Exchanges was created to fill a need first noted by its founder, Bill Mills, while Executive Director of an American Language Center, within the American Cultural Association (ACA). Set up initially as an initiative of the United States Agency for International Services (USAIS), ACA created and developed language instruction schools and Anglophone book shops in most of the country’s major cities.
• Exchanges & Communication, S.A.R.L. was founded in 1994 in Casablanca by William L. Mills and his American and Moroccan partners. Among the latter was Abdelkader Chennaoui, the current CEO.
• First client was IEHM/International Institute of Higher Education in Morocco, in Rabat, followed by the American Language Centers in Morocco (including their bookstores and academic departments) and the newly formed Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane.
• Exchanges has subsequently expanded its client base to include the American Schools in Morocco and the English studies programs of private schools and universities throughout the country.
• In the late 1990s, Exchanges purchased and built its current headquarters in central Casablanca, including administrative offices, a book shop and state of the art warehouse and logistics center.
• In 2019, the company celebrated its 25th anniversary with an event attended by important representatives of the UK’s top educational publishers, as well as many respected representatives of Morocco’s academic and government establishments.
• In 2020, Mr. Mills passed away, leaving the proud legacy of a fine import and distribution firm which is one of Morocco’s most highly regarded suppliers of published material in service to the country’s fast-growing sector of English speakers. As Mr. Mills intended, Exchanges is now led by Abdelkader Chennaoui.