Tunisian Pavilion for the London Tech Week

Safa KASMI

Executive Director

Safa KASMI is the Executive Director of the Tunisian British Chamber of Commerce, where she serves as the primary point of contact for Board members, corporate partners, and stakeholders, overseeing the Chamber’s financial strategy and operations. She leads major event initiatives, including Tunisia’s pavilion at London Tech Week, and has spearheaded new ventures such as the TBCC Recruitment and Training Hubs and a business bridge connecting the UK to Tunisia and Africa.

With a research master’s degree in Management and Business Administration, specializing in cross-cultural management and SME internationalization, Safa brings an academic lens to her operational leadership. Her research on intercultural competencies and internationalization strategies toward Sub-Saharan Africa has been presented at scientific conferences, and she is a frequent moderator of institutional panels, including UN Women’s WYSE event.

Prior to joining TBCC, she held project, operations, and event management roles at different other business structures, building a strong track record in cross-border program delivery, stakeholder management, and large-scale event logistics.

Jed Mrabet

President

Education

Master’s degree in criminal sciences, University of law of Toulouse, France (2004).
Degree in legal sciences, Faculty of Legal, Political and Social Sciences of Tunis (2003).
Admitted to Tunisian Bar in 2005.
Managing partner of Mrabet Avocats law firm since 2006.
Attorney before the Tunisian Supreme Court since 2018.

Membership:

President of the Tunisian-British Chamber of Commerce (TBCC) (2020).

References:

Legal assistance to national airline company TUNISAIR for the sale and lease back agreement (2020);
Legal assistance to Amen Bank for the transfer of the entire shares constituting the share capital of Al Farabi clinic;
Legal assistance in the constitution of a joint venture company between the Tunisian-Kuwaiti
Development Consortium (KIA; Kuwait Investment Authority) and Echiffa Holding to constitute a Real-estate subsidiary, Echiffa Immobilier in November 2017.
Legal counsel on behalf of the Tunisian state for the sale by Al Karama Holding of its direct and indirect interests in the Carthage Cement Company in June 2017;
Legal assistance to Groupe Médical les Oliviers ( GMO) in the sale of controlling stake in the
capital of the company in favour of the Tunisian-Kuwaiti Development Consortium (KIA);
Counsel at the initial Public Offering of DELICE DANONE company in April 2014 (A first in the history Of Tunis Stock Exchange);
Intervention during the Private Equity transaction relating to the sale of 49% of the capital of SAH (LILAS)to the investment fund Emerging Capital Partners ( ECP) in 2008);
Council of Amen Bank for the transfer of the entire shares constituting the share capital of Al Farabi clinic in February 2018.
Joint venture between the Tuniso-Kuwaiti Development Consortium (KIA; Kuwait Investment
Authority) and Echiffa Holding to constitute a real-estate subsidiary, Echiffa Immobilier in November 2017.
Tunisian council state for the sale by Al Karama Holding of its direct and indirect interests in the Carthage Cement Company in June 2017.
Sale of a controlling stake in the capital of the company, Groupe Médical les Oliviers (GMO), in favour of the Tuniso-Kuwaiti Development Consortium (KIA).
Intermediary council at the initial public offering of the Délice Danone company in April 2014,

following the OPO mechanism (exclusivity in the history of the BVMT)

Intervention on the block sale of the capital of the company GIF in December 2009.
Intervention during the Private Equity transaction relating to the sale of 49% of the capital of SAH (Lilas) to the investment fund Emerging Capital Partners in 2008.
Intermediary council at the initial public offering of the SOPAT agribusiness company in December 2007.

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Abdessalem Loued

1st Vice President

Founder/President of Huilerie Loued / Rivière D’or

Mr Loued is the founder and president of Huilerie Loued, a major olive oil company in Tunisia. Through the past 30 years, Mr Loued has succeeded in developing this family business and his brand Rivière d’Or, and in making it one of the best olive oil companies in the country, exporting to more than 60 countries around the world.

Acknowledging his long-lived passion for olive oil and his continuous success and experience in the industry, he was appointed president of the Tunisian olive oil exporters trade union (UTICA) in (2014-2017). From this position, he has been very active in widening the Tunisian market share in the worldwide olive oil market, and thus enhancing the image and the export chances of Tunisian olive oil producers overseas.

From 2018, Mr Loued is an active member of the Executive Bureau of the Tunisian Union of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA).
Since 2012, he’s been the treasurer of the Tunisian-British Chamber of Commerce and has become its vice president earlier this year, continuously acting to strengthen the commercial relations between the UK and Tunisia.
In parallel, Mr Loued has occupied various positions, and was an acting member in several civil and professional associations.
Since 2008, he’s been a member of the advisory council of the International Olive Council based in Madrid (COI).
Mr Loued is also a member of many business councils, among which the Tunisian-Brazilian council, the Tunisian-Egyptian council, the Tunisian-Russian council, the Tunisian-Saudi council, President of Tunisian-Emirati council, the Tunisian-Omani council and the Tunisian-Moroccan council.
Between 2000 and 2006 he was vice president of the National Trade Union of Olive Oil Exporters, UTICA.
Mr Loued is also a member of the National Council of Agriculture and Fisheries ,UTAP (1996-2000).
Between 1995 and 2000, Mr Abdessalem was appointed the treasurer of the Regional Union of Agriculture and Fisheries of Monastir. In these years, he was also the city counselor at the Moknine commune.

Mr Loued graduated top of his class from the ENIT (the National school of Engineers of Tunis) with a Hydraulic engineering diploma in 1982. He started his career in this field, by joining the Ministry of Equipment as an assistant chief, supervising the project of hydraulic dam of Joumine between 1982 and 1988, then moved on to undertake a new project, under the Ministry of Agriculture, where he was the chief of the hydraulic complex of Sidi El Barrak in Nefza.

Hichem Turki

Board Member

CEO Société du Pôle de Compétitivité de Sousse « NOVATION CITY »

Academic background
1979 – 1980: Tunisian baccalaureate in Mathematics and natural science with honors

1980 – 1982 : Preparatory Math Sup, Math Spé, Ecole Pierre de Fermat, Toulouse, France.

1982 – 1986 : Engineer Diploma from « Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées de Paris»

Permanent training:

• Time Management
• Team Management
• Project Management
• Establishment of Quality Management System
• Coaching and Monitoring
• Animation and Management of Clusters
• Public Communication
• Strategic Marketing
• Implementation of innovation program

Professional experiences

2009-2021: CEO of Société du Pôle de Compétitivité de Sousse « Novation City » constituted by The Mechatronic Techno-park of Sousse (50ha), a services Park (50ha) and the Industrial Park (150ha)

2006 – 2012: Chairman CE0 of Brimaflex Algeria (Production and commercialization of Matrasses)

2002 – 2012: Chairman CEO of SOMATRAL Commercial (12 sales Stores)

1999 -2012: Chairman CEO of SOMATRAL « Permaflex” (Production and commercialization of Matrasses)

1991 – 1999: Senior Consultant “STRATEGE” (Organizational and Strategic Studies)

1990 – 1991: Technical Director “Société EMS” (Production of Tanks)

1987 – 1990: Engineer of Production “Société Al Kimia” (Production of Chemical Product based on Phosphate)

1985-1987: Engineer “Elf Aquitaine, Research Center of Pau”

Best professional achievements

A partnership approach to business with, in particular, the sense of synthesis, communication, Marketing, negotiation, finances and relationships in general.

• Development of the Company’s Strategy

• Negotiation of agreements with the State

• Constitution of a group of shareholders of a company

• Establishment of several international partnerships

• Establishment of a Cluster

• Development of industrial Park, Business Park and Science Technology Park

• Establishment of an ecosystem for the development of innovation in mechatronics

• Implementation of an acceleration program for Strat Ups

• International Funding (GIZ, AFD, BEI, Horizon Europe…)

• Establishment of a Competence and Innovation Center in Industry 4.0

• Participation in several specialized exhibitions and forums

• Animation of several round tables on innovation

Involvement with other associations or organizations

• President of the “Réseau Entreprendre Tunisie”
• Founder and Treasurer of the first Cluster in Tunisia “Cluster Mechatronic Tunisia”
• Founding Member and Treasurer of the Association of “Tunisia Technopark”
• Founding President of the LIONS Club El Kantaoui Hammam Sousse
• Founding member and Secretary General of the Association “HES, Horizon de l’Enfant au Sahel” Nursery for abandoned children without family support.
• Founding member of the Ennour Association Specialized in welcoming and supporting schoolchildren in disadvantaged areas
• Deputy Treasurer of the AmCham Center
• Member of the CTFCI office
• Member of the Bureau of the Tunisian-Estonian Chamber of Commerce
• Member of the scientific council of the National School of Engineers of Sousse “ENISo”
• Member of the start-up selection committee at the Business incubator

Tunisian Pavilion for the London Tech Week

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