Mr. Mohamed EL KETTANI, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Attijariwafa bank group, promoted to the rank of Commander of the National Order of Côte d’Ivoire

Abidjan, 22 July 2019 - The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Attijariwafa bank group, Mr. Mohamed EL KETTANI, has been promoted to the rank of Commander of the National Order of Côte d’Ivoire by the Grand Chancellor of the National Order of Côte d’Ivoire, Ms. Henriette DAGRI DIABATE.

Presented on behalf of the President of the Republic, His Excellency Mr. Alassane OUATTARA, for the services rendered, both personally and as Chairman and CEO of the Attijariwafa bank group, this distinction expresses the recognition of the Ivorian nation and welcomes the commitment of the Group and Mr. EL KETTANI with regard to South-South Cooperation.

“I am particularly pleased to have found in you a figure and a symbol of the continuity of friendly relations between our two countries,” said Ms. Henriette DAGRI DIABATE.

The Chairman and CEO of the Attijariwafa bank group, in his address to the Grand Chancellor of the National Order, expressed his gratitude to the President of the Republic for this prestigious distinction awarded to him. He also stressed that the strategy of the Attijariwafa bank group is in line with the enlightened visions of the two Heads of State, HM King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him and His Excellency Alassane OUATTARA, President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, in favor of effective South-South cooperation and balanced and inclusive economic development in both countries.

In addition, Mr. EL KETTANI welcomed the performance of the SIB, which earned him the distinction of “Bank of the Year 2018” by The Banker, the magazine of the Financial Times, the famous British group, and the “President of the Republic’s Award of Excellence” for the best financial sector institution in Côte d’Ivoire, presented by Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly, in 2017.

He also illustrated the SIB’s performance using various indicators and added: “Thanks to the mobilization of our 800 local employees, the SIB granted, in 2018, more than XOF 700 billion in loans and collected nearly XOF 800 billion in deposits. In the space of a few years, our Ivorian subsidiary has thus become a major player in the financing of households, since it has granted, on average, 15,000 consumer loans per year, and closed the 2018 financial year with a total outstanding amount of XOF 120 billion”.

Mr.Daouda COULIBALY, General Manager of Société Ivoirienne de Banque (SIB), a subsidiary of the Attijariwafa bank group, recalled, during his speech, the new dynamism of the bank and the winning choices made since its acquisition by the Attijariwafa bank group to enhance its development and reinforce its contribution to the growth of the national economy.

During the ceremony, 150 witnesses, including the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Côte d’Ivoire and several Ivorian ministers, made the occasion even more memorable by their presence at the Grand Chancellery of the National Order of Côte d’Ivoire in Abidjan.

Members of the management of Attijariwafa bank, SIB, and other local subsidiaries of the Group, heads of client companies of the Attijariwafa bank group in Côte d’Ivoire and heads of partner organizations of the SIB, to which it is committed in terms of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), were also present.

About the Attijariwafa bank group

The Attijariwafa bank group has had a presence in Côte d’Ivoire since 2009, following the acquisition of Société Ivoirienne de Banque - formerly a Crédit Lyonnais subsidiary - and Société de Gestion et d’Intermédiation Africaine de Bourse (now known as Attijari Securities West Africa).

In 2015, Attijariwafa bank’s presence in Côte d’Ivoire was strengthened with the creation of Wafa Assurance Côte d’Ivoire and Wafa Assurance Vie Côte d’Ivoire.

More generally, Attijariwafa bank is the leading banking and financial group in the Maghreb and WAEMU (West African Economic and Monetary Union) and a key player in the CEMAC (Central African Economic and Monetary Community). With 20,125 employees at the end of 2018, the Attijariwafa bank group is present in 25 countries, including 14 African countries, and has more than 9.7 million customers worldwide. It has the largest distribution network in Morocco and the densest in Africa with 4,930 branches.

Attijariwafa bank has been ranked first in French-speaking Africa and 6th African bank by total assets, with more than USD 1 billion invested on the continent since 2010.

www.attijariwafabank.com

Press Contact - Attijariwafa bank group

Mrs Ouafaa GHAOUAT

Media Relations Manager

Phone : 00212 647 47 32 90

Email : O.Ghaouat@attijariwafa.com