On 3 June 2026, the historic Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam opened its doors to 135 guests for an evening that captured something Bridgizz has been working toward for years: a real, working bridge between Morocco and Europe, built not on slogans but on relationships.
The event, “Gateway to Africa,” was organised on behalf of Casablanca Finance City (CFC) Authority, Africa’s number one ranked financial hub according to the Global Financial Centres Index. It brought together Moroccan-rooted investors, professionals, and entrepreneurs with Dutch institutional, municipal, and private-sector partners for an evening of dialogue, networking, and genuine connection.
A Room Built for Substance
With 139 registrations converting into 135 attendees, a 97% turnout, the room reflected exactly the kind of audience this initiative was designed to reach. Sofitel Legend The Grand, with its centuries of history at the heart of Amsterdam, provided a setting that matched the weight of the conversation: how can Morocco’s leading financial centre and the Netherlands’ investment ecosystem work more closely together.
The speaker lineup reflected that ambition. Saïd Ibrahimi, CEO of CFC Authority, set out the case for Casablanca as a launchpad into African markets. H.E. Ambassador Mohamed Basri, Morocco’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, spoke to the diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries. Touria Meliani, Alderwoman for the City of Amsterdam, brought the municipal perspective, while Ismaël Belkhayat, CEO of Chari, offered an entrepreneur’s view from inside one of Morocco’s fastest-growing companies. Renate Douwes of RVO and Willem Mak of Invest International rounded out the programme with the institutional Dutch perspective on trade and investment support, alongside Hassan El Hadji of The JetSet B.V.
Why This Matters
CFC’s position as Africa’s top-ranked financial centre is not just a ranking, it is an invitation. For Dutch businesses and investors looking at the African continent, Casablanca offers a regulatory environment, a network of bilateral treaties, and a geographic position that make it a natural entry point. For Morocco, events like this one in Amsterdam open direct lines to capital, expertise, and partnerships that strengthen that position further.
That is the role Bridgizz set out to play: not as the subject of the evening, but as the connective tissue that made it happen. As an ecosystem builder working at the intersection of Morocco, Africa, and Europe, Bridgizz organised the event, moderated the programme, and led the outreach to the Moroccan-rooted community in the Netherlands, on behalf of CFC Authority.
What Happens Next
The evening was also a moment to ask for something in return: support for CFC’s standing in the upcoming GFCI 40 rankings, published every September by the Global Financial Centres Index. Attendees were invited to cast their vote before the 30 June deadline, a small action that helps reinforce Casablanca’s position on the global stage.
Beyond the rankings, the connections made at Sofitel Legend The Grand are the real outcome. New introductions between Moroccan entrepreneurs and Dutch investors, fresh conversations between municipal leaders and financial institutions, and a reinforced sense that the Morocco-Netherlands corridor has real momentum behind it.
This is what Bridgizz means by connecting people, vision, and future: building the rooms where these conversations can happen, and the trust that lets them lead somewhere.
More events connecting Morocco, Africa, and Europe are already taking shape. Follow Bridgizz to stay close to what comes next.
