He left Morocco without a student loan and turned his sacrifices into €138,000

Ismail El Yacoubi’s journey began in Morocco, where he grew up in a family whose father ran a small law firm. His father’s sudden death, when Ismail was only 16, upended his life and his relationship with money.

His father left no debts, and his finances were perfectly organized. “It was a painful period, but it taught me the value of money,” the young Moroccan told the British newspaper The i Paper.

A year later, Ismail left Morocco to study mechanical engineering at Oxford Brookes University. As he was not entitled to a British student loan, he used part of the inheritance left by his father to pay his tuition fees.

On Bladi.net : article 123590

To reduce his expenses, he initially lived with relatives two hours from campus. When he missed the last train, he sometimes preferred to sleep in the library rather than pay for a taxi. He then became a night watchman: the position was unpaid, but it allowed him to occupy a studio for only £50 a month.

During his studies, the young Moroccan also worked as a tour guide, receptionist and events assistant. By the time he graduated, he was already working as an engineer and earning £2,200 net per month. Despite his university expenses, he managed to save £40,000, or approximately €46,000.

He starts investing at 22

Ismail El Yacoubi did not leave these savings sitting in a bank account. At 22, he began investing in order to protect his money from inflation. His portfolio is now worth £120,000, the equivalent of approximately €138,000.

Most of his money is invested in diversified index funds. He holds around £35,000 in a private pension plan, £84,000 in tax-advantaged investment accounts and nearly £3,700 in other assets.

This strategy contrasts with the habits of part of the diaspora, as nearly one dirham out of every four held by individuals in Moroccan banks belongs to MRE.

Ismail does not want to depend on the British state pension in his old age. His aim is to build up enough capital for that pension to become an optional supplement rather than a necessity.

Nor is he rushing to buy a home. Based in Birmingham with his wife, he prefers to rent and retain the flexibility offered by his financial investments. He believes that not becoming a homeowner immediately does not necessarily mean missing out on an opportunity.

On Bladi.net : At 25, this Moroccan joins France’s 500 wealthiest fortunes

In November 2025, the Moroccan eventually left his engineering job to focus on his financial education business. His activity, fueled in particular by his videos, commercial partnerships and affiliate links, generates between £5,000 and £10,000 a month. He pays himself a monthly income of £2,000.

At 26, he is not necessarily planning to retire at 40. Above all, he seeks to have enough freedom to change careers, take a break from work or devote more time to his family without immediately fearing the financial consequences.