Table of Contents
Key Points
- Algeria's central bank ordered a suspension of all financial and commercial dealings involving Omar Rebrab after a court ruling.
- Omar is prohibited from holding any managerial or board role in any company amid an ongoing business misconduct investigation.
- Authorities support Malik Rebrab’s leadership of Cevital, including his push for local sugar production and sustainable industrial upgrades.
Amid internal tensions within Algeria’s wealthiest family, the Central Bank of Algeria has ordered a freeze on all financial and commercial activities involving Omar Rebrab, son of billionaire industrialist Issad Rebrab. Issad, who founded the Cevital Group, remains the country’s richest individual with a net worth of $3 billion, according to Forbes.
Omar banned from company leadership roles
The order, issued on July 9, 2025, follows a court ruling linked to an ongoing investigation into suspected business irregularities involving Omar. The Bank of Algeria sent a formal directive to bank directors instructing them to suspend all dealings with him. This development echoes earlier legal challenges faced by his father, who in recent years served time in prison and faced restrictions on his business activities.
The memo, signed by the General Director of Foreign Exchange, references a July 3 notification from the General Directorate of National Security enforcing the court’s decision. It bars Omar from holding any position of authority—such as manager, director, or board member—in any company. The Central Bank stressed full compliance and directed financial institutions to redirect any questions to the relevant judicial bodies.
Malik Rebrab expands billion-dollar empire
Founded by Issad Rebrab in 1998, Cevital Group has grown into Algeria’s largest private company. It owns one of the world’s biggest sugar refineries, capable of producing 2 million tons per year. The group operates 26 subsidiaries across three continents and is active in sectors such as food processing, logistics, real estate, automotive distribution, home appliances, and renewable energy.
Issad stepped down as CEO in 2022, passing the reins to Malik Rebrab, who brought with him international business experience, including a stint at Xerox in Morocco. Since taking over, Malik has focused on modernizing operations and expanding the company’s international footprint. Cevital now also owns European firms such as Groupe Brandt in France and aluminum producer Alas Iberia in Spain.
Algerian authorities appear to be backing Malik Rebrab, Omar’s brother, who now leads Cevital. Malik enjoys strong support from key business circles and has been entrusted by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune with overseeing a new domestic sugar refinery project aimed at cutting the country’s reliance on imports—a market long dominated by Cevital.
Cevital commits to cleaner future
In May, Cevital, under Malik Rebrab’s leadership, signed a deal with Spanish firm Lantania to build a wastewater treatment plant at its industrial site in Béjaïa, a key port city on Algeria’s Mediterranean coast. The project reflects the group’s broader efforts to improve environmental standards and upgrade its industrial infrastructure.
The plant, set to open in the fourth quarter of 2025, will treat wastewater from the sugar production process using advanced biological and mechanical systems. It will be equipped with a moving bed biological reactor (MBBR) and a sludge dewatering screw, capable of processing up to 75 cubic meters of water per hour. Once operational, the facility is expected to play a key role in supporting the sustainability of Cevital’s busy Béjaïa site.
