Orange opens its new Orange Middle East and Africa headquarters in Morocco, confirming its desire to strengthen its presence in Africa

Orange officially inaugurates the Orange Middle East and Africa operational head office in Morocco in the presence of Stéphane Richard, Chairman and CEO of Orange; Alioune Ndiaye, CEO Orange Middle East and Africa; the members of Orange’s Executive Committee and local officials.

The new headquarters is located in Casablanca Finance City Tower (CFC) in the heart of Casablanca. The building meets the most recent standards with international “LEED Gold” certification from the World Green Building Council. With 900 m2 over two floors, the Orange Middle East and Africa head office is at the cutting edge of technology with video-conference and telepresence rooms enabling the teams to remain connected to other countries in the region, as well as a Social Hub that supervises and monitors the digital activity of Orange and the industry in general in Africa and the Middle East in real-time.

With an average annual growth rate of 6%, Orange MEA has demonstrated that its economic and financial model is robust, making it the leading region in terms of growth in the Orange Group. Starting in 2015, Orange chose to give its subsidiary, Orange MEA, more autonomy in order to grow its business in the region.

Alioune Ndiaye, appointed to head the subsidiary in May 2018, wants to see a strong local foothold, which is essential to finding relevant responses that meet the needs of the African people. He has since made a series of appointments of senior managers from countries in Africa and the Middle East.

In all countries where the Group operates in the region, the 18,000 employees contribute to local social and economic development. Orange helps to create growth both through its business activities as an operator and its social and environmental actions. Its activities contribute significantly to GDP across its footprint: 8% in Cameroon, 8.2% in Guinea, 11% in Côte d’Ivoire and 11.2% in Senegal ¹.

Every year, Orange invests 1 billion euros in Africa and the Middle East in order to further improve the connectivity and performance of its networks.

Africa and the Middle East a driver of growth in the Engage 2025 plan

The new, hi-tech headquarters of Orange Middle East and Africa reflects Orange’s aim of being the leader in its markets by being closer to its customers. Orange plans to reinforce its multi-services strategy so that diversified services represent 20% of the business by the end of the Engage 2025 plan period. In terms of financial services, Orange Money will achieve revenue of about 900 million euros and, at the same time, the Group will continue to develop content, e-health and energy offers.

^{Orange is present in 18 countries in Africa and the Middle East where it had 125 million customers on 30 October 2019. With sales revenue of €5.2 billion in 2018, this area is a strategic priority for the Group. Orange Money, its mobile-based money transfer and financial services offer is available in 17 countries and has 45 million customers. Orange, a multi-services operator and leading partner in digital transformation, brings to bear its expertise to support the development of new digital services in Africa and the Middle East.
One African in ten is a customer of Orange Middle East and Africa and one African in thirty is a customer for Orange Middle East and Africa’s banking and financial services. Furthermore, almost 30% of the Orange Group’s 4G customers reside in Africa and the Middle East.}

 ^{1 Figures from a study conducted by the agency Goodwill-management on the socio-economic footprint achieved in the countries.}

^{About Orange}

Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with sales of 41 billion euros in 2018 and 148,000 employees worldwide at 30 September 2019, including 88,000 employees in France. The Group has a total customer base of 268 million customers worldwide at 30 September 2019, including 209 million mobile customers and 21million fixed broadband customers. The Group is present in 26 countries. Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies, under the brand Orange Business Services. In December 2019, the Group presented its new "Engage 2025" strategic plan, which, guided by social and environmental accountability, aims to reinvent its operator model. While accelerating in growth areas and placing data and AI at the heart of its innovation model, the Group will be an attractive and responsible employer, adapted to emerging professions.

Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (symbol ORA) and on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol ORAN).

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