Salwa Idrissi Akhannouch

Salwa Idrissi Akhannouch is a businesswoman and entrepreneur. She is the founder and current president of Aksal Holding, a Moroccan company specializing in retail, cosmetics, luxury goods and malls. Currently, she holds the title of First Lady of Morocco (de facto only, since Morocco already has a Queen Consort).[1][2] In 2017, she was named as the "Morocco's Leading Lady of Luxury Goods" by OZY.[3]

Salwa Idrissi Akhannouch
NationalityMoroccan
Occupation(s)Businesswoman, entrepreneur
SpouseAziz Akhannouch
Children3

Career

In 2001, Salwa Idrissi Akhannouch sealed an agreement with the Spanish group Inditex.[4] In 2004, she inaugurated the first Zara flagship in Africa.[3] Aksal also owns the sole franchise rights for several leading brands in Morocco, including Zara, Banana Republic, Pull & Bear and Gap.[5][6] Between 2004 and 2019, Salwa Idrissi Akhannouch signed 23 franchise agreements with major international groups including LVMH, PPR,[7] Inditex, Richemont, Gap Inc., Fnac and The Estée Lauder Companies, among others.[8][9][10] In 2011, she inaugurated the Morocco Mall, the second largest shopping center in Africa. Spread over 10 hectares on the Corniche de Casablanca and based on an investment of 175 million euros (250 million dollars).[11][12] The Aksal group owns 50% of the Morocco Mall. Akhannouch created a Training Academy for careers in retail, the AKSAL Academy, in the same year. In 2017, Salwa Idrissi Akhannouch launched Yan&One, her own brand dedicated to beauty. She opened her new smart beauty and cosmetics store for the brand in Morocco Mall.[13][14]

Personal life

Salwa Akhannouch is the second highest ranking woman after Princess Lalla Salma, the Princess Consort. She's married to Aziz Akhannouch, who took office as Prime Minister of Morocco on 7 October 2021. She's therefore the Country's First Lady.[15][16] They have three children.[17]

Honors and awards
  • 2020: Top 10 "Women Behind Middle Eastern Brands" as the creator of Yan&One brand by Forbes[18]
  • 2018: Ranked among "Fashion Industry's 500 Most Influential Women" by Business of Fashion Magazine[19]
  • 2017: Named as one of the "Most Influential Women in Business in Africa" by The Africa Report[20][21]
  • 2016: Arab Woman of the Year Award for "Achievement in Business"
  • 2015: 8th rank among the 100 most powerful Arab businesswomen by Arabian Business[22]

References
  1. "Salwa Idrissi Akhannouch". gulfbusiness.com. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  2. "سلوى أخنوش تحتفل بأصولها الأمازيغية التافراوتية من خلال "يان آند وان"". Almaghrib Today. 8 December 2019. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  3. "Morocco's Leading Lady of Luxury Goods". OZY. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  4. "Inditex se alía con el lujo para crecer en Marruecos". publico.es (in French). Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  5. "Salwa Idrissi Akhannouch is One of the 500 People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry in 2017". The Business of Fashion. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  6. Ten African Multimillionaires You've Never Heard Of, Forbes.com, 24 April 2013.
  7. "La Fnac s'installe à Casablanca". econostrum.info (in French). Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  8. "Les Galeries Lafayette vont ouvrir à Casablanca avec le groupe Aksal". lesechos.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  9. "In North Africa, a Story of Morocco and the Rest". businessoffashion. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  10. "Salwa Akhannouch… the queen of the franchise". Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  11. "Salwa Idrissi Akhannouch nommée à Londres Arab Woman of the Year 2016 for Business Achievement". moroccomall. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  12. "Morocco: Competition for shoppers is toughening". theafricareport. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  13. "Salwa Akhannouch Opens 'Yan&One' Flagship Beauty Store in Casablanca Mall". moroccoworldnews. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  14. "Yan&One: The first Beauty Smartstore in the world to open in Morocco Mall". moroccanladies. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  15. "Le Roi Mohammed VI nomme Aziz Akhannouch chef du gouvernement". Medias24 (in French). 10 September 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  16. "Morocco names new government, keeps foreign and interior ministers". Reuters. 8 October 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  17. "Aziz Akhannouch & family". Forbes. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  18. "Salwa Idrissi Akhannouch". Forbes. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  19. "Salwa Idrissi Akhannouch / BoF 500 - The Business of Fashion". businessoffashion. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  20. "9 Moroccans in Africa Report's 'Top 50 Influential Businesswomen in Africa'". moroccoworldnews. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  21. "North Africa - People to watch in 2019". theafricareport. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  22. "The 100 Most Powerful Arab Women 2015 in Investment and Industry". arabianbusiness. Retrieved 25 September 2021.


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