Your Sahel childhood, bottled: Dasha Badrawi on what he’s building on the coast — and his entrepreneurial journey from law to real estate

For Dasha Badrawi and his team at Marakez, the North Coast is rooted in the memories of childhood summers in Agami and Montaza — the endless beach days and the simple roaming from cabin to sea. In a special Destination Sahel episode of Making It (our podcast on how regional leaders are building great businesses) Dasha is telling us how those memories are helping shape Ramla, Marakez’s flagship coastal project in Ras El Hekma.

Dasha is a longtime friend of EnterpriseAM and a big part of our origin story, so it was a treat for Patrick, our editor-in-chief, to have him on the show. They unpack how Marakez quietly became one of Egypt’s most influential developers — and Dasha’s journey from corporate law in London to building District 5, one of the hottest mixed-use destinations in the country.

Dasha’s secret? It’s been all about surrounding himself with the right people — and taking big bets on long-term value.

Dasha also shares what he sees driving buyer behavior in 2025, why Egypt’s real estate model keeps defying gravity, and how recurring revenue, walkable communities, and local authenticity will define the next chapter of the industry.

You can catch the full episode on Apple Podcasts | tune in on Spotify | and find us on Omny. Or tap or clickhere to go read the full transcript on our website.