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EnterpriseAM: So, what's new with Catalyst Partners?
Abdelaziz Abdel Nabi: A lot of exciting news nowadays.I think we became the first SPAC — the first private SPAC — in the whole Middle East. We just finished the acquisitions, from the SPAC perspective, of Catalyst Partners Holding and Qardy.
E: If you were to start over and build a new business in a different sector today, what would it be?
AA: Honestly, I would redo everything the same, with more focus on technology, because I believe it's the future.
E: On a personal level, which asset class do you prefer to invest in at the moment?
AA:Anything that has to do with technology, as I mentioned, because basically technology is the future, and AI, and anything that can create a better future for the whole ecosystem.
E: What exchange rate are you penciling in for your 2026 budget?
AA:This is actually a very nice and interesting question. We believe that there are things that are doing well in the economy in Egypt. Basically, I would say in the range of 45 to 50. We hope it gets much better.
E: How do you plan to finance growth in 2026, and where do interest rates need to be for bank debt to be in that mix for you?
AA:As mentioned, we are the first SPAC, so basically we're listed on the stock market. And we hope that this will give us the ammunition and cash flow to be able to grow the business through the stock market. As for interest rates, we tend to have them in the range of 15% to 18%. Lower means better, but this is what we can see or base our budgets on.
E: Has AI had any impact on your hiring plans within your company?
AA:It made us smarter, quicker, and more agile. And we're looking forward to more expansion abroad. We already have a presence in Saudi Arabia. We're very proud to be there. And the more we have technology to bridge between countries, the easier and more agile it becomes to grow our business.
E: Are you fundamentally optimistic, pessimistic, or neutral about the outlook for your industry in 2026 — and why?
AA:I'm very optimistic. And I see what's happening now in the whole ecosystem — or the whole macro fundamentals — in Egypt has been doing very well for the past couple of years, and we're going to see the flourishing basically next year, in 2026 and 2027. We see many more things to grow and happen for the better.
