Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. It may just be the knowledge that it’s the first full workweek in recent memory, but we’re finding it hard to believe that it’s only Monday, especially as the news cycle here at home picks up pace.

We’re only one week away from meeting with some of you at the Enterprise Exports and FDI Forum, taking place at the Four Seasons at the Nile Plaza on Monday, 15 May.

We’re proud to announce that our friend Abdallah Sallam, CEO, Madinet Masr, is joining us for the forum. Are you? Abdullah Sallam is going to be speaking on the new industries Egypt can leapfrog into and claim a global spot. He is joined on stage for that discussion by Mostafa Bedeir, CEO of Giza Seeds and Herbs, and Nadia El-Tawil, investment officer at Africinvest who will discuss what are the export-based businesses of the future that can be a magnet for FDI.

They’re not the only ones: Among the top execs, bankers, and development finance folks speaking at the conference are: Tarek Kamel, CEO of Nestle Egypt; Omar Elsahy, general manager of Amazon Egypt, Khaled Morsy, CEO of DB Schenker Egypt; Mark Wylie, CEO, Beyti; Shady William, managing director of IDG; Mohamed Talaat Khalifa, CEO of Concrete; Hossam Sallab, CEO and vice-chairman of Sallab Group and Royal Ceramica; Kareem Abou Ghaly, chairman and CEO of Pasta Regina; Tarek Hosny, head of investments and projects at Fertiglobe; Helmy Ghazi, deputy CEO of HSBC Egypt; Nada El Ahwal, CSO of Transmar; Hassan Massoud, associate director and head of private equity (Southern Mediterranean), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD); Hossam Abou Moussa, partner at APIS; Yassir Zouaoui, partner at McKinsey; and Mohamed El Gebely, Team Leader at USAID Trade.

Topics and live interviews will include:

  • Why exports and FDI are the way forward and what lessons have worked from around the world;
  • How to attract foreign partners and figure out what they are looking for;
  • What lessons can we draw from white goods, fertilizers, and garments exporters who have increased our exports;
  • What are the fundamentals to creating an export and / or FDI strategy;
  • What it takes to secure a place in a multinational’s supply chain.
  • How industrial clusters could expedite exports, FDI and possibly be an avenue for SME development;


For the full agenda please click here.

** Have you confirmed your attendance? Invitations have been sent out over the past few weeks. If you have yet to confirm your attendance and would still like to join us, please reply to the invitation with an RSVP.

WANT TO BECOME A COMMERCIAL PARTNER? Ping a note to Moustafa, our head of commercial, here.

THE BIG STORIES TODAY

#1- SFE + B Investments launch a new pharma company in partnership with El Ezaby: The Sovereign Fund of Egypt’s health and pharma fund is launching a new pharma company, EZ International, in partnership with El Ezaby Pharmacy, according to a joint press release (pdf).

#2- Abu Dhabi-based Khazna and Benya Group are planning to build a USD 250 mn data center in Maadi Technology Park, after the three sides signed an MoU today, according to a GAFI statement. The center is expected to have an IT load capacity of 25 GW.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD

It’s a very mixed bag in the international business press this afternoon. Among the stories getting front-page play:

  • Russia’s energy sector hit as Kremlin forced to increase tax (Financial Times)
  • Why Elon Musk is building two old-fashioned company town in Texas (Wall Street Journal)
  • Oil’s sharp slide has surprised markets. But some traders now see a bottom for prices (CNBC)
  • Turkish Lira volatility is world’s highest a week before vote (Bloomberg)

** CATCH UP QUICK on the top stories from today’s EnterpriseAM:

  • Lynx announces partnership with Dentons Global Advisors-ASG: Egyptian consultancy Lynx Strategic Business Advisors has entered a “strategic affiliation” with global strategic advisory firm Dentons Global Advisors — Albright Stonebridge Group.
  • JPMorgan is the latest investment bank to warn of the consequences of delaying reform: Further delays to currency and structural reforms will ramp up liquidity pressures and raise questions about the sustainability of Egypt’s debt, analysts at JPMorgan wrote in a note last week.
  • Violence continues as peace talks enter third day: Clashes between the Sudanese Army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continued yesterday as representatives from both sides continued “pre-negotiation talks” in Saudi Arabia.

? CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

The Sandbox Festival is coming up this weekend in El Gouna, with the three-day music festival kicking off on Thursday, 11 May and wrapping up on Saturday, 13 May. You can check out the full lineup and book your pass here.

Cairo Fashion Week also kicks off this weekend, starting from Friday, 12 May through to Monday, 15 May.

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- Expect the mercury to inch up again tomorrow to peak at 30°C, with a nighttime low of 18°C, our favorite weather app tells us.

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