dedollarization, and Extractivism.” His insights shed light on the intricate relationships between global monetary policies and natural resource extraction.
Following him, Eric Berr, Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Bordeaux and researcher at Bordeaux Sciences Economiques (BSE), explored the theme: “Thinking Sustainable Development with Keynes and the Post-Keynesians.” He provided valuable perspectives on how Keynesian and post-Keynesian theories can inform sustainable development practices.
This conference was an excellent opportunity for attendees to engage with innovative ideas and critically examine these global challenges through a post-Keynesian lens. The event highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary dialogue in addressing complex economic and environmental issues.

Africa Business School's Family Day
2024-06-01
The Business and Management Division staff gathered with their families on June 1st
at UM6P Rabat Campus for a day filled with fun. They enjoyed a variety of activities, including games and workshops, and entertainment suitable for all ages. The event was also an opportunity for families to discover the staff’s workplace.

Africa Business School's Family Day
2024-06-01 10:00 - 16:00
A Day of Fun, Bonding, and Community at Africa Business School
The Business and Management Division staff gathered with their families on June 1st at UM6P Rabat Campus for a day filled with fun. They enjoyed a variety of activities, including games and workshops, and entertainment suitable for all ages. The event was also an opportunity for families to discover the staff’s workplace.

Seminars with Dr. Mariano Pitosh Heyden
2024-06-12
Highlighting Academic Excellence: Insights from Dr. Heyden to PhD students
Professor Pitosh Heyden’s recent visit to Africa Business School was profoundly impactful, offering invaluable insights into both academic publishing and executive leadership dynamics. As a distinguished Professor of Strategy & International Business at Monash Business School, Dr. Heyden shared his expertise in two compelling sessions. The morning session provided practical strategies for international scholars and those from emerging markets to successfully publish in top-tier journals, leveraging his extensive editorial experience. In the afternoon, he delved into the intriguing phenomenon of age homogeneity in executive suites during CEO succession events, presenting findings from his research on S&P500 companies. His analysis revealed that despite opportunities for demographic change, executive teams are becoming older, with age profiles being reproduced to reduce social uncertainty during transitions. This visit not only enriched attendees’ understanding but also offered actionable strategies for their academic and professional advancement.

Project Finance with Pr. Michel Lyonnet du Moutier
2024-06-13
Book talk at Africa Business School
ABS Library hosted an engaging Book Talk featuring Michel Lyonnet du Moutier, an expert in project finance, as part of the strategic seminars led by him and Prof. Dominique Jacquet and targeted at OCP’s top management on financial topics.

Michel Lyonnet du Moutier, a Professor Emeritus at the University of Paris Nanterre and former professor at École des Ponts, shared insights from his latest book, “Financement de projet et partenariats public-privé.” The audience benefited from an enriching discussion, deepening their understanding of project financing strategies.

The event was a testament to the collaborative efforts of the Executive Education and ABS Library in fostering knowledge and professional growth.

Induction days at Africa Business School
2024-10-07 - 2024-10-08
Africa Business School organized a two-day integration event for new students across its three full-time programs. These days were dedicated to presentations of the programs, various student centers, and clubs. Students also had the opportunity to meet some professors and the staff who would support them throughout the academic year. The program included sports tournaments to explore the campus facilities, as well as icebreaker activities to help students get to know each other.

Innovation Leadership Workshop: Transform the Future of Africa
2024-10-18 08:00 - 2024-10-19 18:00

Orientation Day 2025
2025-03-15

ABS Research Doctoral Summit
2025-04-25 - 2025-04-26
From the 25 to the 26th april, the 2025 ABS Doctoral Research Summit (2nd edition) provided a unique opportunity for the ABS research community, including PhD and DBA students, research assistants, and research interns, to engage with international faculty from prestigious universities.
For the first time, the event also welcomed external PhD students from Moroccan universities, fostering broader academic exchange.
Over two days, participants attended a series of talks, symposiums, workshops, and roundtables covering a wide range of business fields. The summit also featured research competitions, where students showcased their work and competed for prizes awarded for outstanding paper submissions.

Carbon Markets Forum 2025
2025-05-07
The Carbon Markets Forum 2025 took place recently at UM6P Rabat, bringing together leading experts, institutions, and key stakeholders to shape the future of carbon markets in Morocco and beyond.
Organized by the SBEC (Sustainable Business Economics Center) in collaboration with Africa Business School, the event featured a rich program including keynote speeches, panel discussions, a masterclass, and high-level networking opportunities.
The Forum welcomed Moroccan and international experts from leading institutions—including the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, OCP Group, CFC Authority, the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection, the World Bank, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, the French Development Agency, the Global Green Growth Institute, Climate & Company, and the KLIK Foundation—to engage in in-depth dialogue on the challenges and opportunities in the carbon space.
A major highlight of the event was the signature ceremony of strategic partnership agreements between Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, the Global Green Growth Institute, and the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change marking a significant step forward in advancing sustainable development and carbon market initiatives across the continent.

Africa Business School Graduation Ceremony
2025-07-05
Africa Business School celebrated a momentous milestone as participants from five distinguished Executive Programs graduated, bringing together leading experts, institutions, and key stakeholders to honor academic excellence and professional transformation.

Executive Programs

•Executive Master in Global Supply Chain Management
•Executive Diploma in Financial Engineering and Operations Research
•Executive MBA
•Executive Certificate in Entrepreneurship in Renewable Energies
•Mastère Spécialisé Action Publique Avancée Maroc

The ceremony welcomed graduates and their families from across Morocco and internationally, including distinguished guests from leading institutions—the Ministry of Economy and Finance, various corporate partners, industry leaders, and academic collaborators.

“This milestone represents months of rigorous learning and professional development, marking a significant step in advancing executive education across the continent.”
— Dr. Younes Kchia, Dean of Africa Business School

🎓 Congratulations to all graduates!
On this remarkable achievement
