Amr Badreldin, CEO of Arkan Palm: For a special Ramadan edition of our weekly My Morning Routine column that we are running through the holy month, we spoke to Amr Badreldin, CEO of Arkan Palm. We asked Badreldin the usual questions to find out how a successful member of the community starts their day and threw in a few more to find out how he adjusts to Ramadan and what he looks forward to in the holy month. Edited excerpts from our conversation:

My name is Amr Badreldin, and I’m the CEO of Arkan Palm. I’ve been an entrepreneur for around 50 years and I’ve worked across different sectors like development, tourism, agriculture, imports, and exports. I’ve spent decades working in Egypt’s real estate sector, leading projects that transform urban spaces. I also led development projects in the UK, which showed me the importance of delivering work that is complete, well-executed, and punctual. These are all values we’ve embedded into Arkan Palm.

My main role involves focusing on the future. I guide the company’s vision, planning a year or a year-and-half in advance and monitoring how the plan is being carried out every 2-3 weeks. Because the market is very volatile — in the way of inflation, interest rates, import regulations, foreign exchange — constant monitoring is essential. It allows you to stay on top of your business and calibrate the strategy whilst guiding your daily decisions. You could change your entire course of action overnight based on market changes. Beyond Egypt, I also keep an eye on global news or trends that could impact the local market.

Arkan started with the observation that there weren’t enough places in Sheikh Zayed where people could go out. This was at a time when people were transitioning from socializing in sports clubs to spending time in cafes. My vision was to create a venue that would offer an assortment of reputable cafes and dining venues — from fine dining and sushi spots to traditional qahwas and Lebanese restaurants. The project was very successful, and we then moved on to the second phase, which was driven by the vision of creating a holistic district — complete with hotels, a cinema, a theater, tennis courts, and everything in between. Today, Arkan’s footfall is 45k visitors per day — that’s around 12-13 mn visitors a year.

Our next project is 205, which is around 11x larger than Arkan Plaza and will be a central entertainment hub in West Cairo. The project will feature three hotels — a 200-room Holiday Inn, a 250-room InterContinental, and a 150-room Voco — alongside the three tallest towers in West Cairo. The project will also include an artificial canal, 200k sqm of retail and entertainment spaces, and 500k sqm of office buildings. Sustainability is key to the project — 22-25% of its electricity will be powered by solar energy, and it will have a greywater recycling system for air conditioning. The development will also include a residential area, a hospital, and over 20k parking spaces. We will deliver the first third of the project within a year.

I wake up early, and I take some time to read before diving into the day. The morning is my chance to organize my thoughts and prepare for the day ahead. After that, I go straight into work mode. My schedule is packed with meetings because we’re constantly reassessing our plans to stay on top of Egypt's fast-changing market. My routine does not change during Ramadan. I don’t usually nap in the afternoons, so when I come home from work, I have iftar and then take a walk or spend time with family and friends in the evenings.

There’s no real constant in my day; I enjoy changing things up. I like to explore and try new things, even to the point of moving houses 11 times. If there’s one constant for me, it’s movement. Even at the office, I don’t call people into my office; I go to them instead. I prefer to stay active and on the move.

Time is essential to me and good timing is a core part of my personality. Punctuality is extremely important, and I expect the same from those around me. Wasting time really limits what you can achieve. A person works around 80k hours in a lifetime, so making the most of it is essential to success.

Maintaining good health is my top priority. Beyond that, I’m content in my personal life. Professionally, my focus is on ensuring our projects are delivered on time and to the highest standards.

I work around the clock, so when I feel exhausted, I take time off to travel, unwind, walk, or try new things. This helps me come back to work feeling refreshed and ready to do my best.

I don’t have specific preferences when it comes to reading. I enjoy researching and exploring a wide range of topics. They’re not always work-related or subjects most people focus on, but I like to stay informed.

The best piece of advice I’ve been given is to never waste time. Make the most of every minute. Whether you’re working, eating, or enjoying yourself, do it with purpose and to the best of your ability. Avoid lazing around and doing nothing and engage in activities that add value to you and to your life.

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