Business Today Egypt (BT) - March/April 2022 - Women in Business Today issue by اليوم السابع

March-April 2022 Vol 28 Issue 3-4

LE 30

WOMEN IN BUSINESS STORIES OF EMPOWERED WOMEN WHO OWNED THEIR NARRATIVE

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Editor’s Note

Women in Business Today

hile we celebrate and praise women throughout the year, International Women’s Day (March 8) and Women’s Month reminds us to take stock of how far we have come in women’s empowerment and representation within the country, and the reasons why we must continue to highlight it. Egypt’s efforts in promoting gender parity and equality have seen significant returns in the past few years; Egyptian women now represent 24% of the Cabinet of Ministers, and now hold more than 160 seats in parliament (27%), according to a March report by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics. In the same month, 98 women took their seats on the judicial benches of the State Council as judges for the first time since the appointment of Egypt’s first, and previously only, female judge Tahany El-Gebaly in 2003. During the pandemic, Egypt was called a “driving force behind the UN General Assembly Resolution to strengthen the national and international rapid response to the impact of COVID-19 on women and girls,” by UN Women Egypt. According to Minister of Planning and Economic Development Hala El-Said in January, Egypt was the first country to issue a policy paper on the status of women after the start of the pandemic, and was ranked first by UN Women and the United Nations Development Program on the measures taken by countries around the world to support women during the pandemic period. As a primarily female-powered magazine, Business Today has had a longstanding commitment towards promoting gender parity and equality, women’s empowerment, and a more inclusive working ecosystem through advocating for better inclusion through education, upskilling and hiring practices. To this end, we have launched our Women in Business Today issue. For our special Women in Business Today edition, we had the opportunity to hold a series of interviews with several inspiring women who have made it to the top of their fields and industries, as well as young women whose efforts in breaking the rules have encouraged others to do the same. 4

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Founder William Harrison (1940–1995) Executive Editor-in-Chief Mohamed Abdel Baky Managing Editor Noha Mohammed Deputy Managing Editor Yasmine Hassan Women In Business Hanan Mohamed Christine Salzmann Staff Writers Nourhan Magdi Noha El Tawil Amr Kandil Art Director Wael Wahba Creative Supervisor and Graphic Designer Heba Mekky Business Development and Communications Director Imane Hassan Business Development Director Sherif Anis Senior Sales Manager Sayed Abo El Magd For advertising inquiries please contact

01010611084 businesstodayegypt btegyptmag Business Today Egypt, founded in 1995, is published monthly by International Business Associates Group, Cayman Islands. US Office: Business Today, P.O. Box 2191, Austin, TX 78768. Tel: + 1 (512) 743-6279. Camera-ready advertising copy deadlines are the 10th of the month preceding publication; reservations, cancellations and changes must be made by the 20th of every month. Editorial, Sales & Subscription Offices 6 Wezaret El-Zeraa, Mohandiseen, Arab Republic of Egypt. Tel: (02) 2773331 / 27704596 / 25772545 editor@businesstodayegypt.com sales@businesstodayegypt.com subscriptions@businesstodayegypt.com CTP & printing: Al Ahram Commercial Press

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Amideast in Partnership with Citi Foundation to Celebrate the Graduation of the Third Group of Young Entrepreneurs from Upper Egypt

mideast and Citi Foundation were pleased to celebrate on March 26th the graduation of the third cohort of the Youth Entrepreneurship Program (YEP), an initiative designed to support young Egyptian entrepreneurs who seek to develop, launch, or expand viable businesses. This year’s graduation recognizes 81 men and women from Upper Egypt and their 17 businesses following their successful completion of the program, which was funded by Citi Foundation and designed and implemented by Amideast. YEP is part of a multi-country Skills for Success® grant that Citi Foundation has awarded Amideast to benefit underserved youth in Egypt through its Pathways to Progress initiative, which prepares urban youth with career readiness tools and opportunities to thrive in today’s economy. “Amideast is proud of our longstanding partnership with Citi Foundation and thrilled that we offer the fully-funded Youth Entrepreneurship Program for the third time in Egypt—and for the first time in Upper Egypt,” said Shahinaz Ahmed, Amideast’s country director for Egypt. “We focused this year on the inspiring youth population in Upper Egypt to empower innovation and entrepreneurship in Upper Egypt, a key goal for both Amideast and Citi.”

Ms. Ahmed also noted that YEP’s Pay-It-Forward model extended the program’s benefits to an additional 840 youth. This innovative feature of many Amideast programs empowers the participants to lead workshops in which they share the knowledge they acquired during the program with peers in their communities. The benefits to both students and those they teach are significant. “It’s incredible to see the pride that develops when students teach others—the change in their being that occurs when an institution places such trust in them,” she added. On behalf of Citi Foundation, Mohamed Abdel Kader, Country Manager, Citibank Egypt, added, “We are proud to partner with Amideast and to invest in youth in Egypt through targeted empowerment programs. Such programs catalyze economic growth through Citi Foundation grants and in partnership with reputed regional NGOs.” YEP is just one of many ways in which Amideast seeks to better position Egyptian youth to realize economic security and thereby a brighter future for themselves, their communities, and ultimately Egypt. Participants in YEP-Upper Egypt benefited from training, coaching and mentoring, and business-incubation and seed-funding opportunities.

In This Issue Vol. 28 No. 3-4 | March-April 2022

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4 Editor’s Note 8 In Brief 14 Women in Business 22 Women in Business Today Recognizing and honoring prominent Egyptian women as they challenge and break biases. 16 At the forefront | Egypt’s female leaders challenging biases from within With almost 25% of ministerial portfolios, representing 8 ministers, and 7.1% in executive leadership positions occupied by women, Egyptian women have been able to access a wider range of important leadership and decision making positions than ever before. 84 bt Scene 90 Last Word

© COPYRIGHT BUSINESS TODAY EGYPT 2021. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Printed in Egypt at Ahram Printing House. Business Today Egypt, founded in 1995, is published monthly by International Business Associates Group, Cayman Islands. US Office: Business Today Egypt, P.O. Box 2191, Austin, TX 78768. Representative Office: 6 Wezaret el Zeraa, Mohandiseen. Tel: +2 (02) 2755-5000. Manuscripts, reports and other material submitted must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. However, Business Today Egypt cannot be responsible for unsolicited material. Advertising camera-ready copy deadlines are the 10th of the month preceding publication; reservations, cancellations and changes must be made by the 20th of every month. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Rates for a full- year subscription are LE 180 in Egypt and $100 outside Egypt. Far East, Latin America, South America, Australia and New Zealand are $120 for one year. Allow four weeks for delivery of first issue on new subscriptions. Send address changes to: Business Today Egypt, 6 Wezaret El-Zeraa, Mohandiseen, Cairo, Egypt. E-mail: subscriptions@businesstodayegypt.com. Subscribers in the US: Please send address changes to: Subscriptions Dept., Business Today Egypt, P.O. Box 2191, Austin, TX 78768. Tel: 512-743-6279. Please allow for four weeks for address change to take effect. US email inquiries to iba.media@sbcglobal.net. Back copies are also available from the same department and from the Cairo address.

March-April 2022

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‫أقوي األفالم واألعمال الدرامية واألحداث‬ ‫الرياضية بدون إعالنات‬

‫‪www.watchit.com‬‬

In Brief Egypt Egypt achieves primary surplus of 1.46% of GDP in 2020/21 Egypt achieved a primary surplus of 1.46 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), which was used to finance part of the interests of the public debt, which contributed to reducing the total deficit to 7.4 percent of GDP, according to Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait. Maait pointed out that the volume of public spending on social dimension programs increased in the 2020-2021 budget, which led to an increase in the total expenditures of the 2020/2021 fiscal year by 10 percent to reach LE 1.6 trillion. He explained that the results of the final account of the 2020/2021’s budget reflect the bias of the political leadership to the most favored groups by adopting social dimension policies, as public spending on wages and workers’ compensation rose to LE 318.8 billion, compared to LE 288.8 billion in the 2020-2021 fiscal year, with a growth rate of 10.4 percent. Expenditure on subsidizing food commodities rose to LE 83 billion, compared to LE 80.4 billion in the 2020-2021 fiscal year, with an increase of 3.2 percent, and actual spending on the social protection sector increased by 16.5 percent over the 2020-2021 fiscal year.

Egypt, KfW sign development financing agreement worth €26M Egypt and the German Development Bank (KfW) signed a development financing agreement worth €26 million. The agreement is to finance the project “Rehabilitation of Hydroelectric Power Plants in Aswan Governorate - Phase Two” to be implemented by the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy within the framework of an agreement Financial cooperation between the Egyptian and German governments. The project aims to replace and renew the transformers of the water stations in Aswan Governorate so that the electricity generated from the water stations can be used until the end of their life, according to a statement from the ministry. It also aims to maintain the stations’ operational efficiency and benefit from the stations’ operational economic competitiveness in light of their low operating costs.

S&P affirms Egypt’s credit rating at B/B with stable outlook Standard & Poor’s (S&P) kept Egypt’s long and short-term foreign and local currency sovereign credit ratings at B/B with a stable outlook, following a similar move by Fitch, which kept the rating at B+, also with a stable outlook.

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Fitch affirms Egypt’s rating at ‘B+’ with stable outlook Fitch Ratings affirmed Egypt’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at ‘B+’ with a Stable Outlook. Fitch elaborated in a report that Egypt’s ratings are supported by its recent record of fiscal and economic reforms, its large economy with robust growth and strong support from bilateral and multilateral partners. “The ratings remain constrained by weak external liquidity metrics amid still substantial reliance on non-resident investments in the local bond market, large fiscal deficits, high general government debt/GDP, and domestic and regional security and political risks,” it noted.

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March-April 2022

In Brief Egypt

Egypt partners with CNN to highlight int’l partnerships for sustainable development Egypt’s Ministry of International Cooperation (MOIC) and CNN International Commercial (CNNIC) announced their collaboration on a new global advertising campaign, Building Forward: Stories from Egypt. The campaign will highlight the country’s international partnerships for sustainable development. It illustrates Egypt’s collaboration with bilateral and multilateral development partners and international financial institutions that fosters multilateralism to

push an inclusive, digital and green economy. Under Egypt’s Global Partnerships Narrative centered on people at the core and projects in action and purpose as the driver - the campaign focuses on telling the country’s development stories across different sectors including: transitioning to renewable energy, advancing sustainable transportation networks, optimizing the use of water resources, and supporting entrepreneurship and women’s economic empowerment.

Egypt signs MoU for French, Emirati projects to produce green fuel in SCZone Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly witnessed the signing ceremony for 2 Memoranda of Understanding. The first MOU is among the General Authority of Suez Canal Economic Zone, the Sovereign Fund of Egypt, the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company, the Authority of New and Renewable Energy, and EDF Renewables and Zero-Waste Egypt Alliance. The second MOU is among the Egyptian government parties and AMEA Power UAE which is affiliated with Al Nowais Group. The Memoranda of Understanding are aiming to establish projects to produce green fuel and green ammonia in the Sokhna. “Signing the memorandum of

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understanding with the French company EDF Renewables and Zero-Waste Egy Alliance aims to establish a project to produce 350,000 tons of green fuel annually in the Sokhna area through two phases, with investments of $3 billion. The work will begin in the first phase with a production capacity of 140,000 tons for ship bunkering purposes. The Commercial operation will take place in the first quarter of 2026. The second memorandum of understanding with EMEA Power, a subsidiary of the Emirati Al Nowais Group, aims to produce green ammonia and hydrogen in Sokhna, with a production capacity of 240,000 tons annually in the first phase of the project,” Chairman of SCZone, Yehia Zaki declared.

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March-April 2022

Investing in Egypt, Sustainability and Infrastructure |

Sitting Down with Egis CEO Laurent Germain

“

Infrastructure has always been key to foster development,” says Laurent Germain, CEO of international infrastructure group Egis. In the past few years, the pandemic exposed the need to rebuild and strengthen infrastructure all around the world, with several governments incorporating infrastructure spending as part of economic stimulus in order to develop economies that are more resilient. “Why? Because when you construct infrastructure, you build additional activities – commercial activities, financial activities – so it has more than an effect of just building infrastructure. It builds a whole ecosystem, with a lot of positive impact on the economy,” explained Germain. Business Today sat down with Germain during his latest visit to Egypt to discuss Egis’ growing activity in the country and the Middle East as post-pandemic recovery strategies around the globe zone in on revitalization of infrastructure as a priority. When asked about Egypt’s progress in infrastructure development, Germain told us that Egypt is definitely moving in the right direction. Highlighting infrastructure is at the heart of Egypt’s Vision 2030, the French CEO praised President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s strategy as leveraging and supporting one of Egypt’s biggest assets, its population. “I think that infrastructure is a key element for a company to invest in a country. [Egypt’s population] is now at 105 million, but it will soon be 140 million, and building infrastructure will be key to hav[ing] the ability to house these people; for them to be mobile in the country and to attract foreign investors” he specified. Egis Overview The French leader in infrastructure, Egis’ international activities account for 65% of its global revenues, with the Middle East representing 13% of their global revenues with projects in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman and Egypt. “Egis will be a 1.4 billion Euro company in 2022… This year we have experienced 10% organic growth. The company is very dynamic; we do 75% engineering, 25% activities in operations, maintenance, and concessions in infrastructure,” stated Germain, who affirmed that they had been present in Egypt for a significant amount of time. Egis in Egypt Egis is widely known for its project and construction management work, particularly in the railway sector which includes Cairo Metro’s lines 2, 3 and 6, as well as the Alexandria tramway network’s Raml Line. “In 2020, Egypt was one of the only countries without a recession, and it is forecasted that it will have 5% growth on average per year in the next few years, and so, now, we want to [help] speed up that

growth. This is why Sameh Atalla [Managing Director - Egis Egypt] has been recruited, to define a new ambitious strategy, which is to lead us to a $10 million in turnover in Egypt. As well as opening new areas of business, especially in the water [and] aviation sectors, so that we have a whole portfolio of activities that reflects the Egis scale globally.” During his latest visit to Egypt, Germain met with several ministries and companies in Egypt, including the Minister of Aviation, representatives from the ministries of Housing, Transportation, the National Authority for Tunnels, ENR, and several contractors. According to the CEO, his visit mainly focused on expanding the company’s awareness in Egypt. “Egis isn’t as known as other engineering firms in the Egyptian market, and I needed for them to understand the broad activities we are doing all over the world. That we are one of the main players, and to deliver the message that we are here for the long term, and we will continue to invest, especially in recruiting a lot of Egyptian engineers to have a solid base to be able to produce the studies for all this infrastructure in Egypt…” “This was one of the main objectives of my visit. To create partnerships. So I met with clients in the public and private sectors in addition to local potential partners to bid on big projects. We’ve met with multiple contractors, so that we can create and build partnerships in the country.” Investing In Infrastructure “I [believe] that infrastructure is a key element for a company to invest in a country. I think Egypt is on the right path and the proof of that is that Egypt is the country that will benefit the most from financing by the French government through its agencies such as AFD [Agence Française de Développement] and other governmental bodies,” Germain explained when asked about Egypt’s progress so far in regards of developing its infrastructure. “In 2022, Egypt will become the country that we [the French] will conduct the most development programs with in the world, this gives you an idea of the focus that the French government, but also the French companies, have on Egypt. Not only in the defense area, but also in the water area, in the infrastructure area, [as well as] financial and tourism sectors of course. I think this is only the beginning of the reinforcement of the economic ties between France and Egypt.” “Egis will also want to take this opportunity and reinforce itself in the Egyptian market in the same context,” Germain said, emphasizing the commitment Egis has to developing projects in the country. As a global company dedicated to sustainable development, Egis has gained a reputation for providing and integrating innovative and sustainable solutions in its designs, winning several international awards and global acclaim. When asked how has Egis brought this mentality to its Egyptian projects, Germain replied with “This is a very interesting question,

Egypt will have to continue to build a lot of infrastructure, and while Egypt is very committed to the fight against climate change, there is a paradox. If you implement more infrastructure you will have more gas emissions, and at the same time you need to reduce them.” “Companies like Egis are the solution, we have the engineers who have the ability to build infrastructure which will lead to fewer gas emissions through what we call eco-conception. [Eco-conception] is incorporating environmental considerations starting from material selection in the design stage to the method of construction and finally operations.” “This is the role of a company like Egis, to reconcile both the logistics of development and, at the same time, for this infrastructure to be sustainable and produce fewer gas emissions than before.” During our sit-down, Germain expressed his thoughts on the challenges companies specialized in infrastructure development and construction in Egypt and the region are facing today. The CEO stated that solving the paradox is one of the region’s main challenges, as countries need to continue developing infrastructure but also move towards reducing its carbon footprint. “[It is important] in the Middle East to continue to build the necessary infrastructure to foster development, while at the same time provide solutions to have greener cities [that are] more livable, more enjoyable, and more sustainable. This is the role that I [have] signed the company in the Middle East for.” What should we expect from Egis in 2022? A lot of expansion and acquisitions, the CEO stressed, saying, “what you can expect is more involvement and investment in the region, firstly in acquisitions. We will announce, hopefully in the next few weeks… the closing of an acquisition of a $50 million company in the Middle East.”

Egis is also looking into investing more in operations, maintenance, and concessions, as well as investments in cultivating the local workforce. In regards to expanding their portfolio, Germain hopes that regional governments will continue to be more open to private sector inclusion. “Hopefully the countries will understand the added-value of having private companies operating their roads, highways, and airports and we are expecting that more bids will be launched in operations and maintenance,” he explained. “We already have contracts in operations and maintenance for 50 highways and 17 Airports around the world and we are ready to take on more, especially in the Middle East.” “[Additionally, what] you can expect more from us is the training investment that we want to do. We absolutely want to reinforce the localization of the workforce… I really want us to take part in the increase of the technical and engineering competence of the engineers from these countries through the academies that we have so that, I would say, we are more and more local in the way that we deal with the market.” Germain added that Egis currently has several worldwide programs that their Egyptian engineers can benefit from. When asked, if he had a free pass, what his dream project in Egypt would be, Germain expressed his hope to expand his company’s portfolio in the transportation sector. “We have been very known in Egypt for the metro projects, working on line 1 and 2 and 3 and 6 of the Cairo Metro. And I think the next step or the project I would dream of is [to do] high-speed train projects, because we have been doing high speed trains, and studies for high-speed trains all over the world, especially in the domestic market of France. There are a lot of high-speed line projects in Egypt, so of course there is a lot of competition and I definitely plan to get involved in the high speed line projects of the country.”

Women in Business

Women in Business Today Recognizing and honoring prominent Egyptian women as they challenge and break biases While we celebrate and praise women throughout the year, International Women’s Day (March 8) and Women’s Month reminds us to take stock of how far we have come in women’s empowerment and representation within the country, and the reasons why we must continue to highlight it. Egypt’s efforts in promoting gender parity and equality have seen significant returns in the past few years; Egyptian women now represent 24% of the Cabinet of Ministers, and now hold more than 160 seats in parliament (27%), according to a March report by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics. In the same month, 98 women took their seats on the judicial benches of the State Council as judges for the first time since the appointment of Egypt’s first, and previously only, female judge Tahany El-Gebaly in 2003. During the pandemic, Egypt was called a “driving force behind the UN General Assembly Resolution to strengthen the national and international rapid response to the impact of COVID-19 on women and girls,” by UN Women Egypt. According to Minister of Planning and Economic Development Hala El-Said in January, Egypt was the first country to issue a policy paper on the status of women after the start of the pandemic, and was ranked first by UN Women and the United Nations Development Program on the measures taken by countries around the world to support women during the pandemic period. As a primarily female-powered magazine, Business Today has had a longstanding commitment towards promoting gender parity and equality, women’s empowerment, and a more inclusive working ecosystem through advocating for better inclusion through education, upskilling and hiring practices. To this end, we have launched our Women in Business Today issue. For our special Women in Business Today edition, we had the opportunity to hold a series of interviews with several inspiring women who have made it to the top of their fields and industries, as well as young women whose efforts in breaking the rules have encouraged others to do the same. Business Today Egypt honors and highlights these women, their achievements, and their work as some of the biggest decision-makers in the country, leading their institutions, organizations and ministries with the aim of improving the lives of everyday citizens and their country. Through these pages and interviews, you shall hear from some of Egypt’s leading women on their journeys to the top, the challenges they have faced and battle to this day, and their personal lives and thoughts on being a woman in the workplace today. Finally, to women across the country and the world, we say thank you for your strength, leadership, and effort.

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Location: Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza Photographer : Hossam Youssef

Our video interview series can be found on our Facebook and Instagram channels under @btegyptmag 14

March-April 2022

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Women in Business

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March-April 2022

Women in Business

NIVINE EL-KABBAG Minister of Social Solidarity

ivine El-Kabbag has been appointed as the Minister of Social Solidarity since 2019. El-Kabbag has acknowledged a remarkable progress in social protection initiatives, such as Haya Karima (A Decent Life) which aims at improving the quality of livelihood in villages and underprivileged areas across the country, especially amid the coronavirus crisis. A 2021 report by the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development revealed that the initiative has reduced poverty rates in some villages by 14%, provided basic services to 50% of the villages, and raised the efficiency of 12,000 houses. El-Kabbag graduated from Cairo University’s Faculty of Economy and Political Science in 1987. She worked as an assistant researcher at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies from 1988 to 1990, and received her Master’s degree in international relations in 1992 from Carleton University in Canada. She then worked as assistant lecturer at the University of Ottawa for two years. She has more than 25 years of experience in the developmental, social protection, child, and protection fields, and strategic planning. El-Kabbag has worked in numerous international organizations, including America’s Devel-

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opment Foundation, UNICEF and the National Council of Women of the United States. She also served as advisor of strategic planning to the secretary of the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, and as an advisor in the National Population Council. Before assuming her current position, El-Kabbag served as an assistant to the Minister of Social Solidarity for social protection and a deputy minister for social protection. During her time at the Ministry of Social Solidarity, she established the first committee to protect Egyptian children in Alexandria, and the country’s first network for research and assessment, aiming to enhance evidence-based policies and foster the efficiency of developmental projects to compensate for the use of local resources and international aid. The minister has made significant accomplishments in the development of national social programs, most notably the government program Takaful w Karama (Solidarity and Dignity), a social safety net program that she has had a significant role in establishing and maintaining. The Takaful w Karama program supported over 2.26 million households by early 2020, amounting to approximately 9.4 million individuals, or 10% of Egypt’s population.

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Women in Business

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March-April 2022

Women in Business

NEVINE GAMEA

Minister of Trade and Industry

ince December 2019, Nevine Gamea has been appointed as the Minister of Trade and Industry. Gamea graduated from Cairo University in 1984, starting her career at the National Bank for Development, now known as the Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB Egypt). She later worked at the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK). Gamea joined the social fund for development in 2005 and set the first credit policy for funding small projects. In 2013, she was appointed head of the Direct Lending Sector and the Central Sector for Funding Small Projects, at the Social Fund for

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Development. Apart from her role at the ministry, Gamea is currently the executive director of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA), a role that she has assumed since 2017. From 2013 to 2016, she played a major role in increasing financing of small enterprises, as EGP 10.5 billion were pumped into small enterprises representing 52% of total funding pumped since its inception. With over 30 years of experience under her belt, Gamea was named several times as one of the most influential figures in the Egyptian and Arab economy.

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Women in Business

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March-April 2022

Women in Business

RANIA AL-MASHAT

Minister of International Cooperation

rior to her appointment as Minister of International Cooperation, Rania AlMashat was the first woman to serve as Egypt’s Minister of Tourism between January 2018 and December 2019. Previous positions included Advisor to the Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Sub-Governor for Monetary Policy at the Central Bank of Egypt, and Senior Economist at the IMF. Al-Mashat has received a number of international and national awards and recognitions; including the “2019 Global Champion Award” from the World Tourism and Travel Council for launching the Egypt-Tourism Reform Program; the “2019 Global Leader’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Industry”; and the “2019 Leadership in Tourism Award” from the International Institute for Peace and Tourism. She was selected among the top 50 most influential women in the Egyptian economy in 2015, receiving the 2014 and 2015 “Choiseul Institute 100 Africa - Economic Leaders for Tomorrow” award; and as the 2014 “Young Global Leaders” by the World Economic Forum, among others. Al-Mashat holds a bachelor’s in Economics from the American University in Cairo, and received her Masters and PhD in economics from

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the University of Maryland, College Park. In 2015, Al-Mashat served as sub-governor and head of Monetary Policy at the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE). She managed the country’s macroeconomic transition during a particularly challenging period. She also helped design and present the Government’s economic program after the 2011 revolution. Al-Mashat was then appointed advisor to the chief economist of the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC in 2016. She specialized in central banking, designing monetary policy frameworks, and defining financial stability tools. In 2018, she became the first woman to serve as Egypt’s Minister of Tourism. She encouraged the recognition of sustainable tourism as a driving element for development. Al-Mashat has had several board affiliations, including the Egyptian Stock Exchange, the Arab International Bank, and the Middle East Economic Association. She is also a research Fellow at the Economic Research Forum for Arab countries, Iran and Turkey, a lecturer at the Egyptian Banking Institute, and was an Adjunct Professor of Economics at the American University of Cairo. She was chosen to join the Scientific Council of Bruegel, an influential policy think tank in Europe, in 2017.

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Women in Business

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March-April 2022

Women in Business

HALA EL-SAID

Minister of Planning and Economic Development

s a prominent Egyptian economist and academic figure, Hala El-Said has held the position of Minister of Planning and Economic Development since 2019. Prior to her appointment, she held the position of Minister of Planning, Monitoring and Administrative Reform from 2017 to 2019. Previously, she held the position of the Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Political Science (FEPS) in Cairo University, and served as a member of the board of the Central Bank of Egypt. She has academic contributions that include a wide range of internationally acclaimed research papers, studies and reports on various economic topics, most notably studies on financial and banking reform, international finance, privatization and economic reform. To name but a few, El-Said has provided research and reports on bank mergers, financing of Small and Medium Enterprises, Corporate Governance and the role of the state in reducing credit risk. El-Said is a prominent female banking figure; a member of the Central Bank’s Board of Directors and as an Executive Director of the Egyptian Banking Institute for eight consecutive years, managing the institute with a promising vision to establish a professional training arm for the

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Egyptian banking system that applies international best practices in the development of technical and administrative skills for financial and banking professionals in Egypt and the Middle East and North Africa. During this period, she led a group of experts and consultants at the institute to obtain international accreditation to become the first accredited banking and financial training institute in Egypt and the Middle East and North Africa region (2006 -2008), according to data announced by the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development. The minister has also held several positions in other state institutions, including advisor to the Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Central Bank’s Anti-Money Laundering Unit, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Arab African International Bank. In November 2020, El-Said was named best minister in the Arab world, in recognition of being behind a plan to significantly boost the number of women in the workforce in the country. This reward was a result of setting targets to significantly increase women’s workplace participation, which has historically been low in Egypt, to 40% by 2030.

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Women in Business

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March-April 2022

Women in Business

YASMINE FOUAD Minister of Environment

ppointed in 2018 as Minister of Environment, Yasmine Fouad is leading a transformational change in Egypt’s environment sector by developing a more business-oriented and enabling environment. Her work paved the way to the creation of environmentally sensitive practices among current and future generations. She led the designing, development and launch of several environmental initiatives aimed at raising awareness and ensuring youth involvement, such as the presidential initiative “Live Green” (2020-2023). To create a more sustainable and enabling environment, Fouad has co-led the mainstreaming of environmental sustainability aspects into national investment plans, is developing waste to energy as a new economic instrument, participated in progressing the first governmental green bonds in Egypt and Middle East, pursuing the improvement of Greater Cairo’s air quality, supporting construction of waste management infrastructure by leading the process of developing the Waste Management Law, and the development and implementation of National Solid Waste Strategy. She has played a crucial role in advancing the biodiversity agenda, and leading the development of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework in her capacity as the President of the 14th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP14) since November 2018.

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She has initiated the Egyptian Initiative, adopted at the CBD-COP14 in November 2018 – that aims at ensuring synergies among the three Rio Conventions (Climate Change, Biological Diversity and Desertification) - to ensure sufficient financial resources to tackle those related challenges. For Climate Change, she co-led the climate finance negotiation track during UNFCCC COP 24 (Katowice, Poland, December 2018), which resulted in developing the finance part of the Paris Agreement Work Programme successfully. In previous positions and assignments, she supported the Earth Institute in designing a Center of Excellence for Adaptation to Climate Change; the AMCEN President in leading and managing the two climate change initiatives (African Adaptation Initiative(AAI) and African Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI); as well as the Nile Basin Discourse - a regional NGO - in supporting the impact of climate change on water resources in the Nile Basin. As for the 27th Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP 27), Fouad plays an important part in the preparations for the upcoming conference. She holds a series of continuous and periodic meetings with all concerned parties. At the Academic level, she was selected as a lead author to chapter four of the IPCC Special Report on “Climate Change, Desertification, Land Degradation, Sustainable Land Management, Food Security and Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in Terrestrial Ecosystems” in 2017.

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Women in Business

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March-April 2022

Women in Business

NABILA MAKRAM

Minister of Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs

ppointed in 2015, Nabila Makram holds the position of Minister of Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs, serving and supporting Egyptians living abroad. Since the start of her days at the ministry, Makram has shown a specific interest in women-related issues, specifically those of female Egyptian expats, tying the second and third generations of Egyptians abroad to their homeland, working on combating irregular migration, especially for minors, and paying close attention and working on solving issues related to Egyptians abroad in general. Makram received her Bachelor’s degree from the Faculty of Economics and Political Science at

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Cairo University in 1991. In 1993, she joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and began an esteemed career in the diplomatic sector. Previously, she served as Third Secretary at the Office of the Assistant Foreign Minister for European Affairs in 1995, and later on as Third Secretary for the Embassy of Egypt in Brazil in 1997. She then became Second Secretary for the Consulate General of Egypt in Chicago from 2004, and in 2007 she was promoted to First Secretary at the Embassy of Egypt in Italy in 2007. In 2011, Makram was appointed as adviser of the diplomatic and consular corps management from 2011 until she reached the position of Deputy Consul General in Dubai from 2013.

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Women in Business

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March-April 2022

Women in Business

INES ABDEL-DAYEM Minister of Culture

rior to her appointment in 2018, Egypt’s Minister of Culture Ines Abdeldayem was well-known in the community as a world-renowned flutist, who studied the instrument at the Cairo Conservatoire from an early age. After completing her studies, she became an assistant professor in the flute department before serving as the Dean of the Conservatoire between 2004 and 2010. During 2003 and 2012, she was Director of the Cairo Symphony Orchestra, as well as Vice President of the Academy of Arts between 2009 and 2012. Abdeldayem was recently elected as president of the Arab Academy of Music, an affiliate of the Arab League, after serving as Chairperson of the National Cultural Center – Cairo Opera House from 2012 to 2018. Ines Abdeldayem received many local and international prizes, including the First Prize of the Federation of Music Institutes in France (1982), the Prize for Creativity awarded by the Academy of Arts (Ministry of Culture), and the Prize for the Best Performer at the North Korea Arts Festival (1999). She was also awarded the State Prize for the Arts (2000), and was designated one of the 10 most prominent Egyptian women of the 20th Century (2000). She was awarded the prize of “The Ideal Mother” from the Cairo Opera House in 2013, Ministry of Social Solidarity in 2014 and the Catholic Cultural Center in 2014. Between 2012 and 2017, she received numerous honors and

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certificates of merit. The Chinese Ambassador in Egypt, Mr. Song Aiguo, paid tribute to her for being the first woman appointed as Chairperson of the Cairo Opera House after the Revolution and for being the best female flute player in the Arab world, and she was honored during the Omani Women’s Day for her lifelong achievements, as well as for her work as an artist and a manager and as one of the most prominent artists in Egypt and the Arab world. She received the Commemorative Shield of the Kuwaiti College for Basic Education, and was honored at the First Conference of RussianEgyptian Cultural Relations, and was awarded certificates of merit from the Children’s Cancer Hospital (57357), the Italian Cultural Institute during the UNESCO World Poetry Day, and the Shield of the Egyptian Cultural Center in France. She was also paid tribute by Iraq, Sudan, the Afaaq Association, Dar Al-Tahrir, the Sharjah Cultural Festival, Die Zeit weekly magazine, the Egyptian Catholic Centre for Cinema, the Arab Academy of Music, the Rotary Saqqarah at the Gezirah Sporting Club, Youm 7 Newspaper, Horiaty Magazine, as well as the shields of the Governorate of South Sinai, the Governorate of North Sinai, the Academy of Arts and the 6th International Creators Forum. In addition to this, she was honored by the Egyptian President Abdel Fatah El Sisi in the “Egyptian Woman’s Day” Celebration in 2017.

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Women in Business

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March-April 2022

Women in Business

MAYA MORSY President of the National Council for Women in Egypt Maya Morsy was elected as the President of Egypt’s National Council for Women (NCW) in 2016. She is the third and the youngest President of the NCW since its establishment in 2000. Before being elected as NCW’s President, Morsy was the UNDP’s Gender Regional Advisor (2013 - 2016). She was awarded “the Woman of the Decade in Public Life and Empowerment” during the Women Economic Forum conveyed in India in 2018, the national award of one of the 100 most influential women in Egypt in the year 2016, and the Women Pioneer from the UAE in 2019. She formerly served as the Head of the Egypt Country Office United Nations Fund for Women (2011- 2013), and as a Country Coordinator/ Director of UNIFEM and liaison for the League of Arab States (1999 - 2010). Morsy has more than 24 years of experience with national, regional and international organizations, through her work in the National Council for Women, the United Nations Agen-

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cies, USAID, Academia, and Private Sector. Her work experience has strengthened the strategic partnership with the League of Arab States, European Union, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, African Union, and Union for the Mediterranean, Government Organizations, Civil Society, Academia and Private Sector. She managed and led more than 50 programs and widely authored more than 45 training manuals, books, articles, and research and policy papers. Morsy received a Ph.D. in Public Policy with a focus on the human security of Arab women from the Institute of Arab Studies and Research of the League of Arab States. She completed two Master’s degrees at the City University of Seattle, USA, in Business Administration (1998) and Public Administration (1997), after receiving a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Political Science from the American University in Cairo (1995), with a minor in Mass Communication (Journalism).

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Women in Business

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March-April 2022

Women in Business

Nagwa El Koussy

Facing the Pressure and Defeating Challenges

ne of Egypt’s first female engineers to graduate from Cairo University, Nagwa El Koussy personifies strength of will and has helped paved the way for Egyptian women for decades, a glowing example of breaking gender boundaries. A firm believer in creating her own future, El Koussy maintained a successful career as a female trailblazer in the field of engineering, challenging an all-male industry, and is now Deputy Chairwoman of Sabbour Consulting.

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Women in Business

Firstly, what does Women’s Month mean to you? It is a celebration for being brave every day, continually, when the world is changing around you. I hope it is celebrated every day, not just a month in the year, because the challenges women face every day, what we collectively and individually go through – and are still going through, are not easy to overcome without the support of the community and other motivated women. As one of the first female engineers to graduate from Cairo University, what was the experience like? How did you tackle the challenges you faced? Of course, it was very challenging back in those days, in the 60s I mean, but I was raised in a very well educated family. My mother, who was an employed woman, had a great impact on my personality, teaching me that we should work and become successful; it is not an option, it is a must. This is why my family supported me to take the first step. How did you balance being a mother and your ambitious career? What have you sacrificed or had to adjust (both personally and professionally) at each stage of your career? My priority has always been my family, to give them my full attention and all the love and care they need. My family has been very helpful to me as well, alongside the support of my husband Hussein Sabbour, who stood by me and supported me through my journey. He taught me the main factors for success are love and respect. What advice would you give to women who want to find a successful career and family life? Managing the work-life-family balance is a difficult and challenging task, but is very achievable. I believe that, more than men, women need to understand that it is necessary to choose and begin work-

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ing on the career they would like to pursue as early as possible, and to persist and keep going even after marriage and children. As women, we do not have the luxury to waste time. By taking steps early on, women will have set a momentum that will continue as family comes into the picture. Do you feel that cultural expectations and perceptions on women’s role in the workplace and as financial providers for their families have changed in the past few years? I think that it has become more challenging than ever before due to familial demands, which focus on upgrading the overall standard of living. To women who want to compete for leadership positions and to elevate themselves, for you to get to the position you want to, you must be focused and work hard so that your gender does not become a hindrance to your success. There is often pressure from employers on women to convince them that their loyalties lie at work and not at home, since working mothers might not be able to afford to spend extra hours doing overtime or other work-related activities which can jeopardize their family. The best way to meet these expectations is to be focused and work super hard. Multitasking will aid you in achieving your goals. Avoid timewasting, casual internet browsing, gossiping, and long lunches. All these things cause distractions and make you less productive. How has Al Ahly Sabbour helped drive social change and empower women in the workplace in recent years? The company tries to support all women, 30% of our employees are female, and their families at all times, working as one big family. Do you have a mantra or saying that you would like to share with other ambitious women that has been

meaningful to you? In life, you decide the things that are important to you. As any woman, I have my own visions and dreams, and I want to achieve them. I want to be a successful mother to my children, and I want to be a successful wife to my husband, and once I am able to balance them, it will make for a successful home. All we need is understanding, and a balanced home that provides the right atmosphere. I also apply a specific method; concentrating on my children on the days that matter the most to them and making time for them that day, and for the day that is important to my husband, I create the time for him. The same goes for my work. If I don’t do this, everything will crumble, and that is why I need to measure the amount of time and attention I give to them, and it is why I can’t advise other women on how to run her household and family, because it is your circumstances that determine your type of action. My home is different from any other home, and I am happy to be married to Hussein Sabbour, as he was my mentor, supporter, and a great husband, as I was as his wife, along our journey. What is one thing you wish more people knew about women in the workplace? Whether it is a man or a woman, one’s career can only be managed by diligent and intelligent efforts. Without a plan and its execution, you are taking a chance with your career, and/or are betting on your luck, which seldom works. Occasionally, luck may favor you but not all the time. I have never seen anyone become a legend in his or her field merely by chance, without any planning and hard work. This is the reality. In summary, if you want to be successful in your career, “design your future and don’t resign to your fate.”

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Mirna Arif

On the Struggle and Managing the Imbalance

assionate about diversity and inclusion in the tech industry and beyond, Mirna Arif sat down with us to talk about female representation and empowerment in tech, women and men’s roles in supporting equality, and balancing the work life “imbalance.” Leading Microsoft Egypt as its Country General Manager, Arif is expanding Microsoft Egypt’s efforts towards accelerating the digital transformation of both public and private organizations to facilitate the conversion to a more digital economy.

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Women in Business

As the first female leader of Microsoft Egypt, how was it stepping into that role? I joined Microsoft back in March 2019 and took the position of General Manager of the company in Egypt, exactly a year later in March 2020. Coming from the Energy sector, where I had spent the first 18 years of my career leading various executive roles across multiple international markets, I expected the transition to be challenging. However, my passion for learning drove others to take an interest in my professional development. They advocated for my progression, and became allies, mentors, and friends. Joining Microsoft was also thanks to the inclusive hiring practices that set aside preconceived notions of what experienced tech industry employees should be, looking to different kinds of schools, workplaces, and life paths for people who can add fresh perspectives, unique strengths, and the aptitude and passion to create what’s next. One of the main attributes that allows this growth mindset to flourish within Microsoft is our commitment to diversity and inclusion. We truly believe that diversity and inclusion should be the cornerstone to any company culture. Throughout my career, my drive has always been centered on curiosity, empathy and a desire to learn. I was learning new things every day, learning to do something new, and adopting new paradigms, and this is what allowed me to grow and thrive. Female representation in Egypt’s business landscape, particularly top positions in the tech industry, is on the rise. What can men learn from female leaders in developing their leadership skills and methods? Study after study, analysis after analysis, we see the same conclusions;

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inclusive economies can outpace others in growth. PwC, in its Women in Work Index 2021 report, estimated that if all 37 nations in the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) had the same representation of women in the employment market as Sweden does, they could add US$ 6 trillion to their combined GDP. If that US$6 trillion were the annual output of a single nation, that nation would be home to the third largest economy on Earth. It’s clear that economic growth cannot be sustained without inclusiveness, and women represent an untapped resource in the economy of Egypt. Women make up half of the world’s population, so women’s equal representation in the technology industry, and in all STEM fields, is not only a matter of fairness; our economies and our societies will lose out when we fail to engage half of the world’s brainpower in our engines of innovation. The beauty of diversity is that it brings together people with different perspectives, life experiences and backgrounds who can collaborate and learn from one another to achieve more. And as a technology company, Microsoft sees first-hand the potential for innovation when people with a variety of perspectives tackle challenges that mean the most to them. We aim for a world with innovation for all… and by all. That’s why we’re so committed to closing the gender gap in STEM by investing in a number of programs to increase access to computer science education for all youth, especially girls, and build greater diversity into the tech talent pipeline. We and many of our peer companies are doing this, and we’re continuing to see results – I’m hopeful that this growing progress will con-

tinue to evolve to address the balance in the future. Both in the near-term and for future generations when they enter the world of work. But at the same time, diversity and inclusion is not a destination, it’s a journey. Therefore, we need to celebrate the wins we achieve along that journey. For example, it’s inspiring to see more female leaders in the tech sector, leading companies such as Visa, IBM and ERICSSON, which are some of the largest international companies operating in Egypt. This is a very good indicator of the growth in the number of female leaders, which leads towards achieving more diversity and innovation in the sector. You have had a fast-paced and highly successful career, how have you handled being a young leader and a mother? Everyone keeps talking about achieving work-life balance, but it is important to understand that achieving the perfect balance is not going to be possible, and “Managing the Imbalance” is key. We must realize that there will be moments of struggle, that the juggle is real, and that the guilt feeling is only natural. What is possible, however, is to seek help and support, to look for mentors who will support you, both in your personal and professional growth journeys. I was lucky enough to have great mentors and a very solid support system, both instrumental to my success in career and in life. Today, I look at my two kids and they are truly my biggest source of motivation and inspiration. I look at my 16-year-old daughter and it makes me proud that she is a believer that it can be done, and I look at my son and he has been my biggest supporter, he truly has what it takes to become the perfect ally to all the females who are and will be in his life.

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Women in Business

Basma Shams

On Grit, Compassion and Speaking up

tarting her career as early as 15 years old, Basma Shams’ journey is a demonstration that women, with determination and persistence, can work wonders and go places. Goal-oriented and determined, Basma’s grit and willpower has helped her pass through challenges to reach her objectives Above all, Basma is a strong advocate of women empowerment, inspiring them to unleash their potential and celebrating their successes; as well as a mother, wife, sister and Head of Corporate Affairs Danone Egypt & North East Africa.

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Women in Business

What do you think helped you the most in your successful career as a woman? How do you define success? My parents always encouraged me to be independent from a very early age. My mother was a very successful business woman and she juggled work and the house perfectly; my father always encouraged me to be courageous; the bigger the challenge the better… forget titles, he would say, look at the area of growth and ask yourself what will you learn and how will it enrich you as a person. My brother also supported my personal growth journey even though he is younger than me. I am also blessed with a very supportive husband; he pushes me to break the boundaries everyday! So in short, I would say keeping an open mind, an eagerness to learn and always believing that I can accomplish anything! Your female and male support system also matters; it’s very important to believe in yourself and just as important to have your family believe in you as well. In regards to your question on the definition of success; it is ever changing. I think it’s important to set short and long term goals for yourself and create a roadmap that will guide you to achieve them. Just stay focused, passionate and compassionate! What was organizational culture like 10 years ago for women and working mothers? The workplace has drastically evolved during the last two years, more than in the past 10, due to the pandemic. We were forced to quickly adapt to working from home with babies, spouses, pets, siblings etc. I personally loved getting to know my colleagues’ family members, walking in on meetings and their kids saying hello; it brought us closer virtually

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(ironic don’t you think). But in all fairness, in the past 10 years we did start seeing a rise in the number of offices with in-house daycare, nursing rooms, and flexible maternity policies. As a female leader, what has been the most significant barrier in your career? Have you been confronted with gender-related roadblocks in your career? I don’t see barriers; it’s such a negative word. I like to refer to them as just challenges that I needed to learn how to overcome by adapting my style and ways of working, listening and agility all while never forgetting that compassion is the core of any successful relationship work or other. What mistakes have you made along the way and what did you learn from them? I think not speaking up enough at a younger age. If I can encourage young females now, I would tell them not to feel constrained by their age or experience; listen, question, and speak up. There is no stupid question and I would encourage leaders to accommodate and coach as many talents as possible. What are some patterns you’ve noticed over the years about women at work, and things they could be doing better to advance their careers? I believe women in general underestimate their potential. I would recommend they break the bias in their mindsets to begin with, before even doing it with others. If you make yourself feel unleashed and unconstrained by biases, I believe you free your mind from obstacles that may unconsciously hold you back. What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders? Trust your instincts, learn, travel,

experiences before purchases, passion, passion, passion in everything you do…even if it’s a simple act of sipping coffee. Becoming a great leader is to be empathetic and good at what you’re doing, knowing it yourself; this will give well-founded confidence. This confidence will drive you to trust your instinct and perform in the best way you can, but most importantly to stop worrying about stereotypes and people’s perception. Have you had a woman leader as a mentor, or are there specific women who have inspired you and why? My mother is my role model, she always did things her way and that never intimidated her. She was one of the first Arab Special Needs Teachers in Canada in the 90s. Also Samyia El Atribi, Oprah, Hala Hashish – all disruptors in their own fields, they started exerting a new style of work in their own ways regardless of what people might say about them. They worked very hard and with passion, and success followed, so I admire their courage a lot. Do you ever feel intimidated being the only woman in the room? On the contrary, it makes me feel very powerful and unique. I think it’s a matter of mindset – believe in yourself, work hard and everything will fall into place. Feeling intimidated is to feel fear, which I think can negatively hinder your path to success. Staying positive and having a conscious mind that you are performing in the best way you can is the way to go. How did you persevere through the tough times? By having grit! Never giving up and believing in my potential. When you live your life, you always have several choices to make along the way and I always choose not to float through life, I choose to make waves!

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Magda Shedid

Building Self-Awareness and an “I can Do it” Spirit

orking in the finance sector is not easy, but Magda Shedid, Chief Finance Officer at Danone Egypt and North East Africa, has broken norms and expectations despite being faced with doubt and disbelief, and has done so with class. Besides being a CFO, Shedid believes in meeting challenges head-on, enjoying new experiences, and that actions speak louder than words.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business What do you think was the biggest factor to your success as a leading female executive? I was privileged with a super strong family and very inspiring and supportive friends; they have been my unbeatable support system throughout my entire life. I think it is important to be surrounded by the right people who believe in you and would encourage you to become the best version of yourself. My parents have always been my main source of inspiration; my father always told me to fearlessly learn and explore more about life, while my mother taught me to never take “No” for an answer and fight for whatever I want. Both my parents have always been so passionate about everything they do, and even continued to pursue their careers after their retirement. As a female leader, what has been the most significant barrier in your career, and Have you been confronted with gender-related roadblocks? Well, when we talk about career barriers as a woman, it all depends on which career phase you are referring to. When I refer to my first few years as a fresh graduate, followed by my initial career progression, I haven’t really faced any drawbacks for being a woman. However, like most women in Egypt and even globally, when you’ve gained more experience in your profession, things can take a different turn. There is a misconception of women’s ability to lead. Women are generally perceived as lacking leadership skills, and I have personally witnessed and experienced this wrong perception. On different occasions, I was told women aren’t decisive and assertive enough to lead. In short, sometimes society can still be resistant to the idea of women being in charge. At Danone, 25% of our regional leadership are women, and Danone’s working culture strongly promotes diversity and inclusion values, which fosters equality and provides a healthy working environment that supports both women and men who are serious about their career. What mistakes have you made along

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the way and what did you learn from them? I wish I worked on my self-awareness earlier in my life. I believe I was my own biggest critic and only focused on my own understanding of myself. Since I started my self-awareness journey, I have been listening more to others’ perspectives and discovering new areas of strengths and weaknesses. Although I used to enjoy my comfort zone and avoid taking risks; the more self-aware I became, the more challenges I accepted. Why do you think companies would benefit from having more women at the top? It’s not about the gender per se, but rather a person’s capability to do the job in the best way possible. Actions speak louder than words and appearances. What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders? I strongly advise women to focus on their goals and everything will follow. Self-development is a journey. Don’t allow your fears to stop you from exploring life. Build the “I can do it” spirit. Do what you love and go after your passion. And also trust your intuition. Have you had a female leader as a mentor, or are there specific women who inspired you and why? My mother has always been a true inspiration for me on both the professional and personal level. She is a strong successful woman. I always looked up to her and admired her in many ways. She is always able to balance between her strong personality and being compassionate. She taught me important life lessons that stick with me until today. She raised us to always be responsible, persevere and be resilient. And above all, to be caring and supportive of others as our core values. You are undoubtedly busy, how do you take care of yourself and maintain your mental health? I enjoy exploring new activities and experiences, and meeting new people.

As an example, although I am afraid of heights, I went hiking in Sinai last year. On a social level, I try to make sure that I have quality time with family and close friends. I play aerial sports and yoga which helps increase my sense of achievement in areas other than work. I always find ways to pamper myself, and allocate time to give back to the community through charity and volunteering. How should women support other women in their organizations? Both men and women should support gender equality. Every senior leader should allocate time to invest in others, support their development and unleash their potential. Also, we should give constructive feedback and ensure that our company’s policies and values are promoting diversity and inclusion. Do you feel intimidated being the only woman in the room? It is fair to say that finance is a maledominated field in Egypt, and I used to feel intimidated in the past. I would dare to say, it went beyond the work environment. I‘ve been judged and second-guessed by people surrounding me. I’ve met people who were surprised to hear that I am a CFO of a multinational company just because I’m a woman. And, because of some cultural barriers, you start to doubt yourself as a woman. But funny enough, once your competencies and self-confidence are demonstrated and tested, men then get intimidated. How do you handle work-life balance? To be honest, to this day, I am still trying to find this balance. It comes day by day, and I do the best I can to manage my personal life and work responsibilities. What do you want to achieve next? Professionally, I’m aiming to become a General Manager in the near future. Also, I would like to begin studying professional coaching and mentoring. On a personal level, I’m working on my aerial sport instructor certification this year.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Reem Al Safy

Navigating the Workplace with Self-Assurance, Confidence and Adaptability

eading the family business, Reem Al Safy handles Al Safy Group’s wide-ranging portfolio with ease, confidence and self-assurance. As Al Safy Group’s CEO, Al Safy highlights women’s roles inside and outside the organization, pushing for women to recognize their worth, celebrate their achievements and for equality across all verticals.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business

Al Safy Group is one of the few corporations in Egypt led by a female CEO. What were the challenges of managing 4000+ employees? At the beginning, the idea of me being the CEO was not accepted by many, at all. Meaning, everyone looked down upon me, and it was not a stroll in the park the first three years. I faced many challenges being the only female leader in the Group. I even had to work on myself by thoroughly studying the business. There were days where I believed that I could not make it, until people actually realized that I have something to add to the group. Only then, they started to see the potential in me. I joined Al-Safy in 2018 as an HR Vice President, where I collaborated with the management team to craft the company’s vision and mission, as well as develop strategic HR plans. As years passed by, I had the chance to expand my role, as I undertook more technical and supervisory responsibilities, which qualified me to be promoted as the group’s CEO. Frankly speaking, it was a rollercoaster of a journey, as it was not as easy as it seemed. Ever since, I have been trying to push the group to accept all talents, no matter what their genders are. We are currently focusing on strengthening human resources, and encouraging employees to work with excellence in a collaborative environment. In life, we face many obstacles and we believe that it is the end of the world; however, life goes on with all its ups and downs. Given that I am a perfectionist by nature, I always push myself to get out of my comfort zone to pursue what I really want. This enabled me to get the best out of any opportunity; while mastering the art of overcoming challenges with resil-

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ience. To be working at one of the biggest leading conglomerates, such as Al Safy, one should adhere to certain keywords, namely hard work, selfchallenge, and passion. What is one thing you wish more people knew about women in the workplace? I wish people knew that women are doing their best. I wish men would stop taking advantage of the stereotypes held against women, and start believing that we are all equal. Women are always put under the pressure of having to fight the fight, when in reality there is no battle to conquer. On the other hand, men do not have to prove anything to anyone, as they are already recognized and celebrated for their efforts. This form of prejudice drains women, and hampers their growth. Women and men are both the same. We are individuals, as each one of us has something special about them, regardless of their gender. If we learn to work as a team, and have the same essence, vision, and mission, everything will fall into the right place. From my experience being in the business sector for four years, I believe that women are still underrepresented in corporate boards. Women will not be able to reach the top, unless the challenges, which confine them from growing in the workplace, vanish. Women still suffer from gender inequality, as there are corporations that still do not mandate genderequality laws and practices. Additionally, there is an unfair high wage gap compared to men’s salaries in the private sector. In light of the recent governmental efforts, Al Safy is very keen on empowering its people within the workplace

and beyond. We know how to support working moms, and relentlessly keep them engaged and motivated. Generally, ever since its inception, Al Safy Group has been extensively working on making the workspace more accommodating and inclusive to all its family members. Women’s empowerment is on top of Al Safy’s values, and it is deeply rooted in our DNA. We, at Al Safy, believe in Egyptian women, and are keen to enable them through retaining female talents. What mistakes have you made along the way and what did you learn from them? The mistake I made was thinking that I couldn’t make it, as sometimes I believed that men could do better than women. This belief used to hinder me at some points in my life. Also, at certain moments, my emotional side led me, believing that I tended to make a certain mistake because I am a woman. However, throughout time, I learned that everyone is prone to making mistakes regardless of their gender. As a matter of fact, my two cents to the next generation is to learn from one’s mistakes. I certainly believe that failure is an opportunity that opens the door for reflection and learning. We must dampen the pressure that we, as women, have enforced upon ourselves just to prove to the society that we are as proficient as men. Meanwhile, we are always in a race trying to prove that we are not bound by our gender. We have to take the extra mile, while most men do not have to actually go through the same circumstances. When we accept who we are, we acknowledge our potential, accordingly. This prompts us to thrive, as well as aim to achieve the work-life interface.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Sherifa Mostafa

Being Present, Finding Balance and Equally Supporting One Another

passionate advocate for supporting one another, whether as a wife to her husband or a female colleague in the workplace, Sherifa Mostafa believes in a holistic approach to living, encouraging each individual to support each other and own one’s path. A long-time humanitarian and businesswoman, Mostafa is Trustee General of the Hussein Sabbour Foundation, leading its philanthropic initiatives and efforts.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business

Growing up in the midst of diversity makes one see all people in an equal light. What does women’s month mean to you? Women’s month is a reminder, and we all need reminders. It reminds us to stop and assess ourselves as a collective. To take note of how far we’ve come, how far we still want to go. We also ask ourselves if we still want to continue in the same direction, or if we want to recalibrate. Growing up in so many countries as a daughter of a diplomat, do you believe you gained certain traits or skills through those experiences that have supported your success, whether at work or at home? Growing up in the midst of diversity makes one see all people in an equal light and that, I have found, is not a common trait. There is a term now for people like me who grew up in many different countries, “Third Culture Individuals” or TCI, they are citizens of everywhere. I’ve gained many abilities and skills growing up around the world; some of them are being able to communicate and connect with ease to anyone, anywhere, as well as not seeing differences as much as seeing similarities with people from different countries, and therefore having an understanding and acceptance that is inbuilt. Was there a specific lesson or experience that you felt you needed to tell or hand down to your children? If I were to choose, I would say, the ability to be present with oneself, and take responsibility for how we want to be and live, to own our path, our happiness and our success and to be kind to ourselves. The famous quote says that behind every great man is a great woman. What do you feel was your most proud achievement? The journey of life together is full of wonder, creating a family and growing together is an ex-

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perience I feel blessed to have had. As for the famous quote, the most important thing, in my opinion, is to allow your partner to be who he is and to journey into his potential. Behind every great man is a woman who didn’t pull him back or stand in his way, and let him be who he is meant to be. That also goes both ways, because a great man equally supports and respects his wife’s abilities and potential, and is happy to see her successful. Women in top positions in the marketing and advertising industry is still uncommon in Egypt, why do you feel that is? This industry is a growing industry and relatively new. I believe that the marketing and advertising industry in Egypt is one of the first to be full of women in all levels powering the industry. Many from my generation are already in top positions, and many are on their way to hold more key positions and we are about to see that very soon. What can we do to encourage women to stay longer in their careers and support them breaking the ceiling? Women in Egypt are already breaking ceilings every day, they are extremely resourceful and efficient, and they take on a lot of responsibilities and tasks that might seem humanly impossible. However, women sometimes judge themselves and other women too harshly, which can lead to burnout. Staying longer and breaking the ceiling requires stamina and persistence, and that in turn needs continuous self-care. Lastly, what is one thing you wish more people knew about women in the workplace? Women have the unique ability of using both sides of the brain at the same time; this gives them the ability to make decisions with balance, which I believe is a trait that gives them an edge in leading positions.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Sarah Youssef

On Empowering Women Across the Board, Inside and Outside Organizations

vivid advocate of female empower ment, Sarah Youssef leads efforts to support women’s growth within PepsiCo and across Egypt through several of the company’s initiatives; including their newly launched “She works wonders” initiative, which aims to increase female representation in the male-dominated fields, starting with sales and supply chain. As PepsiCo’s External Communications Director for Africa, Middle East, and South Asia, and Executive Office and Director of Communications for PepsiCo Egypt, Youssef openly displays her passion for creating opportunities for Egyptian women by sharing her stories and experiences with others.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business

PepsiCo has been a long-time ally in the efforts for gender equality and has recently launched a new initiative. Could you tell us a bit about it? At PepsiCo, we believe our success stems from our flourishing workforce and society. For decades, we have stood out in the market by providing a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment for our associates, business partners, and society. In light of our efforts toward supporting and achieving gender equality, we have launched the “She Works Wonders” (Amla Shoghl) program. This program, which was launched in partnership with INJAZ Egypt and under the auspices of the Ministry of Higher Education, is indeed a milestone in Egyptian women’s empowerment journey. It works on raising the employment rate of women in maledominated fields, starting with sales and supply chain; falling directly in line with Egypt’s 2030 Vision. The program will start off with 600 fresh graduates from public universities in four governorates, namely Cairo, Alexandria, Tanta, and Assuit. We will provide them with technical and practical training in the targeted fields, as well as the necessary skills to maintain a job in a competitive professional market. Furthermore, the program will also offer internships to 50 participants, in the sales and supply chain departments within nine plants across Egypt; of which the top talents will be potentially hired at PepsiCo Egypt. It is worth mentioning that the ambassador for “She Works Wonders” is the strong, independent, and intellectual actress, Nelly Karim. Our partnership with Nelly will help us raise awareness and promote the cause of the program as she serves as a representation of the courageous and determined women of Egypt. The program also has other iconic Egyptian women as ambassadors; Former Parliament Member Dr. Eng. Marianne Azer, Egyptian Karateka

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and Tokyo Olympics gold medal winner Feryal Ashraf, Fashion Designer Farida Temraz, talabat’s Managing Director Hadeer Shalaby, and Shipmaster Marwa El Selehdar. All of these incredible women are promoting the program as they’re perfect examples for what women can do and achieve in different fields of work. Do you believe in work-life balance? How do you believe women can lead successful but also fulfilling lives? Nowadays, women are setting great examples of becoming successful leaders and mentors all over the world. This is really the era of acknowledging the power of women. Personally, I believe that women, given a comfortable and enabling environment, can be both professional leaders and incredible mothers. Frankly speaking, my answer could have been extremely different if I wasn’t working in such a femaleempowering environment as PepsiCo Egypt. It has a corporate model that carries out a culture of helping women to expand their horizons and push for new frontiers. I can confidently say that PepsiCo has been supporting and empowering me on all levels; I have been granted two maternity leaves and still got promoted. To me, this is a driving force, a permanent motivation towards success, and an unmatched supporter of work-life balance in such a challenging equation. Of course, work-life balance can still be difficult to attain. However, it is crucial for women to participate in the workforce and become a defining factor in its success as they have already been doing in different fields for years. Personally, I believe that the support system that you should have as a working mom in your home is as important as a healthy work environment, so I am so grateful for having such a supportive and understanding

husband, who gives me all the support I need to unleash my capabilities. At the end of the day, loving your work, being self-motivated, and passionate about what you do will give you the full power to raise your standards high and achieve more, on both the personal and professional levels without having second thoughts about giving up on any level. That being said, I advise mothers who work in highly demanding careers to always set their goals and regularly reflect on what is most important. Make a list of the top priorities at work and at home, and always make sure to have a support system that can make your life easier and encourage you to excel at what you do. Finally, your uninterrupted and focused attention to your kids and family is what really matters. Spending quality time with your kids, where you get to discuss and share thoughts, know more about who they are, and learn more about their dreams is what makes any person feel accomplished and successful. What is one thing you wish more people knew about women in the workplace? Women are a vital component of productivity in organizations. With their consistency, reliability, and dedication, they are able to enhance collaboration and inspire others. And they possess exceptional emotional intelligence and a real talent for multitasking. I believe that it is important to have diversity in the workplace. Companies that encourage diversity inspire their employees to perform to their highest abilities and ensure solutions are derived from different perspectives. It is not just about the notion of increasing the representation of women in the workplace, but also the attraction of talents who add value to different work fields.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Marwa Abbas

Women’s Resilience, Confidence, and Adaptability

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I want all the women all over the world to really understand that being themselves is really part of their strength” A passionate advocate for female empowerment and enabling youths to meet the future with dynamic and diversified skills, Marwa Abbas leads IBM Egypt as its first-ever female General Manager, using her extensive experience and technical skills to strengthen the company’s business growth and accelerate Egypt’s digital transformation.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business

Women are naturally resilient, and we’ve never seen a better example of this until the pandemic broke. Firstly, what does Women’s Month mean to you? I personally believe we should celebrate women’s achievements not for a day, not for a month, but throughout the year! Women play a vital role in society, with the many hats they wear, and their social, economic, cultural, and political achievements should always be recognized and appreciated. We celebrate strong, resilient, and successful women, who have a wide impact on their nations. But most of all, we honor ordinary caring women who keep families together, provide for their children and care for their communities. We should always celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness against bias and unite to act for equality. How was stepping into the role of IBM Egypt’s first ever female general manager? Attracting, retaining and developing female talent across the world is not only essential to IBM’s company culture, it’s a business imperative. From 1899, when we hired our first female employees, to today; being the first woman to hold this position for IBM Egypt is something that I am proud of as it shows the company’s commitment to women’s empowerment and career advancement. Women’s empowerment, in the tech industry and beyond, is not the same as it was 25 years ago when you first joined IBM Egypt. How would you compare the two periods, and how far have we come in this regard? At IBM, we have focused deeply on providing strong support to women, with over 100 Women’s Business Resource Groups (BRGs) worldwide. We are committed to supporting employees in expanding their personal and professional networks, developing their skills, providing mentorship and sponsorship, and advocating for issues important to women at IBM. In 2019, IBM launched the “Be Equal initiative” with the aim to engage IBMers, customers, and society at large in promoting the advancement of gender equality in business

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leadership. We ended 2020 with women making up nearly 34% of the global IBM workforce. And, in 2020, 36% of IBM’s promotions worldwide were dedicated to females. Globally, across industries in the business world, women represent just 26% of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) workforce. In response, IBM created the annual Women Leaders in AI Program in 2019, to help increase diversity among the field and provide honorees a network for shared learnings. We are also proud to have showcased more than 100 women-led projects using IBM’s portfolio of AI solutions. There is growing female representation in the tech industry, however many women still lack the confidence to pursue jobs in the industry. Do you have any advice for these women? I strongly urge women to always have the confidence to learn more and to get out of their comfort zone. It’s necessary that women continue to feed their passion by developing their skills to reach the goals they set for themselves. But most importantly, this should be coupled by women believing in themselves and standing their ground while communicating their ideas and visions. What are the three traits that you believe makes a successful woman? Resilience, Confidence, and Adaptability. What is one thing you wish more people knew about women in the workplace? Women are naturally resilient, and we’ve never seen a better example of this until the pandemic broke; each day we are bouncing back stronger than the day before. I urge all decision-makers to encourage and empower women in their organizations to grow as far in their skills and qualifications as they possibly can. Do you have a mantra or saying that you would like to share with other ambitious women that has been meaningful to you? Be yourself, do not give up your dreams and always be the best.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Hala Abdel Wadood

Having Faith, Persistence and a Positive Attitude

ubbly and personable, Hala Abdel Wadood attributes her success to the things closest to her heart. She sat down with Business Today to talk about how support for female empowerment, from both women and men, has changed over the past decade. Director of Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability for North Africa at Coca-Cola Atlantic, Abdel Wadood handles the multinational beverage corporation’s efforts in “refreshing the world and making a difference” in the region.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business

What does Women’s Month mean to you? In my opinion, it is a token of appreciation for all women, for their efforts, success, input, and their impact. It is a token of appreciation and acknowledgment from the entire country for women’s role in numerous areas, whether on the point of helping society through economic means or through supporting her family. Women represent the mother, the educator, the sister, and the wife; without her, neither men nor women could be successful. As the mother of two young men, what teachable moments have you had with them to teach them about gender bias and inequality? My sons grew up with a community and culture that automatically promoted gender equality. For them, it wasn’t just that I was talking to them about it. In truth, they were supporting me throughout my own career and life, pushing me forward. I have heard them tell me so many times that they are proud of me, to keep going, keep shining, and keep rocking. I believe that my sons taught me a lot about gender equality, both theoretically and practically. I am lucky to have had very supportive sons who were always pushing me forward, and I feel energized from all their words and encouragement. Throughout my life, I have had many challenges and difficult moments, and their words were boosters or catalysts for my achievements. Do you feel that being the daughter of a diplomat set you up for success? If so, in what way? Being the daughter of a diplomat set me up for success. The fact that I had to adapt to different environments, and interact with different cultures, helped me become more flexible, agile, and able to adapt to difficult situations, as it exposed me to so many things. This was very important for me at work, helping me understand how

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to network well, and how to talk with people from different backgrounds. What was a lesson that you learnt from your parents that you felt was especially important to share with your sons? One of the lessons that I found important to share with my sons is giving. I always told my sons that if you have the opportunity to help someone, help them without asking anything from them, because in the future, there may be a difficult situation and someone will come and help you, just as you did. It doesn’t have to be the same person you helped, but just like you helped someone, someone will help you out. In the end, life is all about give and take. Another lesson is to work hard and leave the rest to God; just do what you can and have faith. What do you see as the key/s to your success? The keys to my success, I believe, are hard work, passion for what I am doing, and support from my sons, family, friends and my mentors. There is also patience and persistence, learning to accept criticism, as well as making peace with challenges, win or lose. Anytime I made mistakes, I would take lessons from it so that I could improve myself. And of course, above all, God, where without him nothing would be possible. We work hard, we give it our best, we strive towards success, but in the end, we owe it to God. In general, do you feel that there has been better support and encouragement from men in the workplace today, compared to 10 years ago? How would you advise other men to improve how they lift up the women around them? Certainly, there has been better support from men in the workplace when compared to 10 years ago. Today, I have been lucky enough to have three male bosses who were very supportive, believing in me, pushing me forward, giving me opportunities

to prove myself, and giving me guidance to improve. I can definitely see it around me, at work and with my female colleagues; now some of them are CEOs, Managing Directors, General Managers, and even ministers. There is more awareness at work about male colleagues supporting women, believing in her, pushing her forward, giving her opportunities, as well as within the state institutions that empower and support women in different sectors and jobs, and this provides significant empowerment for women. It proves that women have the ability in various fields, whether it is political, social, economic, or even at home. Mental health has begun to make more and more headlines in the past few years. How have you handled your own mental health during your career, motherhood, and the pandemic? Throughout my career, and throughout my life, mental health was always important. Like any other person, there are ups and downs, hard times and good times; to deal with this, what I learned is to focus on energizing myself. It is about energizing myself, counting my blessings, standing up again and moving forward. There are times when things look dark, but take a look around, count your blessings, and count your achievements, all of these give an internal boost to a person. I also believe in the power of positive words and I try to practice this with other people as much as I can, because I believe this energizes the people in front of you. Do you have a mantra or saying that you would like to share to other ambitious women that has been meaningful to you? My mantra is live with contentment and a grateful heart, and have faith in God’s plan. Also, smiling and a positive attitude and energy is contagious.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Nermine Tahoun Women in Law and Standing Tall

ringing her feminine yet firm presence into the Egyptian corporate law scene, Nermine Tahoun is a force to reckon with inside and outside the courtroom. As the founder and managing partner of Tahoun & Associates law firm, Nermine advocates gender equity on both sides, believing in the potential and strength of the individual rather than their gender.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business

Firstly, what does Women’s Month mean to you? Women’s month is a celebration of women’s achievements and gender equality. Seeing our value in society is a form of inspiration and respect to our profession as women. As one of the few women in a leadership role within the law profession, how big is the gender-gap in Egypt? Why do you feel that is? The gender gap in Egypt has improved in the past years, but I believe it needs more consideration and attention. We can see great improvements, like placing women in the judiciary department, which was highly celebrated. However, despite extensive efforts to increase women’s presence on corporate boards, men continue to dominate the corporate world, yet women’s empowerment is on the rise and I am positive that female representation, particularly in corporate law, will improve in the near future. Was your family supportive of your career? Being raised in a legal and judicialminded family, with my father being a retired general and a lawyer, was instrumental and impactful in making the decision to pursue a career in law. However, my parents and family were not very supportive of my decision because I was a girl, noting that the legal profession is predominantly run by men. Despite this, joining the legal profession greatly interested me and I was intrigued by its developments and the way that it adapts to an ever-changing society, and so I chose to pursue it without my family’s blessings, with the resolve to break societal stereotypes regardless of my gender. What kind of challenges or barriers have you had to deal with? Early on when working in corporate law, one of my main challenges was

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the diverse nature of the clientele; clients would range from multinational companies, investment and privatelyheld companies, to small and medium businesses, regulatory bodies and governments. Today, I have secured numerous deals for clients, ensuring the most successful legal position to maintain the clients’ business and commercial goals and clear contractual relationship, as well as taken part in drafting legal opinions on a wide range of corporate issues and conducting legal due diligence reports, advisory and other legal services to the government and various private projects. Working in corporate law must mean you are often the only woman in the room, do you feel that Egyptian companies have made significant strides towards improving female representation? In my career, I have been resolute and professional in dealings with my clients, to the point that no one regards my gender in professional settings; however, in a patriarchal country such as ours, I have heard grievances from young lawyers, but soon this will not be the case. Worldwide, we can see famous female lawyers stand tall in their profession, and these should be role models to the rest of the world, including in Egypt. How have you stood out in a highly competitive and predominantly male profession? What do you see as the key/s to your success? I simply made my way around the block, just as any other male or female lawyer. The legal profession is highly competitive and intense, I have had insane working hours and often under immense pressure. Nevertheless, my determination and dedication to become a successful lawyer drove me to face challenges and insistently pursue my career.

After working as an international lawyer for several international companies, investors, and the Egyptian government for over 20 years, I established the Tahoun Law Office in 2009. Burnout and deteriorating mental health are common occurrences within the law profession, how have you handled your own mental health throughout the years? “Work life balance” evokes an image of fit and healthy people who are able to assign certain hours and time for work, sleep and personal lives harmoniously. However, this concept ignores the fact that my priorities in life are rare. The nature of my job means that I am always on the go, juggling work and meetings, all while expecting new tasks or complications that could pop up at any time of the day. But as a human, dealing with stress and uncertainty is part of my life; and I appreciate how this lifestyle suits me, allowing me to expertly navigate my professional and personal lives, and at the end of the day, I enjoy going home and spending time with my dogs. Do you have a mantra or saying that you would like to share with other ambitious women that has been meaningful to you? My most important piece of advice, for women and young lawyers, is to take risks. At the beginning of any career, there will always be a great deal of uncertainty and unknown elements you will have to deal with, just keep in mind to look out for yourself, and that at the end of the day, you are responsible for the trajectory of your career. Learn what is best for you, understand your relationships and make the best decisions for your career, evolving, adapting and learning along the way.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Eman Salah

Competing in a Male-Dominated Industry and Facing Challenges

leader in a male-dominated field, Eman Salah believes t ha t w o m e n t o d a y h a ve proven themselves successful and able to hold top managerial positions in all fields and sectors. Salah is vice chairperson at Hometown Development, where she continues to focus on further developing her knowledge and skills, helping other women along the way.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business

Not too long ago, the real estate industry was regarded as a “man’s game,” in your opinion, what has driven more women to enter the industry as a career? We can observe the role of women in recent times in the labor market, where the State has given women the place to participate in everything. As I have mentioned, in recent times women have occupied a number of administrative posts in the country as well in the judicial sector, whether in the Ministry of Justice or the courts or in many other sectors. The successes, which were reflected in the Egyptian market’s business sectors, including real estate, which was in turn largely confined to men, but women have gone into the business to prove that they can do everything. As a woman, what were the challenges you faced working in and with real estate companies? The real estate sector is known to be a predominantly male sector, a labor market that depends on its inception by men in the first place. The challenge for me at first was how to prove that women had the ability to compete with men in this sector. I had to be very familiar with all the challenges facing the market itself, such as finding the location where the project is being carried out, in addition to understanding the nature of the customer. This is because the purchasing process is one that is long term, so we have to understand the customers’ needs and their behaviors as they will be dealing with the process for up to ten years. The market is highly competitive, needing great focus and study for every step the company takes, because we also have to deal with market fluctuations and the culture of each customer. At the same time, one of the ma-

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jor challenges is organizing between all of the above and administrative work within the company and developing employee skills. From my perspective, to ensure top performance and meet every client’s needs and requirements, we must invest well in employees. Previously, you headed your own marketing agency. Do you believe that including more women into the decision making process can bring in a new perspective into marketing strategy? In what way? Marketing is a skill, not only a job; it relies mainly on science, but, in truth, it relies more on talent. I believe that marketing depends on several skills that women tend to possess more than men, which can be seen in the majority of companies that rely primarily on women managing marketing positions. How can the marketing industry better empower and include women in the decision making process? The marketing process greatly helps to develop the skills of all those who work in it. At the same time, marketing takes up all of your time. It also has a very large impact on the personality of the person who works in it. Working in marketing expands the horizons of the marketer and makes them look at things and situations that happen throughout the day differently and more broadly. Of course, having women in the process has a very large impact on the decision making process. So the deeper the woman goes into the field, and achieves success that leads to her superiority in it, the more women will be empowered and the more women will be included in the decision making process. If you could choose, what is the moment in your life that you felt most accomplished?

The moment that I felt the greatest achievement was when I took the first senior management position of a company when I was young, and my feeling of self-fulfillment at reaching a large part of my practical goals without affecting my personal or work life. Of course, as well as my ability to organize my time between my own company and working in other companies without also affecting my personal life. What is one thing you wish more people knew about women in the workplace? I would like to point out that women are not just a person who is in the workplace. The woman has a wonderful ability to organize time and achieve her will in a large way, as women do not calm down until they achieve successes, wherever they are. Women have an unparalleled competitive ability by competing with men greatly in the labor market during the recent period, in addition to their interest in raising their children, as well as a permanent need to learn from every event around them. If you could share a message of empowerment and self-appreciation to women during women’s month, what would it be? I would like to send a message to the women who have not yet had their opportunity and tell them that you should try more to supplement your skills so that you find yourself in a place you are satisfied with. I assure you that if women can organize their time, separate work and home and give every part of their life the right time for it, you will reach the highest positions and achieve everything you wish for. Women really find themselves in work and forming a life of their own full of success, progress and sound education.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Halla Al Kasm

Building a Fashion Empire and Staying True to yourself

he founder of one of Egypt’s biggest homegrown fashion retailers, Halla Al Kasm developed Carina Wear from scratch to a fashion powerhouse with over 2,000 employees, achieving double digit growth year on year while balancing five children at home. The definition of a woman on the go, Al Kasm handles motherhood and executive duties on the fly, carrying three smartphones and two tablets at almost any given time to stay on track. She sat down with us to talk about what keeps her strong and centered.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business

Your true potential and power comes from within, not from people’s perception of you or the challenges you face. What does Woman’s month represent to you? I try to celebrate myself every moment I can, and I encourage every woman to celebrate herself each and every moment. This month is extra special because we get to celebrate each other, celebrate our mothers, and celebrate all the women around us. What are the main factors that can help any woman become successful or accomplished? Personally, I believe that to be successful, a woman must have a clear vision of her strengths, weaknesses and what she enjoys doing, as well as having faith in God’s plan. It is also important to set clear intentions, follow her intuition, and have a fearless heart. What was your source of inspiration and motivation along your journey? My source of inspiration and motivation is always going to be my mom. What were the challenges you faced in building this fashion empire and how did you overcome it? One of the challenges I have faced during my journey is balancing being firm and tough, masculine traits, while still bringing feminine energy to the table. On a daily basis, I have to make a lot of hard decisions as CEO. Mentally, I push myself to make these hard decisions, yet sometimes my heart aches at the thought of its effects and outcomes, but I always go back to the company’s core values to ensure I am making the right decisions.

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As chair of the board and founder, you oversee more than 2,000 employees, how do you maintain the balance between your family and work? And what sacrifices have you faced, if there were any? When you manage a huge business, you will have to face many challenges. There is a lot to achieve and a lot to strive for, but I have learned over the years that ‘you can get anything, but you cannot get everything,’ so you have to focus and work towards your priorities, and that is the utmost important point. It is also important to revisit our value systems and life purpose in order to achieve what we want on a daily basis. Of course, I have sacrificed lots of things, such as missing out on numerous occasions, being unable to do things I wanted to do, but at the end of the day you realize that you must put aside certain things since we have limited time, and to prioritize. Do you have a mantra or a saying that you believe in with all your heart that you would want to share with other women? For me, life is like an echo; what you send out to the universe comes back, what you reap, you sow. What goes around, comes around. If there is any change you want to see happen to Egyptian women, what would it be? Believe in yourself, realize and see through your potential and take off. Never let anything stop you, don’t come up with excuses. Your true potential and power comes from within, not from people’s perception of you or the challenges you face.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Rowaidah Bibers

On Embracing Being a Woman & Leading from the Heart

enuine, inspiring, and empowering, Rowaidah is people-oriented, career-driven, and at the same time a dedicated mother and a truly supportive woman. Boasting an impressive career in PR and as the General Manager of POD, Rowaidah has managed several teams, of both men and women, where she leads from the heart, and passes her knowledge and experience to everyone equally. Her experience in PR has provided her with the ability to consistently manage crises, control the narrative of local and international organizations, and empower women across several sectors as a mentor and a leader.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business Over the years, you have led teams comprised of mostly women, what stereotypes or myths about women in the workplace do and do not exist? There is a huge misconception about women in general that they are spoiled by nature and accordingly that affects them in the world place with the myth that they can’t work for long hours, but that has nothing to do with reality. Women are hard workers, persistent, and capable of achieving great things. We see a lot of women today spending extensive hours at the office to get work done. So, I believe it is unfair to think that women work less or can’t work hard enough like men. Do you believe progress towards gender equality, both at home and at work, is hard to achieve? Why or why not? On the contrary, there is significant progress towards gender equality that has become noticeable not only in Egypt but also in the Arab world. We are now witnessing women who excell at top managerial and executive levels, and today, men and women show more support to one another at home and in the workplace. With growing female representation in Egypt’s business landscape, what can men learn from female leaders in developing their leadership skills and methods? Patience. Definitely, patience. Women are tolerant, supportive, and patient by nature. These traits make women more enduring than men. They nurture growth and give chances and are more tolerant of mistakes that may occur at work as long as these mistakes are a doorway for learning and growth. Also, women are multitaskers; they don’t focus on just one thing at a time. Women know how to focus on career goals and responsibilities, but at the same time focus on their home and family. What has been the most significant barrier in your career? Did you have to deal with gender-related obstacles? Honestly, I have never faced obstacles or challenges of that sort. My gender has never stood in the way of my career and I don’t remember a single time where I faced issues of gender discrimination or incidents of favoritism. As a mother, what teachable moments have you had with your children to teach them about gender bias and inequality? I teach my kids that what is right and what is wrong are not subjective to gender. But in general, I advise my kids not to compare themselves or their experiences to anyone around. I want my kids to grow up understanding that each person has their own journey and different circumstances, obstacles,

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and challenges. I also want to see them growing up as responsible individuals, capable of depending on themselves, unafraid to face their own challenges or obstacles, and always to be honest. What are your go-to tips for handling motherhood, an ambitious career, and your mental health? To manage that balance, every woman needs to know what makes her truly happy in her day-to-day life, whether that is the moment she goes to work, the time she spends at home with her family, or anything else. Find the thing that make you genuinely happy and pursue it, whatever that is. You may have many dreams you want to achieve in your life, and you may not get everything straight away; be patient, don’t compare where you are today to where other women around you may be in their lives, things will come in the right time. Contribute to society, give and support other women, and don’t underestimate the power of giving, it always pays off and you will end up feeling happier about yourself. How do you handle any intimidation that comes with working with major corporations, both local and international, that have mainly men in leadership roles? Honestly, I have not been in a situation where I felt intimidated, and generally speaking, women now are unafraid, unintimidated, and more confident in themselves. Women today lead big roles and work in different fields. Well, yes we don’t really see women working in gas stations or other jobs of that sort, but that is totally fine because there will always be some jobs that women would be willing to contribute to more than men would and vice versa. What is something you wish you would have known early in your career? One thing I learned and keep reminding myself of is to build decisions only on solid facts, not other people’s judgment or opinions. I would like to pass this advice, never build an opinion of a person or judge someone based on what others say about them, let the end result of their work speak for itself What is your opinion on the future of workplace equality across Egypt? I think equality in the workplace is not a matter of gender, but rather the skills of a caliber. What makes someone successful in their career is their persistence, willingness to learn, the skills they already have and are yet to acquire, not whether this person is a man or a woman. But worth acknowledging and mentioning that today we are witnessing women excelling in different sectors. Women today are leaders, decision-makers, and are setting exemplary role models.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Ghada Shaker

Raising Tomorrow’s Daughters and Nurturing a More Inclusive and Diverse Future

devoted mother climbing the ranks in the real estate industry, Ghada Shaker, Senior Marketing and PR Director at ROCC, represents how women can encourage and nurture tomorrow’s future to be more inclusive and diverse.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business

Most importantly, we celebrate, every day, the women in our country who keep families together, provide for their children, and care for their communities. What does Women’s Month mean to you? I believe that we should celebrate women all year round and not only during this month. But still, I see it as an opportunity to acknowledge and recognize the influence that women have on society, as well as to celebrate strong, accomplished, and renowned women who have made an impact in their respective fields. Most importantly, we celebrate, every day, the women in our country who keep families together, provide for their children, and care for their communities, whether they are working women or housewives. How important is it to have female mentors in leadership roles? If you have had one, what was your most meaningful experience? If not, how would you want a female mentor to be? Women mentoring women, in my opinion, is extremely essential because it offers them confidence and access to opportunities in an often male-dominated corporate world. When more women lead, it creates a more diverse leadership team that is open to debating many viewpoints, which improves decision-making and strengthens the business to handle future challenges. I have had numerous mentors throughout my career. During every phase of my life, I learned something new from people around me and I am still learning, as it is a never-ending journey. In my opinion, women are teachers and mentors by nature, as they are gifted with tolerance and patience. The motherhood instinct - even if she has not given birth – gives women the great ability to mentor, nurture talent and give advice. This mentorship experience with every person that I have worked with has shaped me into the professional I am today, and it is the reason behind my commitment in establishing mentoring connections for women. Has motherhood changed how you handle your career and goals? Motherhood and career are sometimes set against each other, but for me, it is the exact opposite. Being a mother taught me to man-

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age my time better and to be smarter with my limited time, since everyone experiences parenthood differently, which might affect their performance at work. As a result, I devised flexible parenting practices that allow me to work more effectively in between daycare pickups. Motherhood also taught me that time was a valuable commodity, and that if I wanted to do certain things in my career, I needed to be more focused, which helped me a lot in completing milestones along the way. As a mother to a daughter, what is something you wish someone had taught you growing up and how are you sharing that with her? When I was raising my daughter, I focused on raising her to be self-sufficient and accountable for her own life and activities. She will constantly make mistakes on her journey, but she must learn from them, understand where she has gone wrong, rethink, and try another path. In addition to being self-sufficient, I was determined to educate her that she should turn anything she enjoys into a job, and with enough passion, determination, and discipline, she can achieve whatever goals she sets. Therefore, anything she sows will ultimately bear fruit; have trust, explore, and, most importantly, enjoy whatever she decides to do. Finally, what have you and your organization done lately to empower women in the workplace and beyond? As all ROCC board members believe strongly in the powerful added-value of women in the company, ROCC has become an inclusive workplace, especially in marketing and public relations, where women make exceptional leaders and play crucial roles in our organization. In practice, ROCC provides career advancement opportunities by professional merit regardless of gender, which, by definition, is what gender equality is all about. With an ever-expanding staff, I am quite confident that women are and will continue to assume responsibilities of prominence inside our company.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

ne of the fastest growing tech platforms in the Middle East and North Africa, talabat has been a major player in the thriving Qcommerce and food delivery marketplace, enabling the growth of over 10,000 restaurants/ vendors through their platforms as well as providing income generating opportunities to over 12,000 delivery riders. Part of talabat Egypt’s success story lies in its diverse and inclusive culture and leadership, encouraging female participation by enabling the women within the organization with the right tools and feedback to empower them to own their strengths and narrative For our Women in Business Today issue, we highlight several female leaders within talabat Egypt, ranging from its top leadership to its first female rider captain

March-April 2022

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Women in Business

Esraa Mohamed

Breaking Expectations with Confidence and a Smile

urprising customers with a smile, Esraa Mohamed leads her team as talabat’s first ever female rider captain, where she has shifted perspectives, gaining support from friends, family and customers alike as she breaks stereotypes and misconceptions about women in the workforce. Esraa Mohamed leads a team of riders in Alexandria, displaying that a woman can do anything she puts her mind to.

Firstly, what does Women’s Month mean to you? It’s a reminder that anything is possible regardless of gender. It pushes me to work harder to become a coordinator and team leader. I am taking baby steps towards this achievement in order to prove to myself, and to other young women, that any career path can be possible and fruitful.

dent attitude that proves how much I am capable of leading and managing my team of riders. Working in the delivery sector has also taught me many valuable lessons regarding believing in yourself. My family was a bit hesitant at the beginning, but supported me when they saw how much I was enjoying it and that it’s a great source of income besides my job as a football referee.

As the first ever Talabat rider captain, what has been the reaction so far from customers and other riders? What kind of challenges have you faced during your time as a rider? Was your family supportive? Customers sometimes give surprised or shocked reactions when they see me, a female rider, delivering their order. Because they’re used to seeing men working this type of job, which can be tiring given you’re always on the streets. But I have a confi-

What is one thing you wish more people knew about being a female rider? It’s an honor. My journey with talabat has been eye-opening and transformational. I love what I do and always work towards providing excellent customer experience, in addition to passing down my knowledge and expertise to other riders. Rider captains generally work to elevate the performance of other riders. We train them on all sorts of topics and skills, such as compliance, finan-

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cial literacy and customer satisfaction, etc. We also provide on-ground mentoring and assistance in answering any inquiry they might have. Rider captains also have an allotted time with their teams for feedback sharing, development and check-ins. Would you encourage other women to become riders? I really do encourage young women to experience this job, even for the short-term, because it equips you with important skills and embeds confidence, builds capacity and champions independence. I love the team spirit and challenges that were surpassed - proving that any woman is capable of achieving success. Talabat is also an inclusive and equal workspace that does not discriminate based on gender - the company encourages everyone to be their best selves at work and is highly motivating.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Hadeer Shalaby

Today’s Startup Space and Female Representation

assionate about female empowerment and the startup and tech scenes, Hadeer Shalaby sat down with us to talk about women in the startup space, how she started her first business with only EGP 8,000, and how other women can do the same and pursue their dreams. One of the most prominent women in the tech scene in Egypt today, Shalaby is a great example for female entrepreneurs in the country as Talabat Egypt’s Managing Director and a founder herself, as well as an active advocate for women in the workplace.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business

From founder to leading two major tech companies, what kind of challenges did you face as a young woman in executive positions? Throughout my career, I might have encountered obstacles that stem from my gender and relatively young age. However, I’ve always worked to surpass obstacles. I’m keen to not let criticism or challenges get to me. We need to be at peace with the fact that we cannot control other people’s first impression of us. What we can control however, is the second impression. You’ll find yourself looking at someone a bit differently after having a prolonged conversation or more time to work with them. It’s then and there that I get to have some control over how people I’ve interacted with get to deal with other women after me. I think of this as a chance to deconstruct biases and prejudices. Do you see a difference in the startup scene today compared to when you started out in terms of female representation? The entirety of the startup scene has immensely transformed in Egypt throughout the past decade. When I first joined, I knew no one who was attempting to start their own business. Fast-forward to today, the majority of my friends and family have either founded their own startup or work for one - this shift alone is an indicator of the scene’s incredible transformation. In terms of female representation, I can confidently say that there is more awareness surrounding female entrepreneurs. Even though I don’t have exact figures to support the statistical growth of female entrepreneurship in the country, I do witness constant upward changes that break stereotypes. Take talabat for example, around

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33% of our leadership are women. The perception and treatment of women in the scene has certainly changed, but I’m not quite sure that we have enough female founders and investors yet - which is a source of motivation for everyone to do better and strive for more. Do you have any advice on finding support, both personally and financially, for young female founders? I always say that if you want to start a business, you can always attempt to kick-start without money. I managed to start my first business with only EGP 8,000 - the passion and clear goals were the guiding lights in my journey to where I am now. However, funding remains a vital underpinning to a successful and sustainable startup, which is why aspiring entrepreneurs need to have complete faith and confidence in themselves. Investors do not care about your gender, they care about the competence, passion and knowledge you bring to the table. On the personal level, having a mentor or even more than one is key. We’re living in such a complex world, where the limit to knowledge and creativity is the sky, and it’s crucial to have a diverse group of people that can train and pass down knowledge to you. I always suggest identifying three to four focus areas that you need help with, then go out and find the perfect matches for them. For instance, I didn’t have any corporate experience at the beginning of my career, I had always been working at startups. So, I needed to have mentors from the corporate sector to fill in the gap. Tech is a very fast-paced industry and can take a heavy toll on a person’s mental health. How have you managed your own personal mental

health? This is a great and important question. The first thing that comes to mind is support. By this I mean having a close support system around you, be it family, friends or a partner. Because at the end of the day, all we really need is a supportive environment to come back home to, one that offers a safe and enabling space. I also consider team support at work to be crucial here. It truly makes or breaks the environment and business success when a team is cooperative and enabling, rather than destructive. Second, I always remind myself that everything turns out for the best - this kind of faith helps especially in darker or more challenging times. Lastly, it is vital to know when to take timeoff and completely disconnect. Even though a weekend off seems like a short period of time, a couple of days off does wonders for your wellbeing, especially if you work in a fastpaced environment. Always ensure that you’re conscious about your latenights, so you can eventually balance out the stress. In your opinion, how important is it to have female mentors in leadership roles? Like I said earlier, having a mentor is crucial to your journey as an entrepreneur. I personally consider myself lucky for having a female mentor when I was younger. One time, I was nervous while representing my company at the time during an event. This is where I met a lovely lady who was a Parliamentarian, who said: “Being a working woman is a pro, not a con. People want to listen to what we have to say. Your life will change when you embrace this, rather than feel disempowered by it.” This advice was certainly a turning point in my approach to this issue.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Asmaa Khalil

The Value of Women and Breaking the Biases Against Them

otivated by the women in her life, Asmaa Khalil strongly believes in the value of strong women, how they inspire others to step forward to claim their goals, and bring attention to gender biases. Through her time at talabat as Head of Comms, Public affairs, and Corporate Responsibility, Khalil uses her voice to break biases that hinder women by encouraging them to speak up and change the status quo, as well as build awareness on other issues such as the pay gap.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business

Change will only happen through advocacy initiatives and building nation-wide programs and policies. Firstly, what does Women’s Month mean to you? Women’s month is a reminder to everyone of the great and empowered women in their life, and a reminder to the whole community of how important it is to support women. It is also an opportunity for me to reflect on how important it is to be conscious of the gender bias we face, and to be the change I want to see in society by helping younger women who are still early on in their journey. Do you believe that there has been better support and encouragement from men in the workplace today? How can this be better improved? I have always been lucky to work with people who believe and actually advocate for women empowerment. However, I do still remember, over 10 years ago, stories about women who got fired or penalized for having to bring their kids to work one day, for example, because of an emergency! These were jaw-dropping stories that used to make me feel agitated, to say the least. But, today the community is becoming more inclusive and positive. You see women entering zoom calls with their kids waving to their CEOs and teams. You can even see politicians attending public meetings holding babies. So, the change is very obvious, and it happened because there are women who are courageous enough to change the status quo and inspire others to do that as well. I think the area we still need to improve or focus on is closing the pay gap between men and women and increasing women’s representation in leadership roles. It makes no sense to me that in Egypt, for example, the average percentage of girls succeeding in schools and universities is much higher than men; and then fast forward into the professional world, the same generation has more men in leadership roles than women!

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This change will only happen through advocacy initiatives and building nation-wide programs and policies, in my opinion, to provide them with equal opportunities. What is one thing you wish more people knew about women in the workplace? That having to balance between family and work does not mean at all that she will underperform at work. It’s actually the absolute opposite, her family will drive her forward to make it happen and succeed more than she actually does. We are the queens of multitasking and problem solving - sorry if I might sound biased here, but NO MAN can do these 2 things better than a woman. Do you have a mantra or saying that you would like to share with other ambitious women that has been meaningful to you? The very successful businessman, Mr. Moataz Al Alfi, once said that “The real value of a human being is in what he perfects or “Yotqen,” “in what he achieves, and in what he gives.” And women can perfect, can and do achieve, and they do give so much; so this is a reminder to all of us that we are the most valuable! Who has been your biggest supporter and how would you thank them? My husband has been a great supporter to me in my professional career. He is in human resources and has taught me a lot on how to be fair, give equal chances, and push people forward. And my mum, who raised five strong independent successful girls, has been both a source of support and inspiration to all of us. I try every day to thank them and show them how much I appreciate them; but I believe it will never be enough.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Zahra Dewidar

Guiding and Inspiring for Diversity and Inclusion

ithin talabat, Zahra Dewidar is a powerful force enabling and empowering women across the company, pushing for inclusivity and diversity by breaking barriers and increasing opportunities for female representation and growth. As talabat’s Director of People Operations, Dewidar establishes and maintains the company’s culture of inclusiveness, ensuring that everyone, regardless of gender, has a chance.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business

Firstly, what does Women’s Month mean to you? It is a call to recognize and appreciate two important things. First is recognizing how blessed I am to have reached where I am today, and to simply be myself. When I look back and reflect on my journey, I see my family and friends, and the leaders and mentors who have supported me; as well as the challenges I have faced in life, which were sometimes good and sometimes tough, but shaped my life and made me a better version of myself. Second is to appreciate every woman who plays multiple roles in people’s lives. We are going through this together and I hope to always provide support to women by any means that I can to help them take even one step forward. How does talabat’s leadership look like? Is there a rise in female representation in leadership roles and across the company as a whole? At talabat, we are very proud to have strong female representation at the very top of our organization. Talabat Egypt is led by the inspiring Hadeer Shalaby, supported by other women in her team here, and she is not the only female managing director in talabat; we also have female MDs in the UAE and Jordan. It is influential to have women in our executive committee, where they have great impact and play integral roles. With that said, talabat is very keen to build and maintain a diverse and inclusive culture. Otherwise, how do you promote gender parity inside talabat’s company culture? Do you have any special programs to boost diversity within the company? We strongly support gender parity because we believe in the unlimited opportunities in everyone’s impact, and that it increases our opportunities for innovation and growth. At talabat, the first thing we do is ensure that there is no barrier for women’s advancement and growth, and that they do not get less support

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from their managers, or feel less supported if they are subject to maternity leave or because they focus on their personal responsibilities. We always take the time to guide leaders on how to give effective and actionable feedback to everyone. Lack of valuable feedback can leave women wondering about what they need to improve, and hinders their ability to change and develop despite their potentiality. To aid new parents, we are open to extending maternity leave when needed, and we offer two weeks of paternity leave to fathers. This does not only benefit the father, but also helps take pressure off the mother and family in terms of handling their new family member. We have also adopted a hybrid workplace where we mix in-office and remote work to provide flexibility to everyone. This is appealing for women who want to take care of their family and have a career at the same time, as well as reducing exhaustion and avoiding burnout. Do you believe that there has been better support and encouragement from men in the workplace today? How can this be better improved? We are way better than before. After what women have proved in the workplace, leaders are more and more convinced with women with strong profiles. It is satisfying seeing the potential within human beings, regardless of gender. Of course, this is more apparent in the businesses who adapted diversity and inclusion practices earlier than others. However, this is not always the case. In many organizations, you can easily see priorities for men vs women; men are evaluated based on potentiality, but women are evaluated for performance, which harms the whole organization; and many men do not feel comfortable with women’s leadership. Still, there are always ways for improvement by encouraging more and balanced inclusion, giving trust and inviting both for important decisions.

There is growing female representation in the tech industry, however many women still lack the confidence to pursue jobs in the industry. Do you have any advice for these women? Tech is a relatively new and fast growing industry, however you can already see many women are engaged in this business, whether for work or as entrepreneurs. Only three years ago, you could hardly find five women, which is not the case now. And if I have to promote this, I would say to them that the brave may not live longer but the cautious do not live at all, if you don’t give it a try then you will never know. You don’t lack what it takes to make it happen. If this is your passion, go for it. What is one thing you wish more people knew about women in the workplace? I would say for both women and men; it’s not a competition, we are just different. In our world, there is more than one right answer to business questions and challenges. Give a woman a seat on the table and you will always benefit from her presence; women have certain natural skills, for example being multitaskers with high attention to details, and more. It is important to unleash this potentiality by supporting them. Do you have a mantra or saying that you would like to share with other ambitious women that has been meaningful to you? Well, I changed it many times throughout my life, I like to say now is “I am a unique person, and so is everyone” Everyone one has their own power that he/she should use to act and improve, no matter how others look at you. Focus on yourself and how to make this power help you reach your destination. Do not let fear stop you, and do not focus on changing how people judge you. Focus on yourself and this will change people’s behavior and judgment about you.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Mayada Farouq

Unshrinking Oneself and Breaking Internal Biases

f i e rc e p ro p o n e n t f o r equality on all fronts, Mayada Farouq believes in smashing stereotypes by portraying women authentically, and bringing more women into the decision making process to show both perspectives. Heading marketing efforts at United Beverage and Food (franchise owners of Cinnabon Egypt and URBN Pizza), Farouq feels strongly about gender parity and creating change, encouraging women to celebrate who they are, unapologetically.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business

Stop portraying [women] as helpless, clueless, beautiful creatures and start showing the true reality. Firstly, what does Women’s Month mean to you? Women’s month is a humble step towards celebrating the astonishing accomplishments, big and small, of the super remarkable women around the globe. It’s more like a beacon for other women, to inspire them, and remind them that they can do it all. Unfortunately, some members of the community still don’t see women and men equally, and there’s still a lot of injustice against women to the benefit of others, but we are here to stay and create incremental changes.

into the decision making process can bring in a new perspective into marketing strategy? In what way? Yes. Women are multi-taskers by nature. She can be answering the phone, attending to another matter and writing something all at once. Women are compassionate and as nurturers, they tend to move towards the greater good. Women are also usually the decision makers when it comes to purchase decisions. Hence, being a marketer, I understand how vital it is to include women in decision making.

Throughout your career, you have been a mentor and a teacher to many, have you noticed common mental barriers that young women have imposed on themselves? How would you tackle these if a mentee mentioned it to you? Actually, I was raised and mentored by amazing self-sufficient women throughout my life, and I try to pay it forward. I was also a non-academic part-time instructor in multiple private universities for several years. I was taught to “unshrink” myself and accept that I am a woman, celebrate it and more importantly don’t apologize for it. You don’t have to act more like a man to get ahead. We look different, our needs are different, yet we are equal in terms of responsibility and rights. This is what I try to pass on to everyone in my circle; my daughter, my students, my friends and my work colleagues. I must admit that I also had a lot of support early on from my father who, while raising us, never ever differentiated between my siblings and me. I have two brothers and two sisters, and it was always about right and wrong and family values, and never about whether you are a girl and he’s a boy. We both even had the same curfew.

How can the marketing industry better empower and include women in the decision making process? Stop portraying them as helpless, clueless, beautiful creatures and start showing the true reality. It’s ok not to know how to do something; teach me instead of mocking me. Stop objectifying women and start showing how powerful they can be, because again, they are the main influencers in most purchase decisions.

Do you believe that including more women

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What is one thing you wish more people knew about women in the workplace? It’s more expensive being a woman. A lot of companies exploit women for their gender and place a “pink tax” on products that are essential for women such as hygiene products, or just because the product has a pink version, it is automatically more expensive, even though it could be the same as the mainstream one. So women should be paid higher than men. I also believe that the value they give back to their families and community is usually higher. If you could share a message of empowerment and self-appreciation to women during women’s month, what would it be? Unshrink yourself and do not apologize that you are a woman.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Dina El Sewefy

Highlighting the Role of PR and Positioning Oneself

long-time mentor to young women and proponent of female empowerment, Dina El Sewefy has honed her extensive knowledge and skills using her passion as her guiding light. She now shares them with her young students and team at MOUNT PR to enable them to own their narrative and highlight their strengths, destroying biases and stereotypes along the way. El Sewefy leads MOUNT PR as its founder and managing director.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business

Firstly, what does Women’s Month mean to you? I believe every month is women’s month and every day is women’s day. The only thing that is different about this month is that it creates higher awareness of successful women in all fields of business, industry, arts, etc.. March has become a platform for many women telling their inspiring stories and teaching us the great role that women play in managing their families and their businesses as well as impacting the societies in which they live.

key/s to your success? I attribute MOUNT PR’s success to three things: One, passion. Passion is the driving force for any successful business. We all share a passion for our job. It drives us to create, challenge, grow and endure every day. Second, Hard work. In MOUNT PR we really work hard as I always tell my clients we give our 200%, not just 100%. Third, Perseverance. One of our key strengths in MOUNT PR is perseverance. We set our targets and go after them regardless of the challenges we face.

With an extensive background in the industry, how much has changed in terms of female representation and efforts to encourage women in the workplace over the years? I was privileged to have worked in a field that is dominated by women. Women have always led and driven the PR and communications field. I have had the pleasure of mentoring many young women across my 30 years of experience, and have seen them flourish and become leaders on their own terms.

You have spent time as a professor and mentor, have you noticed common mental barriers that young women have imposed on themselves? How would you tackle these if a student or mentee mentioned it to you? Frankly, I haven’t met young women with mental barriers. On the contrary, I have encountered many female students who were confident, capable, and empowered. The only thing they were missing was clarity about their careers, which is only normal at a young age. The job market as we knew it has dramatically changed in the past 3 years. The emergence of new jobs have changed the traditional ways of work: physical or virtual, the limitless opportunities that the world offers this generation are a cause of uncertainty and confusion as to which career young women should pursue.

Public Relations is quite the femaleled field, would you agree? What can agencies and media do better to represent women and celebrate their successes? Yes, I definitely agree. I think women have traveled a rough and long road to assert themselves and accomplish successes that cannot be ignored by the media. I believe it is our role as women and as PR agencies to create a strong narrative for women and train them on delivering this narrative in an intelligent, effective, and inspiring way to all media vehicles. Your agency, Mount PR, has grown exponentially over its short span, what would you say has been the

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As mothers to young adults, what teachable moments have you had with them to teach them about gender bias and inequality? I have 2 boys, aged 25 and 22. I was actually quite fortunate that the type of education they received and exposure at a young age to different cultures has left little room for misperceptions regarding inequality and gender biases.

We heard about your love of dogs, what was easier: raising children or a puppy? Of course, a puppy, at least he doesn’t argue back. How can companies better close the gender gap and communicate their gender parity efforts? The only way companies can do that is to hire people based on merits and skills, not on their gender. Women in leadership roles are growing, however, some lack media and presentation skills and confidence to really represent ambitious women. As PR pros, how would you advise these women? All women in leading roles or in any role should learn how to create an image, or what we call “positioning.” To do this; they have to learn how to craft the messages that communicate their work to their stakeholders. They also have to choose the right channels and platforms that will showcase these messages. There are specialized workshops and training that any woman can join to learn these skills. There are also many online articles and training that they can browse on the internet. What is one thing you wish more people knew about women in the workplace? Women are multi-taskers by nature, and there is nothing more inspiring than a woman at the workplace efficiently juggling multiple responsibilities and tasks involving work, household chores, and kids’ schools’ problems all at the same time. Do you have a mantra or saying that you would like to share with other ambitious women that have been meaningful to you? “If at first, you don’t succeed try, try and try again”.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Nermine Seif El Yazal Success Through Perseverance

eaching where she is today as the General Manager of Mount PR, Nermine Seif El Yazal has previously faced the challenges and struggles that gender bias forces upon women to deal with. And now, from her current role, she stresses on the importance and the power of PR in enabling women to have their voices heard and have a stronger presence in the work community.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business Firstly, what does Women’s Month mean to you? It means the power and strength of women. Women have proven themselves to be strong at work and in their personal lives. So, March is the month where we celebrate their strength and achievements. How much has female representation and efforts to encourage women in the workplace changed over the years? Women have proven themselves during the past years that they can succeed in any position; unlike 30 years ago, it was difficult for women to prove themselves at work. Do you feel that there has been better support and encouragement from men in the workplace today? How would you advise other men to improve how they lift the women around them? Women and men are now equal at work, and they have become more powerful, but I am not sure if men encourage women at work. In my opinion, both have to support each other at work. Women play a vital role in society, so men have to support them. She is the daughter, the wife, the mom, and the support system of the whole community. If she has a stable and healthy work environment, she will be able to return to the family and succeed in all of her different roles. Public Relations is quite the female-led field, would you agree? What can agencies and media do better to represent women and celebrate their successes? To an extent, yes, PR is a female-led field because most of its successful figures are women. Maybe this is because our job needs more patience and perseverance to reach our ultimate objective, success. The media and agencies can encourage women by opening competitions for women at work. For example, each woman showcases how she was able to have a leading position despite the challenges she faced, and then a committee assesses and chooses the right candidate. In parallel, the media can capitalize on their success stories in the media to set a role model for the youth. Your agency, Mount PR, has grown exponentially over its short span, what would you say has been the key/s to your success? The key to our success is the devotion of our people. The team is very dedicated, professional, hardworking, and eager to succeed. Teamwork is very important at our company and it is among the reasons for our success.

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You have spent time as a professor and mentor, have you noticed common mental barriers that young women have imposed on themselves? How would you tackle these if a student or mentee mentioned it to you? No mental barriers were recognized, on the contrary, female university students are very eager to learn and to know more about the outside world, since I presented and shared real-life experiences with them. Also, I used to let them attend conferences and other media events with me to know the difference between theoretical and real-life experience. As a mother to young adults, what teachable moments have you had with them to teach them about gender bias and inequality? I taught my daughters to be fighters in life, to never give up, and don’t take no for an answer in life and at work. As women, they should fight for their career path and success. We heard about your love of dogs, what was easier: raising children or a puppy? I adore pets, not only dogs. I have a German Shepherd, who is the love of my life. He taught me to be more responsible and to be kind to stray animals. So, I started feeding them, taking them to the vet, and helping them. I try to help shelters as well. It gives me pleasure to help these weak creatures and I become very happy when a sick pet recovers. I feel I was impactful in others’ lives. But, raising pets is very difficult because it is as if you have a baby who will never grow up. Women in leadership roles are growing, however, some lack media and presentation skills and confidence to really represent ambitious women. As PR pros, how would you advise these women? They can always work on themselves, take courses and rehearse a lot until they are able to do these things because it’s part of the job to know how to express yourself. What is one thing you wish more people knew about women in the workplace? Women are strong, dedicated, disciplined and they can do any type of work even better than men. Do you have a mantra or saying that you would like to share with other ambitious women that have been meaningful to you? Never give up even when you fall down, stand up again and fight.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Rasha Georgy

Building Up Women in Marketing and Creating Your Own Success

enacious and determined, Rasha Georgy is a firm believer in women’s impact by bringing new perspectives and views, and that organizations play an important role in their growth and development through effective practices and encouragement. Although starting her career in dentistry, Georgy grew and evolved, finding success within the marketing industry and now plays a leading role in the market as Chief Marketing Officer at Ora Developers.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business Firstly, what does Women’s Month mean to you? Women’s month is an occasion close to my heart. I rejoice at the opportunity of commemorating and encouraging the celebration of the vital role of women in our society, whether personally or professionally. It is a beautiful time to highlight the gains achieved for and by women, and look forward to steps that must be taken to ensure progress in empowering them. I do believe this should be a constant effort, and not just reserved for one month a year. Coming from a dentistry background, what skills or experiences did you take with you when shifting careers into marketing? After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in oral and dental medicine from Cairo University and starting off my professional journey as a dentist, I definitely came into the industry with a mindset focused on perseverance and dedication. I first entered the field as an external communication executive for NOOR Advanced Technologies, before serving as an account executive at Bonus-Euro RSCG. I then joined James Walter Thomson. Prior to joining Ora Developers in 2018, I was the Managing Director at JWT Experience’s Cairo office from 2013, where I managed a wide portfolio of brands including Egyptian Tourism Authority, Nestle, Unilever, Vodafone, Commercial International Bank. All these experiences and vast exposure have equipped me to have a stead-fast and out-of-thebox approach towards any marketing or communication efforts I dabble in. Marketing tends to have a bad reputation due to its lack of female representation in the final decision-making process, which can lead to insensitive advertisements and content. Do you believe that women can bring in a new perspective into a marketing strategy? A woman’s perspective is always impactful. There are many amazing women who are impacting the marketing industry for the better with their talents, ensuring that content and publishing formats are properly aligned to the current climate and audience perception. I believe we bring the other side to light, and we are also very detail-oriented, which is one thing that can often either make or break marketing strategies. As a female leader, what has been the most significant barrier in your career? Were there any gender-related challenges that you had to overcome to be where you are now? It wasn’t a barrier as much as it was the fear of not being able to get the job done – or the exten-

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sive effort that you would have to put in to make things happen as a woman in the workplace. Yet again, I believe, women can really have it all. I have seen many proven examples throughout my career of how we rise to any challenge and succeed across all verticals. Women find it easy to enter the marketing field, however many tend to have a difficult time making it a long-term career. Why do you think that is, and how can companies improve to enable women to stay longer? I believe it is very possible for women to be able to make a long-term career out of marketing, I am personally surrounded by many stellar female marketing professionals. I do, however, believe that it is all the more possible with their organizations acting as the vital supportive pillar for their growth. Various companies, such as Ora Developers, instate effective practices to support female employee well-being and work on advancing their diversity strategies, such as offering no-biases during the hiring and promotion processes. Making sure that organizations themselves instill these effective, fair practices along with gender-diverse teams, is what will enable women to stay longer, perform better, and ensure dedication and satisfaction. What is one thing you wish more people knew about women in the workplace? Women in the workplace are often the source of brilliant ideas, positive disruption of the status quo, and are also setting a new standard for leadership. With over two decades of experience in the Marketing, Communications and Business Development field, and through my work at Ora Developers, I have seen some of the most inspiring work ethic, commitment, and professional enthusiasm, all stemming from ingenious women in the workplace. I hope many organizations and senior leadership can accordingly increase appreciation and recognition of their female employees. Do you have a mantra or saying that you would like to share with other ambitious women that has been meaningful to you? One of my personal favorite quotes is “Here’s to strong women: May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.” I believe it embodies how a woman in any form should be celebrated and honored. Be it a sister, a wife, a colleague, a mother, or any other form – and how we are the creators and emulators of our own strength and empowerment.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Farida Salem

Encouraging Women to be Stubborn in Chasing their Dreams, the Impact of Visibility and Women in Football

eading and inspiring the next generation of young Egyptian female football players, CEO and Founder of Empower Football Academy for Girls and Head Coach at ZED Women’s Football Academy, Farida Salem is a shining beacon in Egypt’s sports scene. Passionate about developing women’s engagement in the sports industry, she recently partnered with ZED to launch ZED Women Football Academy to further promote female participation in the sport in Egypt.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business

What does Women’s Month mean to you? It’s a celebration. Women’s month is a time to celebrate strong women in the world. Of course, every day is a celebration for women, but for this month especially, I take it as a chance to express our love and gratitude to all the women in our lives. From being a young girl playing with her brothers to watching over other girls as they enjoy football, how much do you feel has changed in the perception of it being a “man’s” game? It’s no longer a man’s game in my opinion, as more and more young girls are starting to join the sport and at much younger ages. I see a shift in perspective in all societies around the world, and it’s truly inspiring to live vicariously through the girls’ lives that I coach. How important is it to have female mentors in leadership roles, in and outside of sports? If you had one, what was your most meaningful experience? If not, how would you want a female mentor to be? It’s extremely important to have female role models. There’s a popular saying that states that you can’t be what you can’t see. I like to think that, but also amend it to “it’s easier to be what you can see” as it’s definitely possible to be anything we want to be, but it becomes more attainable when we see others before us achieving it as well. I’ve had many female mentors in my life, most importantly my mother. She is the strongest person I know. I’ve had five female bosses in Canada, and they have been more than helpful in my development and leadership. I still carry many qualities I’ve learned from them over the years. I’m truly blessed. How did you collaborate with ZED? And how did this affect your success story? ZED helps Empower turn dreams into reality. ZED has state-of-the-art facilities, and I have a strong background in the field of women in sport. Combined, we will develop players to the top level and help carry their football careers, both nationally and internationally. What are the challenges you have encountered during your journey? The lack of awareness about women in sport is a huge factor. There is also a lack of competition in the younger age groups which is hindering our potential growth. I also face many obstacles as a woman in a maledominated field, but I like to take on the challenges as they come - day by day.

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“Just because you fail once, doesn’t mean you’re going to fail at everything,” what do you think about this saying, and how it reflects your multisport journey? I don’t necessarily think of failing as a bad thing. Sometimes failing can lead you into a whole other path in life. I used to be a basketball player. If I had continued that path, I wouldn’t be where I am today. So, I am thankful for that experience. I always say you have to try before you make up your mind. We encourage the players to play many sports if they are younger than 12 years old to boost multi-sport development. They have to make their own decision. And I’m confident that their decisions will be what’s best for them because at least they have tried everything and they chose by themselves. Are you currently practicing any other activities rather than football? I play tennis with my brothers from time to time. I like to play squash as well. And I’m a pool shark (billiards). I actually played in a Canadian Billiards League when I was living there for a while. It’s one of my favorite hobbies for sure. After launching the Empower Football Academy and with Egypt hosting the first ever CAF (Confederation of African Football) Women’s Champions League, do you feel like there is better representation and coverage of women’s football in Egypt? If not, how do you think the media can do better? We can always do better, that’s for sure. The CAF Women’s Champions League gave us all a big push for women’s football. I was a digital influencer at the tournament, and created a lot of content for the women’s game. But I still think there is so much more we could do, even on the global stage. What are your upcoming steps to encourage women to play Football in Egypt? I, along with ZED, have partnered up with an application called “Hareeef,” which helps discover talent all around Egypt. In the near future, I’ll be traveling to different governerates around the country to help develop women’s football in those areas, and shed light on all the hidden talents we have in our country and give them guidance to continue their paths. Finally, is there anything else you would like to add for our female readers? If you love something, go for it. Be stubborn with your goals and dreams, and take it one day at a time.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Heba El Sewedy

Self-belief and Inspiring Others

ounding one of Egypt’s most well-known charitable foundations, Heba El Sewedy is a renowned humanitarian and philanthropist, dedicated to supporting society’s health and wellbeing, as well as burn victims through the Ahl Masr Foundation. El Sewedy is a firm believer in leading through inspiration and example, encouraging women to believe in themselves to pursue their dreams, and fight against gender bias and inequality.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business

First, what does Women’s Month represent to you? Women’s Month is a celebratory event for female movers and shakers. The journey towards women’s empowerment has gained traction and significant momentum over the past few years and continues to thrive. We are seeing more and more female-driven businesses, female leaders and inspiring figures. We are witnessing these endeavors from all fields and industries, all age groups and demographic areas. Women’s month allows us to learn about the impact of these women on society. Women are the linchpin of their homes; she is the mother who looks after her children and always keeps an eye on their details, she is the mentor who teaches her children everything. Whether she is a working mother or a homemaker, women always have a tremendous impact on every family. For this purpose, I believe that it should not be Women’s Month but rather Women’s Year, in order to celebrate these inspirational figures every day. You have probably seen it all, from growing up in one of Egypt’s business families to beginning your own firm to creating one of the country’s largest NGOs. How has your journey thus far been? I was raised in a household that values all forms of generosity; my father, Helal El-Sewedy, was well known for the philanthropic organization he created, and my mother was a very kind woman. I feel I inherited this trait from both of them. When I founded Ahl Masr Foundation in 2013, my main vision was to significantly reduce the impact and incidence of burns and traumas on burn victims and give them a new opportunity for thriving, rather than just survival. I deeply believe that God put me on this path to serve these heroes and help them flourish. Thousands of burn victims and survivors have benefited from the foundation’s ef-

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forts in prevention, treatment, and reintegration. Launching a number of programs and activities with an emphasis on prevention and awareness, in addition to treatment and initiatives to reintegrate survivors back into the community by developing programs that give survivors a sustainable income, was one of the most significant accomplishments. I consider my journey a success; it was not simple, as we encountered several challenges, but we successfully overcame them. Now, in 2022, we are excited to report that the hospital will be opening its doors this year. What has been the most important challenge in your career as a female leader? The most difficult challenge I have on a daily basis is addressing and convincing the community of the urgency and severity of the burn situation. I even called on the United Nations for the institution of a “Humanity Burn Free day,” an International day that recognizes the challenges of burns globally and celebrates the victims’ will to survive as well as give them hope for a better future. Personally, I had to deal with these hurdles, and of course, every woman has experienced such an obstacle before, but women should not focus on the challenge itself, but rather on how to cope with it in the best way possible and overcome it. It is all about believing in yourself, your talents, your strengths and viewing every setback as an opportunity to assist you reach the goals you have set for yourself. With female representation expanding in Egypt’s economic scene, what can men learn from female executives in terms of enhancing their leadership abilities and methods? As women have a more prominent presence in the Egyptian business sphere, males should begin to change their perceptions about women’s talent and potential at

work. Women have demonstrated that their abilities in the workplace are incredibly inspirational, and men may learn from them. In addition to these abilities, I believe that women are more likely to lead via inspiration, influencing people’s attitudes and beliefs, and aligning people with meaning and purpose. Furthermore, female leaders have shown to be more likely to coach, mentor, and develop their team members than male leaders. I am very proud that Egyptian females are now achieving great milestones in the labor market and the healthcare field. Statistics show that women constitute approximately 42.4% of healthcare practitioners and that 91.9% of the nursing staff who actually work in the Ministry of Health, as well as 73.1% of the nursing staff in hospitals and treatment facilities in the private sector, are women. Meanwhile, today, female judges were recently nominated by the State Council to sit on the judicial podium alongside their colleagues for the first time, and many women are positioned as CEOs of global corporations. All of these facts demonstrate that women are excellent leaders who can fit into any job given their strong leadership abilities. Do you have a mantra that has meant a lot to you and that you would want to share with other ambitious women? I have a mantra that is very close to my heart; it may not be particular to women, but I feel it is applicable to anybody who believes in their dream and works hard to achieve it. In this mantra, I always see my path, which is “Humanity Burn Free.” This is the mantra I have been working on for years, and it is now becoming a reality. As the hospital is about to open, it will provide burn patients with a chance to live as well as hope for a better future. I want to urge every woman to believe in her dream and develop it, because as long as she does well, she will go far.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Nesreen Nagaty Setting the Pace and Women’s Struggle

mbracing the challenges and barriers put in front of her, Nesreen Nagaty deeply believes in the value and power of persistence, enabling people to build themselves after difficult challenges to become stronger and more resilient. Head of Communications and CSR at Al Ahly Sabbour Developments, Nagaty believes in recognizing women-specific struggles in the workplace as a stepping-stone towards a more inclusive work environment.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business

I believe that recognition and encouragement from society towards the woman’s role in the workplace can go miles in furthering their participation. Firstly, what does Women’s Month mean to you? It means a lot of things to me. It means that women are finally getting the appreciation and recognition they deserve. It means that, at last, we’ve reached a time where women are empowered, and self-assured enough to uplift each other and shine a light on each other’s accomplishments. It’s basically a reminder of how far we have come, and all the struggles and hardships we’ve been through to get here. How did you balance being a mother and your ambitious career? What have you sacrificed or had to adjust (both personally and professionally) at each stage of your career? My priority is always my family, to give them all the attention, care and love they need. On a professional level, Eng. Ahmed Sabbour has been a big supporter and motivator after I shifted from education to real estate, and actually, all of the Sabbour families have given me support. They were very helpful to me, and alongside the support of my family who stood beside me and supported me throughout my journey, he taught me the main success factors: love and respect. What advice would you give to women who want to find a successful career and family life? Balancing work with family life is quite challenging to achieve but is very attainable. I think women, more than men, need to realize that it is essential to start early when focusing on a desired career, and we need to stay the course when marriage and children come. We do not have time to play around or to waste, and we must stay motivated and not burn out. Women, by starting early, would already have

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set a pace, before family life comes in. Even when you don’t start early, women must realize that many times, we need to do more. We must stay the course. Do you feel that cultural expectations and perceptions on women’s role in the workplace, and as financial providers for their families, has changed in the past few years? What do you believe can be done to improve it? I wish for people to know more about women’s struggles in the workplace. From the inequality in the workplace that a lot of women face, whether in pay or opportunity, to pregnancy discrimination and unconscious bias. I believe that once we start to address these issues, we can actually begin actively looking for solutions for them. I believe that recognition and encouragement from society towards the woman’s role in the workplace can go miles in furthering their participation and bettering their chances at reaching their career ambitions The most important lesson I’m actively trying to pass down to my children is that no matter how many times you fall down, you have to brace yourself and get back up by whatever means possible. Because that’s life, a series of ups and downs, and if you get lost in the downs, you’ll never reach the ups. How has Al Ahly Sabbour helped drive social change and empower women in the workplace in recent years? At Al Ahly Sabbour, 30% of our employees are women so we are trying to support them and their families, and we work as one big family. Our main goal is to create an environment where they are supported and can succeed in the organization.

March-April 2022

Women in Business

Vivian Fikry

Embracing Inclusivity and Authenticity

soft-spoken trailblazer, Vivian Fikry talks about the importance of creating enabling environments, building the right mindset, and how being authentic will lead you to success. Compassionate and composed, Fikry is the Head of Communications and Corporate Responsibility, AstraZeneca Egypt as well as its Sustainability and Patient Engagement Lead for Middle East & Africa, where she leads with a focus on being genuine, and simply a human being.

March-April 2022

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Women in Business

My advice for every lady is ‘when you find that a comma doesn’t work out, simply put a full stop, and start over again. What do you think helped you the most in your career as a woman? What is the biggest factor that has helped you become successful? I think it’s just about being authentic and being myself; believing that nothing could be a barrier is what truly helped me throughout my career. I personally believe that setting our mindsets towards our ambitious goals is what truly leads any person to succeed in life. Besides, of course, my great family support, working with a strong leader and an enabling environment. As a female leader, what has been the most significant barrier in your career? Have you been confronted with gender-related roadblocks in your career? Yes, at a certain point in my career, I felt completely stuck. I wasn’t moving forward as I had imagined, so I simply turned the page and started a whole new chapter where I could pursue my mapped plans, and achieve my professional goals in a more enabling work environment. My advice for every lady is “when you find that a comma doesn’t work out, simply put a full stop, and start over again.” What are some patterns you’ve noticed over the years about women at work, and things they could be doing better to advance their careers? What I have commonly noticed is that women are perfectionists; they always strive to be fully ready and prepared, regardless of the conditions. Whereas, I would say “go for it NOW and don’t wait until everything is fully ready! That’s when you’ll find yourself succeeding along the way.” Just know that a career is a journey, and part

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of what makes a journey beautiful is that it has several ups and downs. You should enjoy the ups, and learn how to overcome the downs, bearing in mind that one should not be afraid to take a step forward and say “I’m ready,” rather than waiting for the perfect moment to come. Why do you think companies would benefit from having more women at the top? Companies that are inclusive and embrace the diversity of thoughts are simply the most successful, as this brings different and innovative capabilities and solutions for any organization. In return, this would bring innovation out of this healthy work environment and culture, in which everyone feels involved, accepted and valued. What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders? My advice to promising female leaders would be to be authentic, empathetic, courageous, and most importantly be yourself. Empathetic leadership is how one gains trust and credibility at all levels, especially that the concept of leadership itself has evolved through time, and the human aspect of it plays a much bigger role now. You are undoubtedly busy; how do you take care of yourself and maintain good mental health? I always try to make time for myself to reflect and meditate. I also love playing squash and tend to spend quality time whenever possible with my family and friends during the weekends and this gives me a good recharge of energy.

March-April 2022

BT Scene Arab Bank Appointed as Khazna’s Security Agent Egypt has recently been appointed as the security agent to enable Khazna’s debt facility from Lendable, as Khazna announced earlier its pre-series A round of $38 million in equity and debt. Khazna is a portfolio company of Arab Bank’s FinTech and startups partnership arm, AB Accelerator, and is a Cairobased financial Super App that offers easy to use, technology-driven financial services to Egypt’s underserved consumers and micro-businesses. The announcement comes in line with Arab Bank’s strategy to support FinTech startups through providing agile banking solutions in line with the evolving market needs. “Offering banking solutions to facilitate Khazna’s growth is part of Arab Bank’s strategy to support the FinTech sector,” said Ahmed Ismail Hassan, Arab Bank Egypt’s Country Manager. “Our aim is to support FinTech startups through investments, conducting Proof of Concept (POC) engagements and different collaborations. This is a testament of Arab Bank’s commitment to push forward the bank’s agenda of innovation and digital transformation through partnering with FinTech

companies and startups in Egypt and beyond.” Arab Bank, through AB Accelerator, is the strategic partner and investor in 7 startups in the MENA region, Europe and beyond. AB Accelerator aims to accelerate the adoption of emerging technologies and solutions within the bank, as well as support founders to scale their business by becoming their docking point into the MENA region. Driven by this objective, AB Accelerator works to integrate into Egypt’s startup scene through investing in early-stage startups specialized in FinTech as well as other related technology verticals. It is also worth noting that Arab Bank’s presence in Egypt started in 1944. Currently the bank has 44 branches located in main cities and governorates across Egypt. Arab Bank has one of the largest global Arab banking networks with over 600 branches spanning five continents. Founders who wish to join Arab Bank’s “AB Accelerator” portfolio of companies may apply online through www.abaccelerator.co/apply-now or send an email to hello@abaccelerator.co

TikTok set to bring together community and creativity over shared Ramadan Values this Holy Month During the Holy Month of Ramadan, Tiktok brought a host of exciting content opportunities, thoughtful hashtags, and CSR initiatives to unite the community and make a difference in users’ lives. By digitally bringing Ramadan Values to life on TikTok, users would celebrate and embody kindness, tolerance, giving and togetherness as they inspire friends and families in the online space and beyond. What’s more, with video views growing by 21% in 2021 and engagement by 22%, TikTok is firmly positioning itself as the home of Ramadan entertainment for both observers and non-observers. Hany Kamel, Content Operations Director at TikTok MENA shared, “Ramadan has always been a significant cultural moment within our region and one of great importance to families and friends, as they take time to come together and reflect, over shared values and moments. As a facilitator of one of the largest and most engaged online communities in the region and beyond, we wanted to deliver on this in a way that not only entertains but also educates, empowers, and builds a more digitally responsible generation. We are sure that through embodying Ramadan Values that are cherished across the region, we will see the community come together to inspire creativity and spark joy more than ever before”. Hashtags not to miss included #‫ ةجهبلا_عانص‬, where users could watch their favorite creators take to the streets in search of a fist bump, only to reveal a hidden hand-held gift. These Ramadan themed gifts promise to bring a moment of happiness to recipients and users are more than welcome to join the fun and do the same. Celebrating those that do not get the recognition they deserve, users highlighted their small acts of kindness through “Stitch videos.”

March - April 2022

Everyone can join in to appreciate these everyday heroes through #StitchKindness and #‫ كريخ_رتك‬. The face of the effort will be none other than renowned Egyptian actress Nelly Karim, who will be joined by the likes of Mohammad Sweidan in the UAE and Rand Majali in Saudi Arabia. Through the Ramadan hub on the platform, creators came together through traditional Ramadan pastimes including cooking and enjoying meals with loved ones, watching popular shows and series, or simply sharing stories. Users can expect hours of daily LIVE content by experts to inspire some delicious Iftar dishes on #RamadanTableLive, while #HealthyRamadanLive gathers nutritionists and fitness experts to guide users staying in tip top shape over the month through Q&A’s, exercise sessions and more. #RamadanStories will see gifted storytellers tell tales of history and personal development, with creators and followers in animated discussions on the latest happenings of everyone’s favorite programs, an integral part of the month to all, under #Ramadan Reviews. TikTok sees safety as a job with no finish line, therefore over the Holy Month, is promoting a mindset of tolerance towards all. Highlighting the value of tolerance, the platform will be releasing inspirational video content to combat bullying within the digital space, championed by widely loved regional creators. Building on all the exciting activity taking place on the platform over the Holy Month, TikTok will also be working hand in hand with local partners to uplift community supporting initiatives, creating a difference across the region both on and offline.

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SODIC achieves record EGP 11.36 billion gross contracted sales in 2021 Recording revenues of EGP 6.92 billion in 2021, a growth rate of 24%, Sixth of October Development & Investment Company (SODIC) has a remarkable 2021, contributed mainly by its East Cairo projects which provided 75% of the year’s delivered value. SODIC’s gross profit increased 31% year-on-year (YoY) to reach EGP 2.34 billion in 2021, implying a gross profit margin of 34%, compared to EGP 1.78 billion and a gross profit margin of 32% recorded last year. Witnessing 54% YoY gross contracted sales growth in 2021, SODIC earned EGP 11.36 billion, generated by the sale of 1,745 units across all projects, setting a new record for annual gross contracted sales in terms of both number and value of units sold. Cancellations of EGP 1.97 billion were recorded during 2021, representing 17% of the year’s gross contracted sales, compared to 14% recorded during 2020. The increase comes as a result of the amplified cancellations on the West Cairo 500 acres project in New Zayed due to its temporary suspension, with the project accounting for EGP 1.12 billion of cancellations in 2021. Excluding cancellations on the 500 acre project, cancellations during 2021 would stand at 7% of gross contracted sales, in line with SODIC’s historical average. Despite limited launches, West Cairo projects accounted for 30% of gross contracted sales during 2021, supported by continued strong demand for signature project “The Estates.” East Cairo projects accounted for a further 33% of gross contracted sales during 2021, driven by the strong performance of SODIC East, which contributed 17% to the year’s gross contracted sales. Finally, The North Coast made up 37% of gross contracted sales during 2021, on the back of the successful launch of North Coast project “June” during the fourth quarter, which recorded some EGP 4.14 billion in gross contracted sales. Net cash collections reached EGP 4.95 billion for the year, with delinquencies at 6%. This compares to collections of EGP 4.28 billion and a delinquency rate of 8% recorded during 2020. SODIC delivered some 1,163 units during the year, of which 345 were in West Cairo projects, while East Cairo and North Coast projects accounted for 800 and 18 of the delivered units, respectively. SODIC also delivered 1,163 units during the previous year. A consortium comprising of Aldar Properties and ADQ acquired approximately 85.52% of SODIC’s outstanding share capital in 2021. The all-cash mandatory tender offer, at a purchase price of EGP 20.0 per share, valued SODIC at EGP 7.1 billion. The offer was accepted by shareholders representing 85.52% of outstanding share capital, resulting in a transaction value of EGP 6.1 billion. Operating profit grew 14% YoY to amount to EGP 1.16 billion for the year, reflecting an operating profit margin of 17%, compared to EGP 1.02 billion of operating profit and an operating profit margin of 18% recorded in 2020, with the slight decrease in operating profit margin attributable to one-off recognition of sunk costs on Malaaz in the amount of EGP 17 million before relaunching the project as June, as well as sunk costs related to the 500 acres project in the amount of EGP 68 million due to the adjustment of the land plot location, in addition to one-off professional advisory fees of EGP 95 million. Excluding these one-off events, normalized operating profit for 2021 would be EGP 1.47 billion, an increase of 45% on a YoY basis and would reflect an operating

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profit margin of 21%. Net profit after tax and non-controlling interests came in at EGP 860 million, growing 5% YoY and delivering a net profit margin of 12%, which compares to EGP 820 million and a net profit margin of 15% recorded during 2020, with the decline in the net profit margin as a result of lower operating profitability due to the recognition of one-off costs in addition to a sharp decline in net finance income due to lower interest rates. Excluding one-off events, normalized net profit after tax and minority interest would come in at EGP 1.1 billion a 33% YoY growth, and would imply a normalized net profit margin of 16%. Total cash and cash equivalents amounted to EGP 1.9 billion. This amount excludes some EGP 1.5 billion related to customer maintenance deposits, following the reclassification of some of the accounts on the balance sheet implemented as of year-end 2020. Bank leverage remains low, with bank debt to equity standing at 0.38x. Bank debt outstanding amounted to EGP 2.55 billion as of 31 December 2021. SODIC has been gradually increasing leverage mainly to finance investment in recurring income assets. Debt to equity amounted to 0.37x at year-end 2020, with EGP 2.3 billion outstanding. SODIC continues to invest in its assets portfolio in line with the company’s strategy to build a sizeable portfolio of prime leasable assets. Investment Property & Investment Property under Development balance amounted to some EGP 3.52 billion on 31 December 2021. Total receivables stood at EGP 19.5 billion, of which EGP 5 billion are short term receivables providing strong cash flow visibility for the company. The new presentation of receivables reports a total of EGP 2.5 billion of on-balance sheet receivables, reflecting only those relating to delivered units already recognized as revenue. On the other hand, some EGP 17 billion of receivables related to undelivered units are disclosed in the footnotes. Total backlog of unrecognized revenue stood at EGP 22.76 billion as of 31 December 2021, providing strong revenue visibility for the company. Following the reclassification implemented as of year-end 2020, the backlog can be calculated as the sum of the advances from customers account and the off-balance sheet postdated checks related to undelivered units.

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H.E. Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr. Nevine Gamea, Witnesses the Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding Between MSMEDA and Amazon.eg to Support Local Businesses in Egypt

H.E. Dr. Nevine Gamea, Minister of Trade and Industry in Egypt and Executive Director of Egyptian Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA), witnessed the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Amazon Egypt and MSMEDA. As part of Amazon’s continuous commitment to enabling small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), the MoU was signed by Aly Gamay, Senior Program Manager at Amazon Marketplace, and Dr. Raafat Abbas, Head of Non-Financial Services Central Sector at MSMEDA, in the presence of H.E. Dr. Gamea, along with Omar Elsahy, General Manager of Amazon Egypt, and Eng. Tarek Shash, Deputy Executive Chairman at MSMEDA. Through this partnership, Amazon Egypt will support MSMEDA-registered businesses interested in availing their products to millions of customers and growing their business online. H.E. Dr. Nevine Gamea stated that the MoU between Amazon Egypt and MSMEDA is in line with Egypt Vision 2030 to assist SMBs in different sectors, helping them to sustainably expand their business model. She stressed the important role of leading technology companies in the field of ecommerce, such as Amazon Egypt. During the signing ceremony, the Minister reflected on the advancement of technology that Amazon provides for SMBs. H.E. Dr. Gamea said: “MSMEDA is keen to provide various types of support for SMBs in all sectors including fashion, leather, food, or furniture to help business owners market their products. This is in addition to supporting handicrafts and heritage arts that reflect the cultural diversity of the Egyptian civilization. MSMEDA is also constantly working on developing its mechanisms to help business owners expand the exposure of their products, which can positively impact their growth and expansion, and increase their competitiveness locally and globally.” H.E. Dr. Gamea added: “MSMEDA partners with different sectors to facilitate the participation in local and international exhibitions that MSMEDA organizes or regularly takes part in to ensure the continuation of market exposure, providing a bigger opportunity for SMBs to expand their business. In addition, ecommerce customers and marketing applications have doubled in number in recent years, especially after the pandemic, which makes the adoption of ecommerce by SMBs a necessity that enhances the sector’s growth rates.” Omar Elsahy, General Manager of Amazon Egypt, said: “At Amazon, supporting SMBs is a fundamental part of our work and an extension

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of our customer-centric culture. In fact, more than 50% of everything sold in Amazon’s stores globally comes from third-party sellers, most of which are small and medium-sized businesses. Partnering with MSMEDA will help us highlight Egypt’s rich handicrafts heritage, adding valuable selection to customers shopping on Amazon.eg.” Elsahy added: “We will continue to support Egypt’s vision for economic diversification and digitalization, acting as a key partner in the country’s path to progress in today’s digital economy. This partnership is a key milestone in our ongoing efforts to champion small businesses within our local communities. We are confident that our efforts with MSMEDA will encourage more Egyptian entrepreneurs to sell on Amazon.eg, as they choose to grow their businesses with us.” According to the MoU, Amazon Egypt will provide MSMEDA-registered businesses with educational webinars, professional product photography services, onboarding business sessions for Amazon.eg, and ongoing seller support. Amazon will also curate a dedicated storefront focused on handmade local products on Amazon.eg to showcase products available from MSMEDA-registered businesses. Once the businesses are registered to sell on Amazon.eg, they will have the opportunity to access Amazon.eg’s seller support services and account management services. The services offer businesses strategic advice and insights, helping them sustain and grow their business on Amazon. eg’s marketplace. Engineer Tarek Shash, Deputy Executive Chairman at MSMEDA, confirmed that the partnership with Amazon is in line with MSMEDA’s vision to support SMBs and help them market their products using modern digital tools and ecommerce. He said MSMEDA will continue to provide local talents with financial and non-financial programs and workshops to expand their business plans and achieve their full potential. Dr. Raafat Abbas, Head of Non-Financial Services Central Sector at MSMEDA, explained that technical support services provided for small businesses are also among the most important factors that contribute to their success and sustainability. He said MSMEDA will support business owners who wish to display their products through ecommerce and train them to develop their products to comply with the applicable requirements locally and globally. For more information on how to sell on Amazon.eg, visit sell.amazon.eg.

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The Coca-Cola Foundation launches the first phase of the “Your Bicycle, Your Revenue” project in cooperation with the Ministry of Youth & Sports, the Ministry of Military Production and Misr El Kheir The Coca-Cola Foundation has partnered with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Military Production and Misr El Kheir Foundation, to launch the first phase of “Your Bicycle, Your Revenue” initiative, which aims at creating job opportunities for youth across the country. This partnership will result in the provision of 1,350 bicycles to 1,350 young beneficiaries, in addition to soft skills and sales trainings to assist them with kick starting their own businesses. The launch event took place at the Cairo International Stadium and was attended by representatives from the aforementioned parties as well as 500 beneficiaries from the first phase. “Your Bicycle, Your Revenue” is the result of a collaboration that reflects the avidity of Egyptian actors and international institutions to join forces in order to support Egypt’s 2030 national strategy that focuses on public health, sustainable development, reducing unemployment rates and improving the economic, social and environmental conditions of underprivileged families. The initiative aims to offer a source of income for young beneficiaries seeking to make a profit by providing them a bicycle, training and CocaCola products to kick-start their micro-businesses. That in addition to preserving the environment, reducing vehicle emissions that pollute the air and encouraging the public to exercise and restore activity on a daily basis. This initiative is also aligned with Coca-Cola Africa’s new sustainability platform “JAMII” where women and youth economic empowerment is one of the key focus areas. Through JAMII, Coca-Cola Africa seeks to promote and generate entrepreneurship opportunities through the provision of improved access to skills training, networks, finance and markets. Hala Abdel Wadood, Director of Public Affairs, Communication and Sustainability North Africa Coca-Cola Atlantic said, “For the 80 years of our operations in Egypt, we have shown effort in developing the community by supporting work that directly contributes to the development of the Egyptian community. In 2011, Coca-Cola in Egypt inaugurated its 100 villages project which aims to develop villages most in need by providing clean water access to homes, renovating schools, refurbishing medical centers, providing the necessary medical equipment and supporting microbusinesses for women. As a result, the company was able to connect almost half a million people with clean water in rural Egypt and develop 70 villages up until now. Today, we continue with our mission to directly impact our host communities through the efforts of JAMII” Amal Mobadda, Fundraising Sector Director at Misr El Kheir Founda-

tion, praised the Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. Ashraf Sobhi’s, role in the field of youth service in all its categories, and his support of various development initiatives. “I suggest we extend this initiative to encompass girls and those with special needs in the next stages of “Your Bike, Your Revenue”, as well as following up on the results of the initiative and how bikes have changed the lives of young people and provided them with job opportunities that will provide them, in turn, with a decent income and a decent life, as well as rewarding those who achieve great profits from their businesses,” said Mobadda. “The initiative is one of the most important projects implemented by Misr El Kheir Foundation for developing the Egyptian individual, which is the slogan that the foundation has raised since its inception. I’m proud to say that Misr El Khier Foundation is one of the largest civil society institutions in Egypt and the Arab world working to serve families in need – inside Egypt – in the fields of health, education, social solidarity, aspects of life, scientific research and integrated development,” continued Mobadda. She added, “The initiative is a model for the cooperation between the valuable tri-sector collaboration, which includes the government, the private sector, civil society, as well as the media. And in coordination with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Misr El Kheir Foundation is currently training the beneficiaries on managing and marketing their businesses, we will also be following up and evaluating the projects after six months of their implementation date. Both entities will also work collaboratively on writing reports for the executed works and measuring the impact of each project.”

Solitaire, an all-new Kwai #RamadanSeries Kwai, the leading global short-form video platform, is hosting the first-ever short video drama series this Ramadan, with a special appearance from Egyptian superstar actress and singer Ayten Amer and a variety of top content creators. The 10-episode drama series, titled “#seeyoutomorrow”, recently dropped exclusively on Kwai. Episodes will be aired every day and can be followed on @KwaiDramaOfficial (Kwai ID: KwaiDramaOfficial) or through the #Kwai_Ramadan_Series hashtag. During Ramadan, Kwai is also hosting a high-quality drama series which will bring episodes to users across various genres, ranging from suspense drama and horror drama to romantic drama and the new drama style – firstperson point of view drama. This series is part of Kwai’s scripted in-app drama cam-

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paign, #Kwai_Ramadan_Series, which will actively drive Kwai’s mission to empower content creators with acting talents and creative abilities. It comes shortly after Kwai’s very first drama competition, #KwaiDramaStar, which encouraged content creators to film scripted skits for a chance to win rewards and promotional opportunities on the platform, helping to spotlight many talented creators on Kwai. Within the current #Kwai_Ramadan_Series campaign, content creators will be sharing videos across three different categories: Solitaire Ramadan series, Original Drama series, and #my_life_in_Ramadan. The campaign – which recently kicked off with an episode featuring guest star Ayten Amer, who is leading the “#seeyoutomorrow” Ramadan series category – will continue to share creative and entertaining drama content with the audience in the region and beyond.

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DHL Distributes Thousands of Ramadan Food Boxes Supporting 10,000 Individuals as Part of its #GoHelp Initiative DHL Express Egypt announced that it will be partnering with the Egyptian Food Bank for the seventh consecutive time this Ramadan with the objective of distributing food boxes to benefit 10,000 people living in underprivileged areas across a number of Egyptian governorates. This initiative comes as part of DHL’s social responsibility efforts towards improving the quality of people’s lives while also mitigating the challenges posed by global events. DHL will assist the Egyptian Food Bank in distributing thousands of Ramadan boxes containing basic items that include tea, pasta, sugar, rice, oil, and beans. “At DHL, we believe in taking action that aims at connecting people and improving lives; it is what guides our decisions and influences our overarching strategy. We are truly thrilled to be partnering with EFB this year in order to provide a helping hand for communities in need during the month of Ramadan,” Ahmed ElFangary, Country Manager of DHL, said. He went on to highlight DHL’s efforts through its #GoHelp initiative, “this particular program employs our logistics expertise, global network, and the personal commitment of our individual employees towards adding value to the lives of anyone in need. Using all the tools at our disposal to achieve that goal does not only align with our vision of meaningful connection with community members, but also with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, especially goal number 1, targeting communities struggling to acquire basic needs. We believe in the role corporates can play in enhancing people’s lives through providing solutions and making a difference all year round.” Mohsen Sarhan, Egyptian Food Bank CEO, described the partnership as “a consistent step that highlights the values DHL and EFB

have and that mainly focus on humanity, dignity, and ensuring food security. We are proud to see our partnership go through its seventh year this Ramadan season, and we look forward to making a difference year after year.” DHL is dedicated to taking the lead in advancing sustainability and harnessing its core strengths to have a long-term social impact, and that is why it strives to make partnerships that have a direct impact on people’s lives. Apart from #GoHelp, DHL’s corporate social responsibility efforts extend to reach various directions and are supported through its Go Programs, including #GoGreen and #GoTeach to preserve the environment, influence the economy, and ensure sustainable development across the board.

Disney+ Sets June 8Th As Launch Date For Egypt Disney+, the streaming service from The Walt Disney Company, has confirmed launch dates for the 42 countries and 11 new territories set to launch this summer. The streaming service will launch in Egypt and across 15 other MENA markets* on June 8th. Pricing in Egypt has also been announced at EGP 49.99 per month or EGP 498.99 for an annual subscription. With exclusive original content and thousands of episodes and movies from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic and general entertainment from Star (in select markets), Disney+ is the streaming home for some of the world’s most beloved stories. Subscribers will have access to Star Wars’ “The Book of Boba Fett” and “The Mandalorian” from executive producer and writer Jon Favreau. In addition, the Marvel Studios’ series “Moon Knight” starring Oscar Isaac as Steven Grant, a mild-mannered gift-shop employee, becomes plagued with blackouts and memories of another life and Academy Award®-nominated “Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings” starring Simu Liu and Awkwafina. Subscribers will also be able to enjoy Disney and Pixar’s Academy Award®-nominated “Luca” and from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Academy Award®-winning “Encanto” which tells the tale of an extraordinary family the Madrigals and Academy Award®-winning “Cruella” starring Emma Stone as the legendary “Cruella de Vil”. In general entertainment subscribers will also be able to watch titles including action-packed Academy Award®-nominated comedy “Free Guy” starring Ryan Reynolds as well as “The Simpsons” and “Grey’s

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Anatomy”. From National Geographic, “The World According To Jeff Goldblum” Season One sees Jeff take us on an entertaining, insightful and playful ride. In each episode of this 12-part series, he pulls on the thread of a deceptively familiar object to unravel a world of astonishing connections and fascinating science and history. Users will have access to high-quality viewing, up to four concurrent streams, unlimited downloads on up to ten devices, and the ability to set up to seven different profiles, including the ability for parents to set Kids Profiles that have an easy-to-navigate child-friendly interface to access age-appropriate content. For more information, or to sign up for the Disney+ service, visit Disneyplus.com.

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Last Word

“The faithful sons of the homeland continue to answer the nation’s call courageously and selflessly, a unique example of self-denial and unshakable faith in the doctrine of safeguarding the nation. These treacherous terrorist operations will not discourage the sons of this nation and its armed forces from uprooting terrorism.”

— President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi” 90

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