Paris, France – March 25, 2017 — Top-ranked Audencia Business School has awarded its prestigious Social Impact Award to Cactus Commodities’ co-founder and CEO, Mrs. Imane Reda. The award recognizes outstanding achievement by alumni leading innovative organizations with tangible positive impact in the world.
In her acceptance speech at a ceremony held in Paris, and attended by the prestigious business school’s leaders, professors, alumni, the French business community, and members of the press, the young CEO declared: “I am honored by this award. Cactus Commodities embodies the ethos and values of Audencia Business School of humility, responsibility and commitment. I am proud to have put into practice my academic and professional experiences gathered in France, in the USA and Africa, in the service of my community and of my country, Morocco (…) and to have expanded, in less than 5 years, our local and global footprint”. The CEO is the first Moroccan alumnus to receive such an award, testimony to a new generation of high-achieving entrepreneurs whose reputation has gone beyond the borders of her native North African country.

Imane graduated from Audencia Business School with a Master’s degree in business in 2009. After her graduation, she worked for various organizations and led a number of business engagements in a many countries, including Morocco, Gabon, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea. This early international experience raised her awareness to the need of a new business model to address the challenges of unemployment, environmental degradation, and social barriers to economic participation. In 2012, she co-founded Cactus Commodities to put her business model into practice and to participate in the economic and social development of rural areas of Morocco.

Specialized in the production, marketing and commercialization of organic cosmetic products, Cactus Commodities boasts many of the virtues of agile and responsible entrepreneurship. The company uses environmentally-friendly production technologies to serve its customers across the globe with organic products that range from the famous Argan oil to the highly-prized Prickly pear seed oil. Demand on these products has increased globally, and the company has demonstrated exceptional agility to respond to it. “Our quality-certified organic products and our strong commitment to our customers and employees” says the CEO, “have provided us with the tail-wind to expand our customer base and enter new markets. Our goal is not just a robust bottom line for our company, but also healthier products for our customers, strengthened communities, expanded employment opportunities, especially for women and youth, and better custody of our natural resources”.

Founded in 1900, Audencia Business School ranks as one of the best business schools in the world. The school is accredited by EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA. As such, it is one of the very few business schools who can boast this triple-crown. Audencia is deeply engaged with the corporate world at an international level. Corporate partners include Microsoft, Coca-Cola, L’Oreal, Adidas, Sony, and many more.