Morocco: The First African Nation To Host Global Entrepreneurship Summit

Over 3000 entrepreneurs, Heads of state, government officials, global entrepreneurs, SMEs and  corporate leaders are expected to attend the fifth annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Marrakech.

The Summit will take place on November 19 – 21, 2014 in Marrakech, Morocco, the first time in an African nation.  The Summit, the largest gathering of entrepreneua’rs during Global Entrepreneurship Week, will be hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco, and held under the High Patronage of his Majesty King Mohammed VI, brings together over 3000 entrepreneurs, Heads of state, government officials, global entrepreneurs, small medium enterprises (SMEs), corporate leaders, and young entrepreneurs.

The theme of this year’s Summit, “Harnessing the Power of Technology for Innovation and Entrepreneurship,” will explore the positive impact of technology on innovation and entrepreneurship.

Speakers will discuss:

Financing new ventures

Scaling up enterprises and moving to the formal sector

Turning talent into entrepreneurship

Engaging in social entrepreneurship

Vice President Joe Biden will lead the United States (U.S) delegation to the Summit in addition to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker.  Members of the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship (PAGE) initiative (http://goo.gl/ylZVKD) will be joining Secretary Pritzker, as entrepreneurship ambassadors.

They include:  

Daphne Koller, Co-Founder and President, Coursera

Hamdi Ulukaya, Founder and CEO, Chobani

Alexa von Tobel, Founder and CEO, LearnVest

Other U.S. speakers include Toni G. Verstandig, Chair Middle East Programs, Aspen Group, Kerry Healey, President of Babson College and John Macomber, Senior Lecturer in Finance, Harvard Business School, Ron Bruder, Founder, Education for Employment, and Zainab Salbi, Founder of Women to Women International.

Moroccan speakers include Salaheddine Mezouar, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Mohamed Boussaid, Minister of Economy and Finance, Mbarka Bouaida, Delegate Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Moulay Hafid Alami, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and the Digital Economy, Nizar Baraka, President, Social, Economic & Environmental Council (CESE). 

Moroccan corporate leaders include Mohamed El-Kettani, CEO, Attijariwafa Bank, Othman Benjelloun, President and CEO of BMCE, Abdeslam Ahizoune, CEO of Maroc Telecom, Anas Sefrioui, CEO of Addoha Group, and Miriem Bensalah-Chaqroun, President, Confédération Générale des Entreprises du Maroc (CGEM).