Interview: Managing Director at Mondelez Morocco and a Distinguished Alumnus of Al Akhawayn University

We are honored to present Mr. Othmane Nadifi, Class of 1999, Managing Director at Mondelez Morocco and a distinguished alumnus of Al Akhawayn University, specifically for this edition. From sharing transformative experiences as a student to navigating the challenges of his role at Mondelez, Mr. Nadifi reflects on the enduring impact of his academic journey on his professional life. As part of this first edition of the Alumni Magazine, we delve into the unique experiences that shape the narrative of an AUI alumnus, providing readers with a firsthand account of success. 

Can you share a memorable or transformative experience from your time as a student at
Al Akhawayn University that had an impact on your personal or professional development?

After 2 semesters spent in the School of Engineering, I took a conscious well thought of decision to switch completely to Business Administration, knowing that my parents were not supporting the idea. It was a tough decision, I did not consider it a failure, but more as an opportunity to pursue the field I was passionate about. This has become one of my key guiding principles: you try, you fall, you bounce back, and you continue on your route and your passion in the pursuit of success.

As the Country Manager at Mondelez, what are the key responsibilities and challenges that come with your role? 

I am currently responsible for leading the growth of Mdlz International in Morocco across 4 different categories: Biscuits, Gum, Candy and Chocolate. It is a role that comes with many challenges, few of them are as follows: 

1- The last couple of years inflationary pressure is clearly impacting our costs (Commodities, Fuel, Energy...) and profitability from one side but also our consumers’ confidence and purchasing power on the other side. 

2- Manage the complexity of 3 different cultures within the same company. Mdlz Morocco is a 10-year-old company that is born from a merger between Kraft and Cadbury, and acquired BIMO 1 year later. 

3- A highly competitive environment within the Biscuits category, with local (national & regional) & International players fighting on very low historical price points. The bulk of the category lies in the 1 to 2 MAD price points. 

Your career has spanned both academia and the corporate world. How has your academic background from Al Akhawayn influenced your approach to leadership and management in the business world? 

The experiences I have lived there throughout my academic curriculum, the extra-curricular activities I
was engaged in, especially in the Sports Field really helped me build my personality, my mindset, my emotional intelligence, and my appetite to grow and succeed both personally and professionally. Academically, it was around the program diversity, the projects we worked on as teams, the technical skills we developed both in our major but also in some other spaces and activities. In parallel, being part of the University Football and Tennis teams grew the competitive side in me, both individually but also as a team member. Going the extra mile, handling multiple priorities, trying, failing, succeeding, adapting to different people, different situations...

You are an alumnus of Al Akhawayn University. How has your affiliation with the university continued to impact your life and career? 

My affiliation to AUI has been impacting my life and career since I stepped into the University back
in Jan 1995. As mentioned earlier, these critical experiences I went through really grew me as a person and as a potential future leader. The richness of the AUI community is clearly worth mentioning here, most of my friends today are AUI alumni, wherever I go, I meet AUI people in different functions, different businesses, different countries, and different occasions. And it’s always a pleasure to meet this community, spend quality time with and share our experiences. I’m also very keen to attend any events organized by and for the AUI community, a great way to meet new people, friends and remember the nice old days that we spent at the University.

In your role as a Country Manager, you’ve navigated between the global and local aspects of business. How do you find the balance, and what insights can you share with professionals who face similar challenges? 

In Mdlz, we have the chance to work on and support International Brands such as Oreo, Milka, Trident or Clorets as well as local Jewels with our diversified BIMO portfolio. Our Global experience gives us exposure to other markets, other types of consumers and customers and thus gives us the ability to learn from Best Practices, upgrade our capabilities and provide superior products locally. Our local brands clearly benefit from this, but also push us to a better understanding of our market, and our dear Moroccan consumer, challenge our brains and creativity to come up with adapted communication (packaging, ATL and BTL material), tailor made activations and plans. Always think Glocal, don’t hesitate to challenge the status quo and do things differently. Every market is different, culture is different, the consumer is king, we need to adapt... 

What are some key lessons you’ve learned in your journey that you believe would be valuable for recent graduates of Al Akhawayn University? 

Lesson number 1: Get out of your comfort zone, Comfort is an enemy, it makes us complacent. Warren Buffer said: "An Idiot who takes risks has more chances to succeed than a genius who stays in his comfort zone."

Lesson number 2: "The Past is history, the Future is mystery, and the Present is a gift, that’s why we call it Present." Live your present fully, do not procrastinate, and have things done NOW. 

Lesson number 3: Time flies, you need to take good care of yourself, your health and well-being. Exercise regularly and consistently, wake up every morning full of Energy, do not compromise on this. 

Lesson number 4: Be a Lifelong student, keep learning and being curious. 

If you could go back in time and give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be? 

Get control of your Ego and don’t let your ego get control of you. In some situations, we need to step back, take the time to reflect before jumping...