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In the 3rd issue of the FMA Quarterly, we interviewed Hicham El Amrani (FMA’04), the ex General Secretary at CAF and currently an entrepeneur acting as Managing Director of his own HEA Sports Sports Management & Consulting company. Due to limited space, we published only a small edited version of the interview on our newsletter. Here, you can find the full interview.

The Moroccan Hicham El Amrani held one of the highest positions in the World of Football: he was the General Secretary of the African Football Confederation (CAF). Graduated from the FIFA Master in 2004, Hicham has had an incredibly fast rise to the top and was focused on long-term plans as he headed the beautiful game in the African Continent. Before joining CAF, Hicham worked for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). He joined CAF in 2010 as Deputy General Secretary, and when his former boss Mustapha Fahmy moved to FIFA – to be the new Competitions Director – the Executive Board entrusted Hicham to become the new General Secretary.

In the middle of his high-paced career, Hicham has found the time to contribute as a member of the FMA Committee, between 2008 and 2010, where he served as president. He believes that the highlights of his term were “the FMA World Gathering in Durban, during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, as well as signing, with the support of Mr. (Jean-Louis) Juvet (CIES’s former President), a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AFC.

When we talk about the FMA being a family, in Hicham’s case, that is literally true. Hicham’s younger brother, Rhali, graduated from the course in July 2012. Hicham is very grateful as he tells us “the FMA and the FIFA Master changed my life!”, and if he was to give an advice to new graduates of the course, he’d say: “Don’t underestimate the power of our network. Also, if you keep your smile in everything you do, life will be good to you”.

FMA Quarterly: Let’s start with a very recent professional experience. This was your second African Cup of Nations (CAN) as CAF General Secretary. How different were these two experiences for you, and what were the highlights of the competition in South Africa?
Hicham El Amrani: Those experiences were of course very different, firstly because of the social and cultural environment where they took place: Gabon and Equatorial Guinea being very different from the Anglo-Saxon mindset that South Africa has to offer.

Second, the structure of the local organising committees is also different, and so is the level of experience. South Africa hosted various major events including the FIFA World Cup in 2010, hence their experience was more important and the infrastructures already in place before our inspection visits began. Gabon and Equatorial Guinea needed more support in terms of our standards in running a big scale competition, but they did the job extremely well.

The highlights of the competition were many, one in particular was the amazing moments experienced when about 20 000 Ethiopian greeted their team against Zambia, 31 years after they played the CAN for the last time. South Africa versus Morocco was also an extremely passionate and thrilling game, giving joy to the hosts. But I must say that having the national stadium full with 90,000 fans to watch the final in Johannesburg - and without the host nation - was a great success.

CAF also focused its efforts to celebrate Africa, including artists from all around the continent, and most importantly support important causes such as “United Against Malaria”, “Make Peace Happen” campaign with the African Union, 1Goal education program and protect the Goal campaign with the UN Aids.

FMAQ: What are your plans/objectives for, say, the next 5 years?
HEA: My objectives are the next 5 years is to carry on the implementation of CAF’s policy, especially in relation to 2 key programs to ensure professionalization of football on the continent: the CAF Coaching License program as well as the CAF Club Licensing.  

On the other hand, we are working hard to increase substantially revenues for CAF to ensure support to our members is granted. The CAN has become a largely followed event and TV audiences are skyrocketing, hence we need to capitalise on this.

Also, we are focusing on nurturing African talents making sure a maximum of local experts are involved in African football. 

FMAQ: What is the most rewarding part of your job?
HEA: Definitely the human experience, dealing with so many different people from various backgrounds, and making new friends, but also the adrenaline that football gives you thanks to a full stadium and nations behind their teams.

FMAQ: When we talk about the FMA being a family, in your case, that is literally the case, right? What advice did you give Rhali (El Amrani, brother) that made him decide to do the FIFA Master too? (He was clearly someone “well connected” in sports)
HEA: It is the case of course, many of my classmates are today my lifetime friends. I did not need to give advice to rhali as he already understood the key aspects when taking the master degree, he had already a clear vision.

FMAQ: What is your fondest memory of the FIFA Master?
HEA: There are too many to single out one, but if I have to choose one it’s the first day in class when at night we all met to celebrate kresimir spajic’s birthday, singing to him happy birthday in all languages, it was that kind of moment where all of use realised we are now a group of friends. 

FMAQ: Competition in the field of education has certainly increased. What should the FIFA Master do to maintain its position of arguably the top sports business master course on the market?
HEA: First, it should maintain the standard  of teaching. Second, it should carry on making it hard for anyone to join and raise the number of applicants. To do this communication and PR are essential. Furthermore, the position of the master should be reinforced as the only master giving access to such a network of sports professionals. Here, the pourcentage of students finding a job upon completion of the master is essential. FIFA support and name should also be maintained at all costs as I believe it offers more benefits than disadvantages.

FMAQ :In your opinion, what is the most valuable thing the FMA can offer to its members and what do you think should be its priority (priorities)?
HEA: 1/ Connection for job opportunities; 2/ Latest information about forums, fairs, invitations, etc…; 3/ Role models for the current students – guidance role as a whole, the unity of the FMA should be reinforced and it should become an institution by itself, not only an association of alumni. The ideal would be to become able to deliver projects and be regarded as a tremendous ppol (Policies and Procedures on Line) of competence.  

FMAQ: You are a former president of the FMA and have always shown concern and interest in the development of the Association. What were the highlights of your time as president of the FMA and what advice would you give to the current Committee members?
HEA: One of the highlights was the gathering in Durban for the FIFA World Cup in 2010, as well as signing an MoU with AFC with the presence of M. Juvet. I do not have specific advice to give but clearly using social media today is important, and providing incentives to alumni to connect must be maintained. We must keep in mind that keeping the FMA as a family is essential. 

FMAQ: What advice would you give to a current or recently graduated FIFA Master student?
HEA: Do not believe in what others tell you is right, but look for what is right for you, and create your own path to success.

FMAQ: What are other topics you would like us to touch on? I mean, you have a space to address all alumni, is there something in particular you would like to say? 
HEA: I would like to say to each of my friends not to underestimate the power of our connection, the FMA and the master changed my life. I never believed I could do what I am currently doing now, but once you are faced with opportunities and pressure you have literally nothing to lose. Hence your fear of failure diminishes and your confidence grows, making it easier to succeed in your challenges. If on top of it you keep your smile in everything you do then life will be good to you.

Short Profile

Hicham El Amrani, 39, Moroccan
Married to Amel Maaouia
Founder & Managing Director at HEA Sports Management & Consulting, Former General Secretary at CAF (2011-2017)
Football club: Raja Casablanca / AC Milan
Most memorable sporting moment: Morocco beating Zambia in a stadium packed with 90,000 fans, in October 1993, to reach the 1994 World Cup in the USA