Zahira Bouaouda has made history by becoming the Managing Director of Safran Aircraft Engine Services Morocco, becoming the first woman to lead an aerospace company in the country.
In her new position, Bouaouda heads a joint venture between Safran Aircraft Engines and the national airline, Royal Air Maroc (RAM), which focuses on the maintenance of CFM56-5B and CFM56-7B engines used in Airbus aircraft.
Her appointment follows an impressive career as President of MATIS Aerospace, which is a partnership between Safran Electrical & Power and Boeing, specializing in electrical wiring interconnection systems. Bouaouda’s journey in aerospace began in 2006 when she joined MATIS Aerospace as the Finance Director, later rising to Operations Director in 2017 and taking on the role of President in 2019.
Before her tenure at MATIS Aerospace, she served as an auditor at Dorlian & Associates and MCA & Associés, and then as a Senior Manager at KPMG Morocco. Bouaouda holds degrees in Business Administration and Management, as well as Chartered Accountancy from the Institut Supérieur de Commerce et d’Administration des Entreprises.
Currently, Safran Aircraft Engine Services Morocco, part of the prominent French aerospace company Safran Group, employs around 4,100 workers in the country, boasting a female participation rate of 70%.
