Like every year, Forbes Middle East magazine ranks the richest men in the Arab world. For 2017, the world's wealthiest Arabs list included three well-known Moroccan figures namely Othmane Benjelloun, Aziz Akhannouch and Anas Sefrioui respectively. The triplet made it to the list among several other self-made men, investors and distinguished princes. Othmane Benjelloun, ranked 20th, led the list of three Moroccan billionaires with a total net worth of 1.9 billion US Dollars. The wealthiest man in Morocco, according to Forbes Middle East, is the chairman of BMCE Bank of Africa, the panafrican banking group with operations in several African countries. The 84 years old businessman is also the owner of FinanceCom, which has a controlling interest in insurance company RMA Watanya. Benjelloun, who was ranked 1098th in the world, is currently building a tower in Casablanca to house the new headquarters of BMCE Bank of Africa. Among several distinguished princes Next to Benjelloun, Aziz Akhannouch, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries has satisfied himself with the second place. The Berber businessman is placed 26th in the World's richest Arabs list with a total net worth of 1.58 billion US Dollars. Akhannouch is the majority owner of AKWA Group and husband of Saloua Idrissi, owner of the franchises for Gap and Zara in Morocco. The 2017 Forbes list also included Anas Sefrioui and ranked him third among the Moroccan businessmen. Sefrioui, founder of Douja Prom-Addoha real estate group, was listed 38th with a total net worth of 1.05 billion US Dollars.
In the Arab world, the famous list was topped by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud followed by Majid Al Futtaim, an Emirati real estate developer. The first ten places were dominated by four countries namely Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Egypt.
