Marrakech – Mohamed Benchaaboun, Group CEO of Maroc Telecom, has secured the 17th position on Forbes’ inaugural ranking of the Middle East’s Top Tech CEOs for 2026.
The recognition affirms his stewardship during a rare inflection point, as Morocco’s telecommunications giant undergoes a profound strategic and institutional renewal.
Forbes compiled the list by evaluating CEOs of companies headquartered in the MENA region based on their impact, experience, company size, and technological achievements. The methodology considered factors including revenues, market capitalization, performance over the past year, and announced investments.
Leading the rankings is Peng Xiao of G42, followed by Hatem Dowidar of e& and Olayan Alwetaid of stc Group. Other notable regional technology leaders include Tareq Amin of HUMAIN, Hamad Al Marar of EDGE Group, and Nabil Al-Nuaim of Aramco Digital.
Benchaaboun assumed leadership of Maroc Telecom in March 2025. Under his direction, the company’s customer base grew by 1.8% year-over-year, reaching over 81 million customers by September 2025. The telecommunications powerhouse reported nine-month revenues of $3 billion for 2025.
In November 2025, Maroc Telecom launched 5G services in Morocco following joint ventures with Inwi, Uni Fiber, and Uni Tower through a $486.8 million investment to accelerate the 5G rollout. Forbes noted Benchaaboun’s previous role as Moroccan Minister of Economy and Finance among other governmental positions.
A decisive break with the past
However, Benchaaboun’s appointment signaled a decisive rupture with the past, a leadership shift not captured in the Forbes assessment.
He replaced Abdeslam Ahizoune after nearly 27 years at the helm. Ahizoune’s extensive tenure saw expansive growth across African markets but was also marked by legal and regulatory setbacks, including hefty fines for unfair competition that strained the company’s finances and weighed on investor confidence.
Benchaaboun’s arrival generated immediate market optimism, with Maroc Telecom’s stock rising sharply on the news. Investors viewed his extensive experience in finance, government, and economic planning as crucial for stabilizing operations and restoring strategic momentum.
Since taking control, Benchaaboun has steered Maroc Telecom toward a more forward-looking agenda focused on digital modernization, governance reform, and sustainable growth, underpinned by a clear pan-African orientation in an increasingly competitive telecommunications landscape.
The group operates in 11 African countries through its Moov Africa subsidiaries – including Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Chad, Central African Republic, and Togo.
Maroc Telecom has also undertaken one of the most striking brand overhauls in its history under Benchaaboun’s leadership.
The company unveiled a bold new visual identity that replaces its long-standing blue and orange palette with dominant red, drawing directly on the national flag to symbolize energy, confidence, and renewal, while also reflecting the influence of its major shareholder, the Emirati group e&.
The redesigned logo retains the company’s signature curves but renders them in a more fluid, organic form intended to evoke data circulation, connectivity across Moroccan territories, and the bridge between heritage and digital future. This aligns the brand with the Digital Morocco 2030 vision and the rollout of next-generation technologies.
To embody this refreshed identity, Maroc Telecom appointed celebrated goalkeeper Yassine Bounou as its brand ambassador, signaling an emphasis on youthful dynamism and collective aspiration as the company works to connect more closely with the public.
