Saloua Karkri-Belkeziz – Developing Morocco’s Digital Economy

Saloua Karkri-Belkeziz is an award-winning Moroccan businesswoman and angel investor with over three decades of experience. Karkri-Belkeziz is the President of GFI Africa, a leading data processing company. She is also a member of several other organizations that promote female entrepreneurship and economic development in Morocco and is an angel investor at Angels2Africa, a business angels network for technology startups. Known for her activism in favor of women’s empowerment, Karkri-Belkeziz is the person behind AFEM, the Association of Businesswomen of Morocco – an organization that provides support to female entrepreneurs in Morocco.

Over the years Karkri-Belkeziz has successfully established strategic partnerships with the World Bank, Poste Maroc, AFD, Moroccan French Tech, Oxford Business Group and UNIDO. She has received several awards and honors for her achievements including the French National Order of Merit. She was named as ‘Businesswoman of the Year’ in Morocco in 2004, and received a decoration from King Mohammed VI of Wissam al Arch in honor of her efforts in promoting female empowerment.

About Saloua Karkri-Belkeziz

Background

Saloua Karkri-Belkeziz entered entrepreneurship when she launched a data processing service company called Professional Services which was later acquired by GFI and rebranded as GFI-Maroc. Today, GFI-Maroc is one of the top data processing firms in Morocco. From 2013, Karkri-Belkeziz served as CEO of GFI-Maroc. In 2015, she took on the role of President of the Federation of Information Technologies and Offshoring (APEBI). In 2019, Karkri-Belkeziz was appointed as President of GFI Africa. In this role, she became responsible for developing the group’s reputation throughout the African continent. Her duties include defining communication strategies and managing relationships with financial backers.

In addition to her business roles, Karkri-Belkeziz is VP of the Ouezzane Association for Development and Culture. She is also a member of the OECD Taskforce for promoting female entrepreneurs in North Africa and the Middle East and of Groupe di’impulsion France-Maroc, a committee headed by prime ministers of France and Morocco aimed at fostering economic relations between the two countries. She is the founder of AFEM, the Association of Businesswomen of Morocco, where she served as president for six years.. Karkri-Belkeziz continues to serve as Emeritus President of AFEM.

Location

Saloua Karkri-Belkeziz conducts her business ventures from Morocco where she resides. In her role as President of GFI Africa, she is responsible for the company’s presence throughout Africa.

Investments

Saloua Karkri-Belkeziz is dedicated to developing Morocco’s digital economy and promoting business relations between Morocco and France. Through APEBI she has worked to assist and promote women-led startups in the technology sector by helping them establish strategic relationships, make optimal use of information and communication technologies (ICT), and raise funding. She is also an angel investor at Angels4Africa.

In the News

In November 2018, CIO Mag reported on Saloua Karkri-Belkeziz’ appointment as President of GFI Africa, a role which she filled from January 2019. The article featured some of the responsibilities to be undertaken by Karkri-Belkeziz in the new appointment. In an interview with Oxford Business Group, Belkeziz discussed the goals of the 2020 Digital Morocco Plan and how they can be achieved. She also spoke about the role of the private sector in boosting growth in the ICT industry and in increasing digitization.