Officers & Directors
Senior Management
Khalid Assari CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Mr. Assari has served as Chief Executive Officer since February 2025 and as Chairman of the Board since April 2025. He has had a long and successful career in the agricultural business, holding several senior positions within Caisse de Dépôts (CDG Group). From 2020 to 2024, he was an investor in the real estate and agribusiness sectors in Morocco. From 2016 through 2018, Mr. Assari was the CEO of Forafric Morocco. Mr. Assari holds an MBA in finance from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, United States.
Julien BenitahCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Mr. Benitah has served as Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) of the Company since June 2022 and as Chief Financial Officer of FAHL since March 2018. Mr. Benitah has been CFO of Forafric Maroc from March 2018 and M&A Director from October 2015. Mr. Benitah was also the COO of Ycap Asset Management (now Homa Capital), from January 2016 to October 2017. Prior to Homa Capital, Mr. Benitah served as Partner and COO of Smart Equity from January 2011 to September 2015. Mr. Benitah holds a master’s degree in management from the EM Lyon. Mr. Benitah operates from the headquarters of Forafric Maroc in Morocco.
Board of Directors
Khalid Assari CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Mr. Assari has served as Chief Executive Officer since February 2025 and as Chairman of the Board since April 2025. He has had a long and successful career in the agricultural business, holding several senior positions within Caisse de Dépôts (CDG Group). From 2020 to 2024, he was an investor in the real estate and agribusiness sectors in Morocco. From 2016 through 2018, Mr. Assari was the CEO of Forafric Morocco. Mr. Assari holds an MBA in finance from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, United States.
Ira Greenstein
Mr. Greenstein has served as a member of the Board since June 2022. Mr. Greenstein is a Founding Partner of Pierson Ferdinand LLP. Mr. Greenstein served as Senior Advisor to Qrypt, Inc., a quantum cryptography company from 2019-2021. He served as Deputy Assistant and Strategist to President Trump from 2017-2018. Prior to serving in the Trump Administration, Mr. Greenstein was President of Genie Energy, Ltd., a retail energy and oil and gas exploration company that was spun off from IDT Corp., an international telecommunications carrier, from 2011-2017. Mr. Greenstein served as President and Counsel to the Chairman of IDT, from 2000-2011, and counsel and advisor to various companies, including Net2Phone, Inc., a pioneer in voice over the internet protocol. Prior to joining IDT, Mr. Greenstein was a partner in Morrison & Foerster LLP, where he served as the Chairman of that firm’s New York office’s Business Department. Mr. Greenstein was an associate in the New York and Toronto offices of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and served on the Securities Advisory Committee and as secondment counsel to the Ontario Securities Commission. At the OSC, Mr. Greenstein advised on the implementation of the US-Canada Multijurisdictional Disclosure System and on the securities law aspects of NAFTA. Mr. Greenstein served on the Boards of Directors of NanoVibronix, Inc. and Regal Bank of New Jersey. Mr. Greenstein served on the Boards of Trustees of Young Israel of Scarsdale, Ramaz, SAR Academy and Friends of Jerusalem College of Technology. Mr. Greenstein received a B.S. from Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations (1981) and a J.D. from Columbia University Law School (1985) where he currently serves as a member of the Dean’s Council. Mr. Greenstein is based in the US.
Julien Benitah
Mr. Benitah has served as Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) of the Company since June 2022 and as Chief Financial Officer of FAHL since March 2018. Mr. Benitah has been CFO of Forafric Maroc from March 2018 and M&A Director from October 2015. Mr. Benitah was also the COO of Ycap Asset Management (now Homa Capital), from January 2016 to October 2017. Prior to Homa Capital, Mr. Benitah served as Partner and COO of Smart Equity from January 2011 to September 2015. Mr. Benitah holds a master’s degree in management from the EM Lyon. Mr. Benitah operates from the headquarters of Forafric Maroc in Morocco.
Johann Elbaz
Johann Elbaz has 18 years’ experience in marketing, strategy and business development. He joined Forafric in 2018 and served as Deputy CEO of Forafric Maroc SA. He previously served as Director of Research, Development, and Innovation and as Marketing Director, contributing to the company’s strategic development and brand positioning. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Elbaz worked in advertising and investment sectors with Publicis, DDB and Smart Equity. He studied Economics and Management at Paris XII University and holds a business degree in International Commerce and Communication from ESGCI as well as a master’s degree in communication from ESG.
Franco Cassar
Mr. Cassar has served as a member of the Board since June 2022 and as a member of the board of directors of FAHL since 2016. Mr. Cassar has held senior management positions at Abacus Financial Services Ltd, SG Hambros Private Bank, Barclays Gibraltar and NatWest Gibraltar. Mr. Cassar was educated at Uxbridge, Harrow and West London Colleges, UK. Mr. Cassar is based in Gibraltar.
Rachel Bitan
Ms. Bitan has served as a member of the Board since June 2022. Ms. Bitan has served since February 2017 as a director of Amestown Limited, a company that holds property in the U.K., where she has been responsible for general management, as well as legal and financial administration of the properties managed by the company. Ms. Bitan has served since August 2005 as a property manager at Herne Hill (Investment) Limited, an investment company focusing on property development. Ms. Bitan received a Bachelor of Laws with Honours from Manchester Metropolitan University, U.K. Ms. Bitan is based in Gibraltar.