On 1 November 1971, during the Moroccanization, the company was expropriated and re-branded as Maroc Soir, editing Le Matin and Maroc Soir.[4][2] In 2001, the group was acquired by Othman Benjelloun[6] and sold again in March 2004 to its current Saudi owner, businessman Othman Al Omeir, a former editor-in-chief of Asharq Alawsat and current owner of Elaph.[7][8] He acquired the group for $16 million.[1]