Big leadership news in Morocco’s aerospace sector. The Safran Group has appointed Wassima El Moutaouakil as President of Safran Nacelles Morocco – the first woman to lead the site. She takes over from Jean-François Belliard and will run Safran’s largest aerospace production facility in the country.
El Moutaouakil joined Safran in 2010 and worked her way up through operational roles focused on quality and production. She later led key strategic projects in Casablanca and became head of industrial operations in 2025. Her background covers production, maintenance and supply chains.
The factory sits in Nouaceur near Casablanca airport and employs around 650 people. It builds aircraft nacelles, the structures that house engines, including engine cowls and thrust reversers made with lightweight carbon-fibre materials.
The site is part of the wider Midparc aerospace hub. With government incentives and training centres like the Moroccan Aerospace Institute, Morocco has attracted more than 140 aerospace companies, including Boeing, Airbus and Spirit AeroSystems.
Safran is also working closely with GIMAS to grow a local supply chain, helping Moroccan firms supply parts and services instead of relying on imports.
The appointment also fits Safran’s wider goal to increase the share of women in senior leadership to 22%.
