Casablanca, July 5, 2025 – The Moroccan Institute for Family Business (IEF-Morocco) has reaffirmed its leadership by re-electing Kacem Bennani Smires as President during its Ordinary General Assembly held this week. This marks a critical milestone in the Institute’s efforts to consolidate governance structures and drive long-term value creation within Morocco’s family-owned business sector.
A new Executive Board comprising ten members was elected for the 2025–2027 term. Notably, Amine Benkirane was appointed as Vice President General, succeeding Jalil Benabbés-Taarji, a founding figure of the organization who played a key role in shaping its early development.
Strengthening Morocco’s Family Business Ecosystem
Gathering over 40 leading family enterprises from across the Kingdom, the General Assembly reaffirmed the sector’s strategic ambition to foster economic resilience, promote intergenerational governance, and boost the institutional visibility of family businesses, which are vital to Morocco’s GDP and employment landscape.
“Family businesses are at the heart of our economic fabric. IEF-Morocco aims to become a center of excellence for strategic governance and sustainable growth,” said Kacem Bennani Smires.
Strategic International Partnerships
IEF-Morocco continues to position itself as a regional and international hub, leveraging strategic alliances:
A landmark strategic cooperation agreement was signed in June 2024 with IEF-España, the first such agreement for the Spanish organization with a foreign counterpart.
In a sign of growing recognition, IEF-Morocco was guest of honor at the 2024 annual congress in Bilbao, attended by King Felipe VI of Spain.
Furthermore, a high-impact partnership has been established with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, leading to joint initiatives such as:
A national study on the economic weight of family businesses in Morocco.
A conference series addressing key issues in wealth transmission and family governance.
Regional Leadership & Thought Contribution
IEF-Morocco recently became the first African member of the Family Business Network International (FBN), enhancing its capacity to influence regional policy and provide a platform for African family enterprises.
Locally, the Institute is also contributing to public policy through:
A study on family holding taxation, in collaboration with SFM.
A report on the impact of Moudawana reforms on inheritance practices, conducted by legal expert Abdelouahab Rafiqui.
These initiatives highlight IEF-Morocco’s dual ambition to provide applied research and advocate for regulatory modernization, aligning economic practices with Morocco’s evolving socio-legal framework
