Mohamed Hanafi, co-founder and managing director at Lynx: Each week, My Morning Routine looks at how a successful member of the community starts their day — and then throws in a couple of random business questions just for fun. Speaking to us this week is Mohamed Hanafi (LinkedIn). Edited excerpts from our conversation:

I’m Mohamed Hanafi, a diplomat who had the privilege of serving in the Foreign Affairs Ministry for almost 20 years. I had a wonderful ride at the ministry, serving in Washington D.C and Beirut, and as a private secretary to the minister from 2011 to 2013, two of our nation's most interesting, eventful years. I am now the co-founder and managing director of Lynx Strategic Business Advisors, a leading Egypt-based public policy and investment advisory consulting firm. I am also a senior advisor at Albright Stonebridge Group (ASG) — which is a leading commercial diplomacy firm and part of Dentons Global Advisors. Finally, I am married and a proud father to two beautiful children, Lina and Ismail.

I oversee Lynx’s day to day operations, ensuring that we are offering timely, top-quality advice and reports to our clients. I lead and support engagement with the government and clients and work closely with the business development team on new partnerships and expansion.

Lynx helps clients in the private sector make informed business decisions in Egypt and facilitates constructive engagement with government stakeholders. Our clients operate in areas including technology, manufacturing, healthcare, transport, F&B, retail and development. We provide strategic analysis of evolving policies and support clients on business facilitation and reputation management. We also work with the government to create platforms for deeper discussions with the private sector on Egypt’s policies, regulations, and national projects through our Lynx forum.

Egypt is at an important turning point in terms of the country's economic policy direction. I think it's clear that while we have achieved noticeable upgrades over the past 10 years in areas like infrastructure and social protection measures, we didn’t shield the economy from global shocks and challenges. But the good news is that the government is realizing it’s time to send the right signals regarding its new economic policy direction by prioritizing the role of private investment. I believe the recent decisions by the Supreme Investment Council create an enabling environment for investment and address several elephants in the room, including taxation policy, import restrictions, red tape, and the state's role in certain sectors of the economy.

Exceptional times require exceptional steps and decisions. We’re trying our best to help our employees while remembering that our clients are also dealing with higher costs, so we have to manage and price our services in a way that is aligned with our priorities and ability to navigate the current inflationary pressures.

I wake up at 5:30am to help my wife and kids prepare for school and the day ahead, as well as digest the morning news. I’m a big fan of Enterprise and usually read it around 6am. By around 7am, I'm at the gym or Gezira Sporting Club for two very important hours of daily oxygen, exercise, a Spanish latte, and an open-air breakfast. I’ve been waking up early and starting the day with fresh air and outdoor sports since 2008 — these daily habits are crucial to create the best mental state for a day of challenges and opportunities. At around 9am, I begin by my workday by writing emails and engaging with clients and government officials

A typical workday involves addressing clients’ questions and comments and engaging with government officials to brief them on the client's priorities. Of course, I spend a significant portion of the day sitting behind a laptop reviewing reports and responding to emails.

I have a great team: They’re always supportive, make sure everyone is doing what needs to be done, and step forward to take care of responsibilities. We are all glued to our Microsoft calendars that keep us in check and help structure our day.

I’m hoping to continue to witness the growth of Lynx and take it not only to the region but the world. Public policy is constantly evolving and there’s a lot we can do to support Egypt’s ability to attract new investment and contribute to public policy debates globally.

Honestly, there's no such thing as a work-life balance in my field. We talk the talk, but never walk the walk — work has been prioritized over a lot of things in my life. We always have to be accessible to our clients and partners, which makes it difficult to maintain a healthy work-life balance. The weekend has become a vehicle to try and achieve some parts of the balance and meet family needs.

There’s a couple of things I like to do when work is done. I love to play sports — I shifted from tennis to padel and play several times a week. I love playing chess with my son.

Coming from a political background, I'm a big fan of political series like House of Cards, Suits, and Designated Survivor. I recently watched The Diplomat — it may be a bit exaggerated but it’s definitely worth the watch.

I always remember the values instilled in me by my parents, which include never compromising on principles, speaking the truth to power, giving 100% to everything, and to treat others how you would like to be treated.

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