Ahmed Elzayat, founder and CEO of EMS and member of the Egyptian Businessmen's Association: 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 Ahmed Elzayat (LinkedIn), CEO of Engineering Management Systems (EMS) and member of the Egyptian Businessmen's Association.

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My name is Ahmed Elzayat and I graduated with a bachelor's degree in mechanical power engineering from Port Said University in 2006. I'm married with no children yet, and I'm passionate about football, which is my favorite hobby. I'm also a member of the Egyptian Businessmen's Association and the Investment Division at the Federation of Chambers of Commerce.

I founded EMS in 2018, after years of working in engineering in Egypt and GCC countries. EMS started in the Egyptian market with engineering contracting and consulting for two years before partnering with Germany’s Siemens in control systems and AI-powered management solutions.

As Siemens' partner for control systems and AI in Egypt, we focus on digital transformation and sustainability across various facilities, from hospitals and hotels to residential compounds and shopping malls. Our solutions help reduce carbon footprints, manage energy efficiently, and enable stakeholders to operate their facilities using industrial AI technologies.

We're currently focused on AI-powered control and management systems for water stations. We're working with the Housing Ministry to manage and operate 21 water system schemes in New Cairo — the first such implementation in the entire region.

AI is currently the latest global digitization trend. I'm working to convince government entities in Egypt to adopt these technologies in managing and operating facilities, starting with hospitals and water stations. We've successfully landed an agreement with the General Healthcare Authority to implement an AI-powered app for hospital operations and management, which has also been promoted in Saudi Arabia.

Our main challenge is convincing government entities to adopt AI technologies in facility management and remote control. Innovation is also central to our operations — we collaborate with numerous Egyptian universities and our main partner, Siemens Germany, to leverage their digital expertise and improve work standards.

I try to maintain a consistent morning routine. I wake up at 8am and spend an hour enjoying my coffee while browsing news about my field, politics, economics, and of course, sports. I recently started reading EnterpriseAM, which seems seamless and addresses a vast segment of readers, compared to other publications. Team meetings start as soon as I reach the office at 9am for an hour, followed by checking emails and meeting clients both in and outside the office. I spend two hours following up our operations in Saudi Arabia, where we opened our first overseas branch seven months ago. I aim to complete all tasks by 5pm.

Going out after work is one of my most cherished habits to break from the traditional work pattern and recharge. I love exploring new places in Cairo, whether with family or friends, and I make it a point to visit my family in Tanta whenever possible.

I maintain focus by setting priorities, using mobile apps to organize tasks, meetings, and commitments. Each day, I have one main task that gets my full attention until completion, along with some secondary tasks that I don't neglect.

My personal goal is to enjoy the journey. Overcoming challenges and the thrill of achievement are life's greatest pleasures. I don't believe in working non-stop until retirement — life shouldn't be compartmentalized, but rather enjoyed at every step.

Professionally, representing Siemens Germany in Egypt was a dream since university, and I worked to qualify myself for it. Now that I've achieved this, I'm focusing on opening more branches of my company in other Arab countries.

Clear goal-setting helps me maintain work-life balance. I always strive to make each year better than the last, both personally and professionally. Every three years, I reward myself with lifestyle improvements, whether it's a new car, a bigger house, expanding my company, or visiting somewhere new — these things keep me moving forward with passion.

Contentment helps reduce my stress levels, mainly because I'm convinced that I spare no effort in pursuing my goals, while leaving the results to God and accepting them with satisfaction regardless of the outcome. I avoid the business community's obsession that some have of being consumed by money-making and reaching the top quickly.

Reading helps me unwind after a tough workday. I lean towards philosophy to clear my mind. I'm currently reading Ibn Khaldun's Muqaddimah, which I find fascinating as it offers a window into social philosophy and helps me see things better. I also recommend reading the History of Political Philosophy by Leo Strauss.

Besides following local and international football, I regularly watch Da7ee7 and MokhbirEqtisadi, though I'm not a fan of long podcasts. I make sure to go to the cinema at least every two weeks — I enjoy Marwan Hamed and Ahmed Nader Galal's works that deliver value and messages to society.

One of the best pieces of advice I received came from my manager in Dubai, who emphasized the importance of studying business administration to develop my ability to bring in projects, rather than focusing solely on developing myself as a traditional engineer. For me, The Count of Monte Cristo also carries a lesson I always remember — You can achieve everything from nothing.

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