In a strategic move to consolidate leadership in the North and West African service sectors, the Moroccan retail powerhouse Retail Holding and the Amethis MENA Fund II have announced the joint acquisition of OCS Group’s operations in Morocco and Senegal.
The consortium succeeds the private equity firm Adenia Partners and the French development finance institution Proparco, who have been shareholders in the group since 2021. This transaction marks a key transition from international private equity backing to a locally anchored, strategic ownership structure.
Founded in 2009 with a focus on catering, OCS Group has undergone a rapid transformation over the last decade. It has scaled into one of Morocco’s two dominant market leaders by diversifying into a multi-service platform. The group operates a portfolio of specialized brands:
- Catering: Ansamble and Proxirest, serving corporate and institutional clients.
- Facility Management: Artis Facilities (Morocco) and Alizés (Senegal), providing comprehensive building and business services.
The acquisition is a high-conviction move for the Retail Holding-Amethis partnership, which has collaborated on numerous ventures in the past.
Riad Laissaoui, Chairman and CEO of Retail Holding, noted that OCS fits perfectly into their “external growth strategy.” By acquiring a leader with “solid foundations,” Retail Holding intends to leverage significant commercial synergies between its existing retail infrastructure and OCS’s corporate service capabilities.
Wilfried Poyet, Senior Partner at Amethis, emphasized the importance of the region, noting that this represents the 16th investment for Amethis in Morocco. The move underscores their commitment to backing “regional champions” alongside historic partners like Retail Holding.
For the outgoing investors, the sale represents the completion of a rigorous “value creation” phase. Stéphane Bacquaert, Managing Partner at Adenia, highlighted that since 2021, they have focused on:
- Structuring and Refocusing: Strengthening the management team and streamlining operations.
- Scaling Up: Transforming a founder-led business into a professionalized “reference player” in the service sector.
- Local Succession: Ensuring the company is now “firmly anchored locally” to sustain its development prospects.
Nicolas Belleteste, CEO of OCS Group, credited the outgoing shareholders for providing the “strategic vision and financial strength” that allowed the group to reach its current scale. He expressed strong optimism for the future, stating that the new partnership with Retail Holding and Amethis will focus on:
- Sustainability: Consolidating their leadership position in the mature Moroccan market.
- Expansion: Driving the growth trajectory in the high-potential Senegalese market.
- Regional Dominance: Positioning OCS as the premier partner for business and public entities across the region.
The completion of this transaction is subject to the usual regulatory approvals, but it already signals a trend of mature African companies being acquired by local strategic giants to create more integrated, pan-African service ecosystems.
