Princesse El-Materi Holdings Princesse El-Materi Holdings Princesse El Materi Holding was a company created by the Tunisian businessman Sakher El Materi, the son-in-law of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who was President of Tunisia until 2011. Princesse El Materi Holdings used nepotism and improper money to acquire illegitimate businesses. Under Ben Ali's rule, the company become one of the largest conglomerates in Tunisia. It actively held companies in six different industry sectors, including News and Media, Banking and Financial Services, Automotive, Shipping and Cruises, Real Estate and Agriculture. On November 22, 2010, the group also diversified into the Telecommunication industry. Princesse El Materi
Leïla Ben Ali daughter of a dried fruit seller to First Lady. Prior to her 1992 marriage to Ben Ali, she was a hairdresser with little formal education, partying hard in Paris. She was married for three years to Khelil Maaouia. She then had an affair with industrial magnate, Farid Mokhtar, a friend of the Prime Minister who introduced her to the highest levels of Tunisian society. After her romantic relationship and subsequent marriage to Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, she and her family rose to prominent positions in Tunisian business and became noted for their greed, power and ruthlessness. Leila