2023-10-14 23:20:52
Born in 1972 in Salé, where he obtained his baccalaureate in mathematical sciences, Hicham Cherkaoui had a wide range of choices for his higher studies. He opted for the Higher Institute of Commerce and Business Administration (ISCAE) in Casablanca, where he spent four years, specializing in accounting and finance. Immediately following graduating in 1994, the young prodigy launched into the professional world by joining an accounting firm in Rabat.
At the same time, Hicham Cherkaoui was admitted to the expertise exam, still within the ISCAE. He remained in his position until 1999, when he joined an Anglo-Moroccan textile company, as financial director. At the end of 2000, he left his position, while preparing to obtain his chartered accountant certificate. In January 2001, Hicham became the financial director of Pfizer Morocco, at the branch’s headquarters located in Casablanca.
In this sense, he confides to Yabiladi that his time with the pharmaceutical giant will have been decisive for the rest of his long career. “Two weeks before the birth of my first daughter, exactly in November 2001, I received my doctorate. I continued to work at Pfizer for regarding eight years. I was first financial director in Morocco, then financial director for the North Africa region, until the end of 2006,” recalls Hicham Cherkaoui.
Regional experience in financial management
During this period, Hicham Cherkaoui experienced leaving his country and working abroad for the first time, more precisely in South Africa. For a period of several months, he replaced the financial director of the Pfizer branch and received significant professional benefit from it. In April 2006, he moved to Algeria, where he is the financial director of the pharmaceutical manufacturer in the country.
Hicham then became the general director of Pfizer Algeria. “It was our first expatriation experience for my family and me. Despite the difficult working conditions, since I was at the post seven days a week, it was an excellent professional experience,” he tells us.
This mission lasted for a year and a half in Algeria. Hicham Cherkaoui remembers feeling like he was in his country, Morocco, given the many points in common in terms of lifestyle, traditions and customs.
“I followed training courses abroad in several countries. During my presence in Switzerland in the same context, I met the human resources director of the Emirati company Emaar Properties. A few months following my return, I was offered the position of regional financial director in the Emirates.”
Hicham Cherkaoui
After some hesitation on Hicham’s part and numerous insistences from the group, he decides to embark on a new professional adventure. “I aspired to develop my experience outside Morocco, especially since Maghreb is a narrow market for international companies. It was an opportunity for me to leave the region. The Middle East, for many foreign companies, offers space and room for development,” he told us.
New return to financial management in the pharmaceutical industry
Although he is no longer in the pharmaceutical industry, Hicham has always remained in his field linked to finance. In 2008, he took off for Dubai, where he held the position of regional financial director at Emaar Properties, in charge of projects in Morocco, Algeria, Pakistan, Egypt, Indonesia and Tunisia.
“At the beginning, the brand’s sales were very successful, but six months later, we were overtaken by the global crisis of 2008, which greatly affected the branches abroad,” recalls -he. Consequently, “things became complicated and the group was forced to reduce salaries, in addition to laying off numerous employees.” Two years later, the firm’s development indicators have still not been green.
Hicham Cherkaoui also remembers that in 2009, the Emirati company considered a merger with Sama Dubai Company, project manager on both banks of the Bouregreg in Rabat. The financial manager himself went to Morocco to supervise the process, which was ultimately unsuccessful. Looking for a new job, he returned to Pfizer, but this time he was assigned to the infant milk department.
Hicham Cherkaoui works as financial director for the Middle East and North Africa for three years. After which the American giant sold its infant formula division to Nestlé, which the MRE executive joined as financial director for the Middle East. Because the Swiss multinational has branches in different parts of the world, Hicham had to move frequently from one country to another, while agreeing with the family to stay stably in Dubai.
The dream of returning home
Hisham then joined the Al-Bathaa Holding Group, which comprises more than 25 independent companies specializing in various sectors. As part of his missions, over four years, he financially supervised 13 firms affiliated with the group, before returning to the health department of the same holding company. “For four years now, I have been financial director of this department,” he tells us.
In another register, the finance specialist claims to maintain strong links with Morocco. “When you live outside the country, you can represent it in the best way and consider yourself one of its ambassadors,” he emphasizes, indicating that he still has relatives in the kingdom.
“I go to the country every year and I have my home there. At one point, I thought regarding coming back, but I didn’t find any job opportunities that might help me progress there. This is why I finally decided to stay in the Emirates,” he told us. “I try to help Morocco through projects or by intervening with companies so that they integrate the national market,” he added.
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