A reception was held on Friday, November 28, 2025 at the BSB Toyota headquarters in La Marsa to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the death of the late Béchir Salem Belkhiria (1930-1985), founder of the BSB group. A visionary, pioneer and avant-garde man, Béchir Salem Belkhiria dreamed of a modern and prosperous Tunisia, inspired by international successes, and saw the private sector as an essential key to its development.
The event was marked by the screening of a new film retracing his journey, his values and the main milestones of his action in the service of national development. The screening was followed by an open discussion with witnesses, experts and former collaborators, allowing us to recall the historical significance of his work and to update the issues of his vision.
The family facing an exceptional inheritance
During the ceremony, his nephews Moez and Nacef Belkhiria — who consider their uncle a mentor — delivered speeches deeply charged with emotion, recalling the major influence of their uncle on their personal and professional lives and the immensity of the legacy he leaves.
They described a rigorous and demanding man, but deeply generous, and underlined his ability to anticipate industrial changes, his daily discipline, his strategic vision, his role in training new generations of executives, and the importance he attached to culture, education and sciences.
In his speech, Moez Belkhiria insisted on the continuity of a collective destiny built around strong values: “We don’t just celebrate a name or a journey. We celebrate a spirit, a commitment and a vision. Our responsibility is to continue to honor this heritage, not by freezing it in the past, but by adapting it for the future. The BSB group will continue to move forward, faithful to the principles of Béchir Salem Belkhiria: integrity, work, innovation and trust. »
The strongest moment was his closing message: “We hope to have fulfilled the last wishes of the late Béchir Salem Belkhiria, taking care of his legacy and the society he built. »
Then he turned to the young people: “My uncle wanted his company to be a unifying space, a school where everyone gains experience, finds an idea and launches their own project. He never hesitated to help. This door will remain open. »
A visionary journey: curiosity, audacity and industrialization
From his childhood, Béchir Salem Belkhiria showed an insatiable curiosity. Observer of systems, organizations and mechanisms, he understood very early that reflection had to be combined with action. This ability to connect ideas and implementation will become the hallmark of his career.
In the 1960s, he multiplied daring initiatives. From the study of a Tunis–Marseille maritime line to the creation of the Aqdām company, specializing in air conditioning, through modern breeding and administrative modernization, each project reflects its pioneering spirit and its ability to anticipate the future needs of the country.
The 1970s marked a turning point. Inspired by his trip to Japan, he introduced technological innovations to Tunisia such as the photocopier and the fax machine, attempted to launch structuring industrial projects, and founded technical schools to disseminate industrial know-how. His curiosity and daring also extended to sport: he officially introduced rugby in Tunisia, structured the first practices and contributed to its national and international influence.
The end of the 1970s saw the meeting with Toyota and the establishment of a pioneering partnership. One of his greatest accomplishments was obtaining official Toyota representation in Tunisia without any written contract, at a time when international partnerships required exceptional credibility. Thanks to him:
- the Toyota brand has acquired a reputation for quality and reliability on the Tunisian market;
- distribution networks have become structured;
- international standards have been introduced in terms of after-sales service, training and commercial management.
He understood very early on that success was not based solely on sales, but on the quality of service, team training and scrupulous compliance with commitments. Its vision goes beyond the business, touching on training, innovation and economic culture.
From 1975, he also compiled customs data relating to the tools and materials necessary for import-export and wrote a work entitled Recueil des Droits et Taxes de Douanes, which facilitates procedures for suppliers and exporters, while giving a clear vision of costs. This manual, unique in its kind, has met with great success both among professionals and administrations.
Mentor and knowledge broker: inspiring young people and the country
Béchir Salem Belkhiria considered the training of young people as the key to national development. Each employee was encouraged to experiment, express their ideas and dream big.
Beyond the business, he participated in international exchanges, bringing to Tunisia innovative practices and ideas from Europe and Asia. He was a builder of links and a transmitter of knowledge, inspiring new generations through example and concrete action.
A man of action and tireless promoter of integrated development, his vision revolved around three major axes: the promotion of a new economic culture, the creation of pilot companies in strategic sectors and the launch of model projects in the regions, promoting employment and innovation. Very early on, he pleaded for an economic opening towards South-East Asia and a diversification of partnerships, always keeping a liberal approach looking to the future.
The testimonies collected during the commemoration painted the portrait of a demanding but profoundly fair man, generous without ostentation, passionate about innovation, convinced that success only has meaning if it is shared.
Everyone agrees on one point: Béchir Salem Belkhiria never compromised with integrity. He founded a corporate culture based on trust, loyalty, quality of work and social responsibility long before these notions became international standards.
A living heritage: innovation and transmission
The commemoration was not limited to honoring the past. Two major agreements were signed to extend the work of Béchir Salem Belkhiria:
- BSB and Novation City for the creation of an incubation center to support innovative projects.
- BSB, Béchir Salem Belkhiria Association for Culture and Sciences as well as the Higher Institute of Digital Engineering of Tunis (Hide) for the construction of a training network in artificial intelligence, oriented towards the professions of the future.
Two initiatives, the same message: continue what he started.
Forty years after his death, Béchir Salem Belkhiria is not just a memory. He remains a model and a benchmark for younger generations. In all the testimonies, one word keeps coming back: “precursor”.
As a former employee sums it up: “Some men build businesses. He was building horizons. »
His legacy continues to live on, in the infrastructures and projects he initiated, in the culture of the company he founded, and in the conviction that audacity, innovation and sharing are the keys to a better future.
I.N.
