Youssef, our Containerboard Sales Manager

As part of our Spotlight On series, we are profiling several Corrugated Packaging colleagues to discover the opportunities, and occasional challenges, of our growth journey. 

Youssef Agzenai shares his impressions of living in so many countries and how his newly expanded role as Containerboard Sales Manager for France, Maghreb and Africa is challenging him to think big.

I’ve become rich in experiences. 
I grew up in Morocco and attended a French high school there – as you may know, quality of life and schooling in Morocco is generally very good. When it comes to university, people often try to study abroad and I had the chance to move to Spain. 

My time in Spain was very different.
I went to an American university in Spain. I loved the diversity – there were students from all over the world. We all lived together in dorms, and this made it easy to make friends and learn English. I didn’t know any English when I first arrived.  

I remember going to my first class without even knowing what subject it was – it could have been maths, physics, anything.
My International Business degree was taught entirely in English. So my first semester was challenging! Fortunately, it’s an easy language to learn, especially when you immerse yourself like I had to. It’s sink or swim. My roommate was from New Zealand, so I had to improve my English fast to communicate at all. 

After my bachelor's, I did a master's degree at a French school in Singapore. Singapore was a completely different experience – a real culture shock. The lifestyle was a total change, and the food was amazing. Then I had to start thinking about getting a job! After 10 years of moving around, I returned to France.

When I joined Mondi in December 2022, I thought paper was just for printing. Before my interview, I knew little about paper. Now, overseeing the Maghreb region for our Containerboard business, I’m learning more and more every day about how our paper and packaging is part of everyday lives. My manager has been great at showing me the ropes, and I still have a lot to learn. 

In Algeria, meetings can last hours. 
It’s a process of continual negotiation, almost as if you were selling your wares at a market. You can end up leaving with 1,000 tonnes of orders, or zero. But showing up is important, because clients need to see you, to meet you and to build a face-to-face relationship. 

That’s part of the fun – there's never a dull moment. Even though I’m Moroccan, I’d never actually worked in this region before – the culture is very different and we need to adapt quickly. 

The African market is particularly fascinating. 
The continent of Africa is incredibly diverse. Many people see Africa as a single place, but travelling to different countries gives you a real sense of the variety. Ghana is English-speaking, while the next country you visit might be French-speaking – and the culture can be very different. In my expanded role, I get to know the people, the culture and the food – I find it very nourishing. 

My day-to-day is a mix of managing ongoing business and building future relationships. There are trials, pricing discussions and a lot of negotiations. But the upside is that we create long-term relationships. And, of course, at Mondi there’s always plenty of insight sharing with other locations. For example, we often compete against 100% recycled paper, whereas our product includes a bit of fresh fibre, making it stronger. Our paper has better printing, which means it consumes less ink. Customers can save 3% of their ink costs with our stronger and higher quality paper – and that saving can make a big difference.

Want to work with people from diverse backgrounds? Mondi is great for that. 
I’m proud to add a diverse viewpoint and to be part of this team. I feel accepted – like I’m a part of the professional family. This is a demanding company, but it gives you room to grow. If you do well here, you’re given that trust quite quickly.  

In fact, it can be overwhelming how much people want you to succeed. My boss is incredibly dedicated to my success, sometimes even more than I am! He’ll say, if you want to do that in five years, go for it – here’s how to make it work. This was really something different and refreshing. Since I started here, I have never felt alone. 

Future plans? Wherever the winds take me.
One day, maybe Latin America? My wife is Mexican, so living there for a couple of years would be interesting. Equally, I wouldn’t mind going back to Asia. And then, of course, my whole family is in Morocco. It would be nice to go home for a few years and then embark on a new adventure, and it would be amazing for my kids. They already know France, and experiencing Morocco – or any other country – would be great for them. They could become more diverse than we are!