Career : Hajar Alafifi, Transforming African Agriculture through Women’s Leadership

On September 1, 2025, OCP Africa’s Board of Directors officially appointed Hajar Alafifi as Chief Executive Officer, succeeding the interim leadership of Mohamed Hettiti.

Born in Casablanca, Hajar Alafifi graduated from ENCG Casablanca. She built her career at the global consumer goods giant Unilever, holding leadership positions across multiple continents. London, the Netherlands, South Africa, Southeast Asia… her professional journey reflects a wealth of experience in diverse business and cultural contexts.

The first Moroccan to lead a Unilever subsidiary in Asia

Her responsibilities at Unilever were numerous and strategic: Regional Brand Director, Brand Development Director for Europe, Chief Marketing Officer for major international brands, managing significant brand portfolios across continents… Her most notable assignment was as President and CEO of Unilever Sri Lanka, making her the first Moroccan to head a subsidiary of such scale in the region.

Her international experience, combined with a strong sensitivity to social, cultural, and governance issues, positions her as a rare profile—particularly suited to the challenge of leading OCP’s operations across Africa.

A strategic choice for OCP Africa

Hajar Alafifi’s appointment is more than a change in leadership. For OCP Africa, it marks a strategic turning point. The group is entering a bold new phase aimed at strengthening its presence in Africa while addressing contemporary challenges—sustainable agriculture, food security, ecological transition, and adaptation to local realities.

According to OCP Africa’s statement, “this appointment marks a new stage in the company’s development strategy across the continent.” The group is counting on Hajar Alafifi’s international expertise to lead large-scale projects and adapt OCP’s offerings to the diversity of African agronomic, economic, social, and environmental realities.

Leadership focused on innovation, inclusion, and sustainability

Hajar Alafifi’s career is distinguished not only by her managerial skills but also by a strong commitment to sustainability, inclusion, and social responsibility. In her previous roles, notably in Sri Lanka, she implemented progressive policies—gender parity initiatives, improved working conditions, social programs, and awareness campaigns.

At OCP Africa, these values are particularly relevant. The African agricultural sector faces multiple challenges: food security, climate adaptation, agricultural system resilience, and the need to strengthen local value chains. Hajar Alafifi’s leadership represents an opportunity to embed OCP’s ambitions within a framework of sustainable impact and positive transformation.

According to company sources, OCP Africa under her leadership will aim to “provide the right product, with the right support and financing, and localize production where demand justifies it.”

International standards with African roots

More than an appointment, Hajar Alafifi’s role is symbolic. She embodies the choice to combine international excellence with a strong African anchor. She projects an image of OCP as an ambitious organization, ready to navigate a changing world, address global challenges, and adapt to local realities.

In an African context marked by demographic, climatic, agricultural, and economic transitions, her appointment sends a clear signal: OCP is reinforcing its role as a pillar of food security, agricultural innovation, and nutritional sovereignty across the continent.

For young African executives and entrepreneurs—especially those of Moroccan origin—Hajar Alafifi’s rise is a message of hope: that it is possible to combine an international career with local commitment, top-level professional achievement with social responsibility, ambition with humility.