![Keep Us Strong](../../../static/gfx/ja-cg.jpg)
![WikiLeaks logo](../../../static/gfx/WL_Hour_Glass_small.png)
Currently released so far... 3954 / 251,287
Articles
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Amsterdam
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lagos
Mission USNATO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Browse by tag
AF
AM
AE
AG
AR
ASEC
AS
AU
AORC
AJ
AMGT
AGMT
AFIN
APER
ABUD
ATRN
AEMR
ACOA
AEC
AO
AX
AMED
ADCO
AODE
AFFAIRS
AC
AL
ASIG
ABLD
AA
AFU
ASUP
AROC
ATFN
CH
CE
CA
CASC
CU
CLINTON
CO
CI
CVIS
CDG
CIA
CACM
CDB
CS
CBW
CD
CV
CMGT
CJAN
CG
CF
CN
CAN
COUNTER
CIS
CM
CONDOLEEZZA
COE
CR
CY
CTM
COUNTRY
CLEARANCE
CPAS
CWC
CT
CKGR
CB
CACS
COM
CJUS
CARSON
COUNTERTERRORISM
EUN
EG
EAID
ENRG
ETTC
EFIN
ECON
ETRD
EPET
EINV
EMIN
ECIP
ECPS
EINDETRD
EAGR
EU
EN
EZ
ELAB
ER
ET
ES
EUC
EI
EAIR
EIND
EWWT
ELTN
EREL
ECIN
EFIS
EINT
EC
ENVR
ECA
EXTERNAL
EINVETC
ENIV
EINN
ENGR
EUR
ESA
ENERG
EK
ELECTIONS
ECUN
EINVEFIN
IR
IS
IZ
INRB
IAEA
IN
IT
ID
IO
IV
ICTY
IQ
ICAO
INTERPOL
IPR
IRAJ
INRA
INRO
IC
IIP
ITPHUM
IWC
ISRAELI
IRAQI
ICRC
IMO
IF
ILC
IEFIN
INTELSAT
IL
IA
IBRD
IMF
ITALY
ITALIAN
KCOR
KDEM
KNNP
KU
KWBG
KPAL
KN
KS
KZ
KAWK
KISL
KPAO
KCRM
KJUS
KSEC
KIPR
KGHG
KIFR
KTFN
KDRG
KV
KSUM
KWAC
KAWC
KDEMAF
KFIN
KGIC
KTIP
KOMC
KHLS
KSPR
KGCC
KPIN
KG
KBIO
KHIV
KSCA
KE
KFRD
KPKO
KNUC
KMDR
KPLS
KOLY
KUNR
KIRF
KIRC
KACT
KRAD
KCOM
KMCA
KHDP
KVPR
KDEV
KWMN
KTIA
KPRP
KCIP
KCFE
KOCI
KTDB
KMRS
KLIG
KBCT
KICC
KGIT
KSTC
KPAK
KNEI
KSEP
KPOA
KFLU
KNUP
KNNPMNUC
KO
KTER
KHUM
KRFD
KBTR
KDDG
KWWMN
KFLO
KSAF
KBTS
KPRV
KMPI
KNPP
KNAR
KWMM
KERG
KTBT
KCRS
KRVC
KR
KPWR
KMIG
MOPS
MZ
MO
MNUC
MASS
MARR
MY
MEPP
MCAP
MA
MR
ML
MX
MIL
MTCRE
MPOS
MOPPS
MTCR
MAPP
MU
MG
MASC
MCC
MK
MTRE
MP
MDC
MAR
MEPI
MRCRE
MI
MT
MQADHAFI
MD
MAPS
MUCN
PREL
PTER
PGOV
PO
PHUM
PINS
PARM
PK
PINR
PINT
PBTS
PROP
PE
PL
PREF
POGOV
PINL
POL
PBIO
PSOE
PHSA
PKFK
PGOF
PARMS
PA
PM
PMIL
PTERE
PF
PALESTINIAN
PY
PGGV
PNR
POV
PAK
PAO
PFOR
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PNAT
PROV
PEL
PGOVE
POLINT
POLITICS
PEPR
PSI
PU
POLITICAL
PARTIES
PECON
SNAR
SA
SY
SOCI
STEINBERG
SP
SENV
SCUL
SF
SO
SR
SG
SW
SU
SL
SMIG
SN
SHUM
SZ
SYR
ST
SANC
SC
SAN
SIPRS
SK
SH
SI
UNSC
UP
UK
USEU
UG
UNMIK
UV
UZ
UY
UN
US
UNGA
UNO
USUN
UE
UNESCO
UAE
UNEP
USTR
UNHCR
UNDP
UNHRC
USAID
UNCHS
UNAUS
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 08CASABLANCA81, MOROCCAN ROYAL FAMILY HOLDING ONA FIRES CEO
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08CASABLANCA81.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
08CASABLANCA81 | 2008-04-24 11:11 | 2010-12-06 21:09 | CONFIDENTIAL | Consulate Casablanca |
VZCZCXYZ0008
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHCL #0081/01 1151106
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 241106Z APR 08
FM AMCONSUL CASABLANCA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8044
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 2981
RUEHBP/AMEMBASSY BAMAKO 0273
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0874
RUEHRY/AMEMBASSY CONAKRY 0034
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 0293
RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE 0052
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0367
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 3800
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT 2342
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 8291
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 2101
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0647
RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 0092
C O N F I D E N T I A L CASABLANCA 000081
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/MAG AND NEA/PI
EO 12958 DECL: 04/23/2018
TAGS ECON, EFIN, KDEM, MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCAN ROYAL FAMILY HOLDING ONA FIRES CEO
Classified By: Principal Officer Douglas Greene for reasons 1.4 (B) AND (D)
REF: (A) 05 CASA 1220 (B) 07 CASA 169
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Morocco’s largest conglomerate, the palace-controlled ONA, dismissed its CEO on April 11, charging that he mismanaged Wana, the company’s telecommunications subsidiary. The abrupt nature of the dismissal has been the talk of Casablanca business circles for the past week, and has refocused attention on the king’s business activities. While the timing and manner of Bendidi’s dismissal were unexpected, business contacts in Casablanca did not find it unusual, noting historically high turnover in ONA’s executive suite. End Summary.
-------------
ONA FIRES CEO
-------------
¶2. (U) Omnium nord-africain (ONA), Morocco’s largest conglomerate, announced on April 11 that it had dismissed CEO Saad Bendidi for mismanaging Wana, the company’s telecommunications subsidiary. Bendidi had been the CEO of palace-controlled ONA since February 2005. Mouatassim Belghazi, an ex-civil servant and head of the Morocco-Emirates Development Company (SOMED), an ONA affiliate, was named to replace him within hours, prompting speculation that the dismissal was premeditated, despite ONA’s protestations to the contrary.
------------------------------
WHY DID BENDIDI GET THE BOOT?
------------------------------
¶3. (U) According to the unusually frank statement released by ONA’s Board of Directors, the company decided to fire Bendidi after 2007 results suggested that he had failed to develop Wana adequately. Board members took issue with the ex-CEO’s plan to infuse the telecommunications venture with an additional five billion dirham (USD 688 million) investment, and blamed him for “serious management failings in planning and strategic direction of the enterprise.” ONA reported that operating profits fell 29 percent as a result of Wana’s steep start-up costs. While Wana is only the third largest telecommunications provider in Morocco, behind French Vivendi-controlled Maroc Telecom and the Spanish-Portuguese company Meditel, ONA feels that the market has plenty of room for a successful third player.
¶4. (U) Reports in Morocco’s leading business paper, “La Vie Eco” on April 18, suggest that Bendidi’s fate was sealed not so much by Wana’s poor results, as by the view of ONA’s powerful board of directors that he had failed to adapt the company’s strategy in the face of the shortfall. In background interviews, company officials noted that slippage from Wana’s business plan was evident as early as October 2007, but that Bendidi failed to react, even after the ONA board engaged four separate sets of consultants to propose possible alternatives. Bendidi’s critics have alleged similar passivity in addressing poor performance in other divisions, including the Acima supermarket chain. A number of our contacts thus see little reason to doubt that Wana was at the root of Bendidi’s dismissal.
¶5. (SBU) Other contacts caution against taking ONA’s harsh public statements at face value, however. They note that the company’s fixed and mobile phone services have been on offer just over a year, barely enough time to evaluate its potential, and that additional investment is frequently required when companies seek to break into new fields. They add that ONA posted strong earnings in 2007, due in part to strong banking results and the sale of a stake in an insurance company. At the end of March, net income had risen from 959 million dirham a year earlier to 1.7 billion. ONA stock has risen 19 percent in 2008.
¶6. (SBU) Given such results, many believe there must be more to the story of Bendidi’s dismissal. Some viewed the fact that he was not given the chance to politely bow out, but was publicly fired, as further evidence that something more than poor performance was at play. One individual, for example, ascribed the shift to a desire to give a chance to the much-touted Belghazi, suggesting that poor Wana results offered a convenient pretext for change. Others speculated that a personality clash between Bendidi and Mounir Mahjidi, the King’s special secretary, may have played a role.
¶7. (SBU) Despite the intrigue surrounding Bendidi’s firing, members of the business community in Casablanca did not find it particularly unusual. A long-time franchise-holder pointed out that Bendidi’s predecessor, Bassim Jai Hokaimi, also did not last more than a few years at ONA’s helm. A piece in the French-language weekly Maroc Hebdo called Belghazi the newest initiate to the “ejector seat,” reinforcing the perception that the top job at ONA is a risky proposition. As one businessperson put it, the palace can be very demanding. When the palace calls, “if you don’t pick up the phone on the first ring, you’re in trouble,” she said.
¶8. (C) Comment: Whatever the true story, the manner in which Bendidi’s departure was handled has not shown ONA in the best light. As more than one commentator has noted, the flood of recriminations that have accompanied the firing offers a rich vein for Wana’s competitors to mine in months to come. The contretemps has led some to raise broader issues as well, however. “Le Journal’s” lead editorial seized on the dispute to renew the publication’s longstanding call on the king to exit the business world, citing the inherent conflict between his role as ultimate arbiter of the Moroccan system and leading businessman and banker within it. ONA’s “incredible communiqu,” the journal wrote, not only “shattered” the credibility of the group, but also “cast doubt on the transparency of the king’s business affairs,” an “explosive situation” at a time when Moroccans face rising prices for goods whose production and distribution is often assured by the king’s own companies. These issues too have long sparked hushed debate in Moroccan business circles, but few expect the royal role in ONA to change anytime soon. End Comment.
GREENE