Who’s Who: Speakers at Egypt Economic Summit – Episode One

As Egypt’s landmark Economic Summit is soon to start this month, Amwal Al Ghad will publish daily episodes to get to know more about the key speakers at the event.

Egypt has mandated a number of high-profile economists to promote its economic summit, which will take place on March 13-15, 2015, with the theme of “Egypt the Future”.

The level of representation, both from within Egypt and around the globe, from business and politics will be unprecedented in the recent history of Egypt.

The conference has been deliberately structured to allow delegates to mingle freely and discuss substantive matters in a discreet setting; a significant networking opportunity. There will be special times set aside for one-to-one meetings with the President and his Ministers.

The conference is a unique opportunity to hear first-hand of the economic vision and sector plans that the Egyptian government has prepared to drive investment and growth, all with strong private sector participation.

In the first episode, below is a list of key five speakers with a brief biography.

1- Naguib Sawiris – Chairman and CEO of Orascom Telecom Media and Technology Holding:

Egyptian business tycoon Naguib Sawiris will among key speakers for the country’s landmark economic event.

Sawiris is Chairman of the Board of Weather Investments II, La Mancha Resources’ parent company and is also the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Orascom Telecom Media and Technology Holding (OTMT).

He founded Orascom Telecom Holding OTH and led it to become the leading regional telecom player until the much-publicized merger deal with Vimpelcom, creating the world’s sixth largest mobile telecommunications provider in April 2011.

As part of the merger deal, Sawiris has spun off Orascom Telecom’s non-GSM operations and Egyptian-based telecom assets into OTMT, of which he is currently Executive Chairman.

At international and regional levels, Sawiris serves on a number of boards, committees and councils including the Advisory Committee to the NYSE Board of Directors, the Supreme Council for Sciences and Technology in Egypt, and the Arab Thought Foundation.

Sawiris is currently taking a controlling stake in European news channel Euronews, after acquiring 53 percent of the news channel for €35 million ($40 million). He has said the broadcaster will resist pressure from both repressive regimes and European politicians calling for western media outlets to provide a counterweight to Kremlin-controlled Russia Today.

“A news channel should be an open window for all opinions,” he told journalists. “A channel can only be successful if it presents both views. If you decide to present one view, or interfere in blocking some people’s views, you are not a respectable channel and you lose credibility.

“The channel has been perceived quite strongly as a neutral channel and nothing will change that. We are going to have very good protection for the content. No interferences are going to be allowed.”

In an earlier statement, the Euronews chairman described Sawiris’ arrival as a “tremendous asset”, as the European news channel seeks capital for its growth plans.

2-  Mohamed Alabbar – Chairman of UAE Emaar Properties:

Mohamed Alabbar is one of the Middle East’s most respected and recognised businessmen. The founder and chairman of global property developer Emaar Properties, he is well-known for his pioneering role in positioning Dubai as a world-class city.

Alabbar is the Founder & Chairman of Africa Middle East Resources, which unlocks the potential of natural resources in Africa, and Chairman of Tradewinds Corporation, a leisure and hospitality owner-operator in Malaysia.

A member of the Dubai World Expo 2020 Preparatory Committee, Alabbar was the founding Director General of the Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED) and served as a member of the Dubai Executive Council and Dubai Economic Council.

3-  Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar – CEO of UAE Etisalat Group:

Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar is Etisalat Group’s Chief Executive Officer, having formerly held the position of Chief Operations Officer at Etisalat UAE. He also previously served as the General Manager for Etisalat’s Dubai Region operations.

4-  Ahmed Heikal – Chairman and Founder of Qalaa Holdings:

Ahmed Heikal chairs African leader in infrastructure and industry and one of Egypt’s largest investment companies Qalaa Holdings (formerly Citadel Capital). After a successful decade-long run as Africa’s largest private equity firm, Qalaa has transformed into an investment holding company with a focus on infrastructure and industry.

Prior to founding Qalaa Holdings, Ahmed Heikal was an executive board member and Managing Director of EFG Hermes Holding, which he helped transform from a small financial consultancy into the leading investment bank in the Arab world and the second largest full-service investment bank in global emerging markets.

He was head of asset management (1994-95), head of securities (1997-99), head of investment banking (1996-97) and head of private equity (1999-2001). There, he spearheaded highly successful private equity investments, one leading to the creation of Egypt’s leading IT company (Raya Holding) and another to the nation’s largest natural gas distribution company (Genco).

Heikal also raised three rounds of finance for regional mobile telecommunications operator Orascom Telecom and led the IPOs of Orascom Construction Industries and Orascom Hotels, among other landmark transactions. Heikal holds a Master’s degree and a PhD in Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management from Stanford University.

5-  Ahmed Zewail – Nobel Laureate in Chemistry and Linus Pauling Chair Professor:

Ahmed Zewail is a world-renowned scientist, scholar and statesman. He is the sole recipient of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and, in the same year, he received Egypt’s Grand Collar of the Nile. Zewail’s other honors include Orders of Merits, Postage Stamps, more than 100 international awards, and some 50 honorary degrees in the sciences, arts, medicine, law, philosophy, and humane letters.

Currently, he holds the Linus Pauling Chair Professorship and the directorship of a major research center at Caltech. He has published some 600 articles and 14 books and is known for his effective public lectures and writings, not only on science but also in global affairs. For his leadership role in these world affairs, he received, among others, the “Top American Leaders Award” from The Washington Post and Harvard University.

In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed him to the Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, and in the same year he was named the first U.S. Science Envoy to the Middle East. Subsequently, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon invited Zewail to join the UN Scientific Advisory Board.

In 2014, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi decreed his appointment to the Council of Advisors for the State of Egypt. Following the 2011 Egyptian revolution, the government established “Zewail City of Science and Technology” as the national project for scientific renaissance, and Zewail became its first Chairman of the Board of Trustees.