Latest news with #Allianz
Morocco World
5 hours ago
- Business
- Morocco World
Fahd Mokdad Takes Helm at Allianz Maroc as New Director General
Doha – Allianz Maroc announced a major leadership change this week. Fahd Mokdad has been appointed Director General of the insurance company, effective May 29. He succeeds Abderrahim Dbich, who decided to pursue new opportunities outside the SanlamAllianz Group. Mokdad joined Allianz Maroc in 2013 as Head of Bancassurance. He later held several key positions within the company and across the African region. From December 2017 to April 2024, he served as Head of Bancassurance in Africa. Most recently, since March 2022, he worked as Director of Distribution and Partnerships at Allianz Maroc. The new Director General brings 25 years of experience in the banking and insurance sectors. Before joining Allianz, Mokdad worked at Credit du Maroc from 2004 to 2013. He held positions as Head of Sales/Branches from 2011 to 2013 and Head of Marketing and Products Development for the Retail Market from 2004 to 2011. His earlier career included roles at Crédit Agricole Consumer Finance as Marketing Manager for consumer credits from 2002 to 2004 and at BNP Paribas from 2000 to 2002, where he was responsible for retail marketing and development for the diaspora at BMCI. 'Fahd will continue to drive the Company's development while ensuring superior service quality for our policyholders and partners,' stated Allianz Maroc in their announcement. Read also: Philippe Dessevre to Spearhead Allianz Trade Global Reinsurance Division Mokdad holds a Master's degree in International Development from the Centre d'Etudes Supérieures du Commerce International (CESCI) and a Master's degree in Marketing from the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce et de Marketing (ISTEC) in Paris, France, both obtained in 2000-2001. In his new role, Mokdad will focus on furthering Allianz Maroc's growth trajectory. The leadership transition marks a new chapter for Allianz Maroc, focused on innovation, customer proximity, and strengthening its presence in the national insurance landscape. Allianz Maroc acknowledged Dbich's contributions during his tenure, noting that his leadership and commitment helped accelerate the company's growth, consolidate its market position, and strengthen its resilience in the face of industry changes. The insurance firm has operated in Morocco for over 70 years. Since 2016, it has evolved under the Allianz banner, a global insurance leader with more than a century of presence in Africa. In 2023, the company became a subsidiary of SanlamAllianz joint venture, a major non-banking financial services provider operating in 27 African countries. Allianz Maroc now has 240+ well-trained General Agents and Direct Offices serving demanding individual and corporate clients. Tags: allianzinsurance industry
Daily Record
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Davide Ancelotti is a Rangers gamble but Italian with Ibrox intel isn't writing him off
From the Allianz to the Bernabeu but is Glasgow next Davide Ancelotti has just about seen it all as part of his dad Carlo's coaching staff. From Paris to Munich, Naples to Madrid. From the Allianz to the Bernabeu - with all the other top stadiums in Europe in between. But if he ends up in Govan as the new Rangers manager, the 35-year-old Italian might be in for a culture shock. One of his countrymen - and former Ibrox defender - Sergio Porrini should know. When he arrived in Glasgow in 1997, he'd won two Serie A titles and a UEFA Cup with Juventus. He'd grown up as a youth player at AC Milan idolising Carlo Ancelotti, who was part of a star-studded San Siro line-up. So when he turned up as a Rangers player to Fir Park in Motherwell - and discovered there was a SLOPE on the pitch - it was a whole new ball game. Irrespective of the surroundings, Porrini knew he had to win. And if Ancelotti gets the gig as new gaffer at Ibrox he'll quickly find that out for himself. Porrini has warned the Italian that going to Rangers for his first ever managerial role will be a huge challenge. But he's adamant that if becomes boss, the most important quality he'll have to show is humility - because his glamorous past will mean NOTHING. In an exclusive interview with Record Sport, he said: 'Scottish football will be different for Davide. 'The first thing he'll have to do is cancel his past. This will be a new experience. 'Even if you're the son of Ancelotti, a great coach, don't be presumptuous. 'He has to be humble, that's the most important thing if he goes to Rangers. 'Because he'll need everybody with him. The players, staff, the board. He'll need everything rounded. 'That's different compared to Italy and Spain. 'He has to know that in Glasgow, he'll be at a great club with so many followers who go crazy for Rangers. 'Also, the lifestyle is different away from the pitch in Scotland. The mentality is completely different. 'The football style also. So he has to erase everything and start again. 'He almost has to be like a computer without any information if he goes to Scotland. 'Davide has experienced a lot and been at big stadiums like the Bernabeu or Allianz in Munich. 'But Scotland is different and he has to be ready for it. 'You won't be playing every game at Parkhead or Ibrox. 'You're going to be going to Motherwell and Kilmarnock, places like that. 'I'll always remember going to Motherwell for the first time and the pitch wasn't level. There was a slope! 'As a young coach in your first job, nothing really prepares you for that. It's another kind of football. 'He can't be surprised by it. If he is, he's going to have a lot of problems there.' Porrini was a young player in awe of Carlo Ancelotti when they were together at AC Milan. He was convinced the midfielder would go on to become a top coach. But if his son Davide is Rangers' next gaffer, Porrini fears there will be constant comparisons to his old man. He said: 'It won't be easy for Davide because in the beginning, everybody will be waiting for him. 'They'll be waiting for him to live up to his father as a coach. 'Of course, Davide could be as good as Carlo. But at the start? That won't be easy. 'That's why it's such a big gamble from Rangers. 'I'm really curious to see what Davide has learnt and what he could bring to Rangers. I'm excited by it. 'But it's never easy when you have such a famous name. 'When you're the son of Carlo, they will always compare. It happens all the time. 'I remember it happened with Paolo Maldini. His father Cesare was a great player with the Italian national team. 'Paolo had to live up to that - although I think Paolo did a good job! 'I see it now with Lilian Thuram's two sons, Marcus and Kephrehn. They're great players at Inter and Juventus. 'But at the beginning, they were always compared to their father. 'That's what will happen with Davide when he becomes a manager. I'm sure of it.' Porrini spent four years at Ibrox, winning two titles, a Scottish Cup and a League Cup. Under Walter Smith and Dick Advocaat, Rangers had a multi-national squad full of players from Italy, Germany, Holland and South America. Ancelotti will inherit a similarly eclectic group of players if he takes the job - even if the quality isn't as high as it was during Porrini's time. But the former Juve full-back has urged his compatriot to keep a Scottish spine within the Ibrox dressing-room - especially with an intense Old Firm rivalry in Glasgow. He said: 'It will be important for Davide to keep a Scottish core in the Rangers dressing-room. You need that there. 'I remember in my first year at Ibrox, a lot of foreign players came in from Italy and other parts of Europe. 'But there was a core of Scottish players. Andy Goram, Ian Durrant, Ally McCoist, Gordon Durie, even Barry Ferguson. 'You need that kind of mix to succeed in Scotland, definitely. 'I wasn't surprised about the Rangers support or how big the club was. 'I had played at Ibrox before with Juventus so I knew what it was all about. 'But I didn't know anything about the rivalry with Celtic. 'I knew one side was Protestant and the other was Catholic but I had no idea about how intense it was. 'On a Monday at the start of Old Firm week, you know it's coming. You feel it. It's not like any week you've had before. 'Day by day, you start to sense that you're going to play in a unique atmosphere and one of the best derby games in the world. 'So you have to know that and be ready for it.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Most companies say they'll have to raise prices due to Trump tariffs: Survey
Most companies, especially in the U.S. and China, say they will have to increase prices because of the Trump administration's sweeping tariffs on dozens of imports, according to a poll released Wednesday. The latest Allianz Trade Global Survey compares responses from before and after Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs were imposed April 2 and found that price hikes will likely be the go-to strategy in response to the trade war. Most 'reciprocal' tariffs are currently under a pause due to negotiations, but a 10 percent baseline tax is still in place. Globally, 38 percent of companies say they will increase prices in response to the tariffs — a 7 point increase from before President Trump announced the new import taxes, the report shows. The strategy to raise prices because of higher tariffs saw the strongest global increase, but most notably in the U.S. and China, which Allianz Trade said is likely due to 'the fact that tariffs reached levels that were way too high to stomach.' In the U.S., 54 percent of companies said they plan to increase prices, citing the tariffs. Ahead of the 'Liberation Day' rollout, 46 percent of U.S. companies said they would raise prices, according to the survey. In China, 45 percent of companies said they will raise prices after last month's announcement, a 16 percent increase, the research found. The increase, according to Allianz, suggests the U.S. and China 'could be particularly proactive in adjusting their pricing strategies in response to higher tariffs.' 'Even though the new trade deal brings the U.S. average import tariff rate on China to 39 percent, down from an eye-watering 103 percent, this remains much higher than the 13 percent rate applied before the second Trump administration,' said Françoise Huang, senior economist for Asia Pacific and trade at Allianz Trade. Despite recent developments between the U.S. and China, including a 90-day pause on most retaliatory tariffs, experts said the strategy will likely remain the same. 'Despite the recent positive developments, the trade war persists and volatility in trade policies means that decoupling is likely to gradually continue,' researchers wrote. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Axios
Richmond summer concerts go big
After three years of effort, Richmond's highly anticipated Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront finally opens to the public next week. Why it matters: Allianz's arrival solidifies what's shaping up to be Richmond's hottest summer concert season in recent memory. The big picture: If you haven't been paying attention, Richmond's summer concert scene — which was already pretty stellar — has been steadily getting even better in recent years. Since 2021, Richmond has landed Iron Blossom and Live Loud, the not-Friday Cheers Brown's Island concert series from the Broadberry Entertainment Group. Meanwhile, After Hours, the series formerly known as Innsbrook After Hours, moved to a bigger space at Meadow Event Park in Doswell and Groovin' in the Garden at Lewis Ginter returned after a decade-long hiatus. Those series joined long-running favorites like Friday Cheers, Richmond Jazz Festival, Flowers After 5, Music at Maymont and at least a dozen other hyper-local summertime shows. But the biggest and most exciting new outdoor music venue for Richmond in decades is the Allianz Amphitheater. State of play: Since the earliest plans for the 7,500-seat venue were shared in 2022, the Charlottesville-based team behind the amphitheater has promised it would bring around 30 major acts to RVA a year. The amphitheater's ability to draw those big names looked iffy when the first slate of artists was announced late last year (no offense, Dwight Yoakam, Styx and "Weird Al" Yankovic). But here we are, three years and two name changes later, on the eve of the June 6 opening (hey there, Kansas) and it looks like the amphitheater delivered. At least for its opening year. The must-see shows coming to Allianz this year include: Dave Matthews Band (July 15 & 16) Riley Green (Aug. 2), Mumford & Sons (Aug. 5), Neil Young (Aug. 10) and Simple Plan (Aug. 26) James Taylor (Sept. 1), Leon Bridges (Sept. 6) and Widespread Panic (Sept 12 & 13) Plus, Boyz II Men (June 19), Jason Isbell (July 19), The Head and The Heart (Aug. 1), Richmond rockers Lamb of God with GWAR (July 24) and Alison Krauss (Aug. 29). Meanwhile, Live Loud is bringing the The Flaming Lips and Modest Mouse (Aug. 3) and Sierra Ferrell (Sept. 9) to Brown's.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Travel Industry Fundamentals Remain Strong, Bucking Negative Headlines
The headlines haven't been too kind to the travel industry lately. You've probably seen the same bearish takes I have—reports of slumping business travel to the U.S., falling international visitor spending and weak demand. Context is everything, though, and if you dig a little deeper, you'll see a more nuanced, surprisingly bullish picture. In fact, there's a lot to like about the travel industry right now from an investment standpoint. You just have to know where to look. Let's start with one of the most time-tested indicators of travel health: Memorial Day. According to AAA, an estimated 45.1 million Americans were expected to travel at least 50 miles from home this holiday weekend. That's the highest number ever recorded, breaking a record that's stood since 2005. Despite inflationary pressures and economic uncertainty, American consumers continue to prioritize leisure travel. That's according to Allianz, whose latest survey found that 63% of U.S. households express confidence in taking a summer vacation, and projected spending is set to hit a record $226.6 billion, with the average household shelling out nearly $2,900 for their getaway. Deloitte also found that more than half of all Americans are planning leisure vacations this summer, with trip frequency on the rise. People may not feel wealthier, but they're still putting a premium on experiences and making time for family and travel. There's another tailwind worth highlighting: fuel prices. GasBuddy projects a national average of $3.08 per gallon for Memorial Day, the lowest since 2021 and the lowest adjusted for inflation since 2003. Over the course of the summer, prices could even drop below the $3 mark. That's good news for road trips and domestic leisure, which continues to represent a large portion of overall travel volume. Meanwhile, air travel is climbing back as well. AAA expects nearly 3.61 million air passengers this Memorial Day, a 2% bump from last year and 12% above pre-pandemic levels. Average domestic airfare is also up 2% year-over-year, suggesting steady demand. Let's address the elephant in the room: international inbound travel to the U.S. is underperforming. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) projects that the U.S. will lose $12.5 billion in international visitor spending in 2025, with total spending falling to just under $169 billion. Why? Some of it comes down to policy and perception. Reports of detentions and rigorous border checks have created concern among some foreign nationals. But from an investor's perspective, this isn't necessarily as damaging as it sounds. U.S. airlines and travel platforms still generate the majority of international revenue through domestic point-of-sale channels—in other words, Americans booking trips abroad. So while inbound traffic is down, outbound travel remains robust. If you want to see what strong travel demand looks like, look across the Atlantic. Ryanair, the largest airline in Europe by passenger volume, says it's seeing record demand across its network of 37 countries, with fares up in the mid-teens year-over-year. CEO Michael O'Leary said, 'The whole of Europe seems to be traveling,' and recent earnings support that view. Ryanair's fare outlook is 'far stronger than we had expected,' according to analysts at Bernstein, potentially putting the company on track to replicate the profitability of spring 2023. Higher fares could push Ryanair's stock higher U.S. Global Investors Demand for travel hasn't disappeared. It's just shifting geographically. Savvy investors can benefit from understanding where the action is moving. That brings us to the digital side of the travel business. Booking Holdings—the parent company of Priceline and OpenTable—was recently named IBD's Stock of the Day after posting 22% earnings per share (EPS) growth and 8% sales growth in Q1. What's key here is that Booking derives a majority of its revenue from Europe, giving it a natural advantage over U.S.-focused platforms like Expedia and Airbnb, which both flagged weakness in domestic travel. This divergence is worth watching. As American travel preferences shift toward regional and road-based trips, and international travel increasingly favors Europe over transatlantic routes, platforms with broad, diversified exposure may come out ahead. Another area that's sometimes overlooked, but increasingly important, is cruising. After a few tough years navigating pandemic-era restrictions and capacity limits, cruise lines are finally seeing smooth waters ahead. Passenger volume has surged, especially in the post-pandemic recovery years. In 2023, cruise lines carried 31.7 million passengers, and that number jumped to 34.6 million in 2024, according to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). Forecasts suggest another 9% increase in 2025, reaching 37.7 million passengers, with continued growth projected to hit 42 million by 2028. The third quarter, typically the high season for cruising, continues to be the industry's strongest sailing period. In Q3 2024, 8.7 million passengers sailed on CLIA-member cruises, surpassing all previous seasonal peaks. These gains reflect not only pent-up demand but also fleet expansions and strategic deployments of larger, high-capacity ships, especially in popular destinations. There's no denying that parts of the travel industry are under pressure. Business travel to the U.S. declined 9% in April compared to last year. But that's only part of the story. As I see it, the broader trend is one of resilience. Consumers are still traveling, and planes are still packed. They're just adjusting how and where they do it. And companies that are well-positioned in those areas—low-cost carriers in Europe, digital platforms with global exposure, airlines benefiting from lower fuel costs—stand to benefit.
