Ayman Elsawy, CEO and founder of Bokra: 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 Ayman Elsawy (LinkedIn), CEO and founder of Bokra.

I’m Ayman Elsawy, CEO and founder of Bokra Holding. I have spent over 25 years in the financial services industry, focusing on financial engineering, portfolio management, structure finance, and debt capital market products. Today, I’m focused on building Bokra, the MENA region’s first financial goal achievement platform. It aims to help people realize their financial goals through sharia-compliant, asset-backed investments.

This is my only responsibility now — crafting a strategic vision and making sure we have the right systems, teams, and partnerships in place. I am building a strong, stable foundation to support Bokra’s long-term growth.

In Egypt, most people don't trust where to put their money. The available financial tools are either too complex or inaccessible. There is a lack of trust in the financial institutions and the savings or investment options available on the market right now. While the banking sector encourages people to open accounts, it imposes minimum balance requirements that create barriers. And ins. companies offer savings products that fall short of what we need. They don’t speak in terms that connect with how everyday Egyptians think about saving and investing.

Meanwhile, people’s money is losing value over time due to the devaluation of the EGP. As a result, most Egyptians are trying to protect their savings and hedge against losses. They buy gold, store money at home, or invest in real estate — often getting into the huge commitment of buying properties without being able to fully repay.

Around two-thirds of the economy operates in the parallel market — outside the formal banking system. Egyptian culture requires a gradual transition period to build trust before people feel comfortable opening bank accounts.

There's no single right financial solution for everyone. Institutions should offer diverse products, ones that can be scaled effectively, while catering to Egyptians' financial habits and preferences.

These challenges inspired the creation of Bokra. The idea is to maximize returns for our users, while meeting their financial goals — like funding their children’s education, saving to travel, or planning for retirement. Our product is designed to meet future aspirations rather than immediate needs. In order to upgrade your lifestyle, you need to save today for future spending.

An industry trend that surprised me is the strong demand for sharia-compliant products, from both Muslims and Christians. It’s not about the label, it’s about the product’s fundamentals. Investment and savings products structured correctly tend to naturally align with shariah principles. People used to worry that sharia-compliant products are complex, but they’re actually quite simple.

AI is another major trend that we want to leverage, even though it’s too early to understand its full potential. I think that combining these two elements — AI and shariah compliance — within the right product could create something scalable in the near future.

I start my day with a cup of coffee. I then read EnterpriseAM to get the latest news and look at the overall market dynamics. This is actually my relaxing time. I get into the office at 8am and kick off the workday by going over my emails and the developments that unfolded a day earlier. I set the direction for the day, follow up on tasks with team members, and identify challenges that we need to start addressing.

The key to staying organized and focused is to prioritize. When faced with a long list of tasks, we have to zoom out and figure out what really matters right now so we don't get overwhelmed. Today’s priorities can be different from tomorrow’s. It’s a dynamic model — you set a roadmap knowing it might change over time.

Having a work-life balance while managing a startup is challenging. But you have to do it. I wouldn’t call it “work-life balance” necessarily — I think of it as creating moments to reset and recharge to sustain this dynamic lifestyle. The balance comes from learning to relax.

I enjoy traveling — it’s a reset for my life. I love going to El Gouna or travelling abroad with my family and kids, and I make sure I’m fully present with them too. In a way, it’s like I’m giving them a chance to get the work-life experience too.

Professionally, my goal right now is to grow Bokra, expanding it beyond what people hear about it now. My short-term goal is to set a strong foundation for the business. In the medium-term, I want to scale Bokra by growing our user-base, expanding into different channels, and creating strategic partnerships. In the long-term, I want to create value for people. We want every single product to offer something new and unique.

Why duplicate a product that others have already built? This is something that I learned from my previous bosses. It’s important to create something that adds value and positions you as a market leader.

I’ve encountered all sorts of challenges and problems in my 25 years of experience. So now life is easier, and so is Bokra. Learning never stops. I learned things from Bokra that were different from what I had expected to learn. And it’s ok to make mistakes. What’s important is to learn to adjust and move forward.

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