Where to be seen this season

1

WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TONIGHT

US envoys shuttle between Moscow and Kyiv

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the start of a fresh new workweek. Conference season is upon us, and today’s edition of The Enterprise Guide maps out the business events worth marking your calendars for, from mining and trade finance to entrepreneurship, AI, and ICT, with a note on how to make the most of them if networking isn’t exactly your forté. We also have a marketing podcast that runs exactly as long as it takes to finish a cup of coffee. That and more.

Without further ado, the news…

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

🌐 No single story is dominating the press this afternoon, with a hodge-podge of stories vying for top billing. There have been no significant updates on the US-Iran front since the US struck three Iranian crude oil tankers yesterday — after Iran launched ballistic missiles at two US Navy warships. Former US defense secretary Leon Panetta warns that the war could drag on for another six months and risks becoming a “forever war in the Middle East” as it shows no signs of letting up. “There are very few options available to bring this war to an end,” he adds.

^^Read more on: The Guardian, Reuters, and the Financial Times.

MEANWHILE- Making headlines is US envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner’s first visit to Kyiv today, following three-hour talks with Russian President Vladimir in Moscow yesterday aimed at advancing efforts to end the Ukraine war. The Kremlin says talks with the US envoys were “useful” but gave no indication of any breakthrough. The talks come amid Russian drone and missile strikes on Kyiv, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claiming a shortage of air defense interceptors has left the country vulnerable to attacks. His defence technology advisor Serhii Beskrestnov warns that “In this war, nobody will [triumph].”

^^Read more on: CNN, Reuters, and The Guardian.

IN CLIMATE NEWS- Indonesia is the latest to be hit by a natural disaster, as the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau forces six airports across the country to suspend flight operations today. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport was the first to be closed due to volcanic ash, as the country’s transport minister says 467 flights have been affected thus far. The volcano started erupting late on Friday night, with two more eruptions happening early today.

^^Read more on: BBC and Reuters.


The EnterpriseAM Egypt Forum is back — and we’re devoting the full day to the singular set of questions on everyone’s mind: What does AI actually mean for your company, your people, your economy, your own job — and your kids’ future?

Every session on stage answers one question: “So, what do I actually do about it?”

Join us on 5 October in Cairo. Seats are limited and attendance is by invitation only.

Request your invitation here.

** CATCH UP QUICK on the top stories from today’s EnterpriseAM:

  • Egypt’s economy grew 5.1% in FY 2025/26, accelerating from 4.4% a year earlier. Growth came in at 4.7% in 4Q, easing from the 5.0% we saw in 3Q, but the full-year outturn still comfortably beat the IMF’s latest 4.6% forecast. It fell just short, however, of the EBRD’s updated 5.3% projection in its June 2026 Regional Economic Prospects report;
  • Nawy’s mortgage arm Nawy Now has picked up another EGP 633 mn from institutional investors after Synergy Capital’s asset-management firm, Misr for Financial Investments, closed the second issuance of its shariah-compliant, Ijarah-based fixed-income fund. The book came in 43% above the first issuance and takes the program to some EGP 1.08 bn against a five-year, EGP 5 bn target — a little over a fifth of the ceiling;
  • The World Bank has flagged “high” fiduciary risk on its USD 440 mn loan to modernize railway safety along the Alexandria-Cairo-Nag Hammadi corridor — and more than five years in, the project’s lead safety metric hasn’t moved. The loan is run by Egyptian National Railways under the Transport Ministry. Fiduciary is the only risk category the Bank has escalated since approval: everything else, from macroeconomic to technical to stakeholder risk, sits where it did in March 2021;
  • China’s Linglong Group signed an MoU with the Industry Ministry for a USD 2 bn integrated tire complex in Borg El Arab. The complex will produce tires for passenger cars, buses, and heavy equipment, plus conveyor belts. It will also fold in upstream feeder industries — carbon black and steel cord — to build a complete local value chain. Exports will target Europe and the US, alongside the domestic market.

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- It looks like it’s another day of sun for Cairo as highs go up to 37°C, with an overnight low of 24°C, according to our favorite weather app.

2

THE ENTERPRISE GUIDE

From mining to edtech to entrepreneurship, these are the conferences worth attending

💼 Egypt’s business calendar is rarely short of conferences and specialized events. Beyond their value as networking spaces where professional relationships can take root and last, they carry strategic importance, both for how a company presents itself in formal settings and for the long-term commercial returns they can generate.

The impact of conference networking shows up directly in financial performance and business growth. Some 85% of executives and professionals expect that prioritizing in-person meetings and relationship-building will contribute to revenue growth of an average 36% annually, according to an Accor Group 2024 study — which also found that a single face-to-face meeting can carry the same weight as three virtual ones.

New to the scene? Some find the anxiety that comes with networking events hard to manage. Preparation and setting simple goals are the starting point for working through that. Professional advisors recommend not pressuring yourself to speak with everyone in the room — instead, set a goal of two or three meaningful conversations over the course of the event. It helps to prepare a few easy opening questions to make starting a conversation feel less daunting: asking someone about their work or their take on a conference session tends to be enough.

Focus on what matters. Listening well and showing genuine interest in what others are saying matters far more than overthinking what to say next — and it makes the other person feel valued. If the crowd becomes overwhelming, step away from the main event hall for a short break to recharge. Effective networking is about the quality of your interactions, not continuous unbroken presence.

Without further ado, here are the key conferences, events, and forums on our radar:

Key business events in the coming period

#1- The EnterpriseAM Egypt Forum: We’d be remiss not to kick things off with our very own EnterpriseAM Egypt Forum — our annual flagship, invitation-only event where we host the crème de la crème of the country’s decision-makers and experts to discuss the moves, decisions, and technologies shaping our present and future. Dominating the docket this year: AI. We’re taking a look at how AI is shaping the future of business, entrepreneurship, and professional lives — and how we should move forward.

💡 Want a sneak peak at what’s in store? Revisit our EnterpriseAM Forum Playback Signature Series where we recap all the happenings of our 2025 edition.

When: 5 October.


#2- Egypt Mining Forum: Egypt’s largest event in the mining and minerals sector, bringing together major consulting firms, engineering contractors, and gold smelters to showcase the latest innovations and investment prospects in mining. The forum is also a direct access point to decision-makers, investors, and technology providers.

Speakers include: Oil Minister Karim Badawi, former environment minister Yasmine Fouad, former antiquities minister and Egyptologist Zahi Hawass, a number of Arab and African ministers and mining officials — including Jordanian Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Saleh Al Kharrabsheh and Saudi Deputy Mining Minister Khaled Al Mudaifer — as well as leaders from major local and international mining companies.

Where and when: St. Regis Hotel, New Administrative Capital, 28-29 September.


#3- GTR North Africa Conference: A prominent event in trade and export finance for North Africa, with this edition expanding its scope to include Maghreb markets. The conference brings together representatives from local and international banks including JPMorgan, Standard Bank, and Sharjah Bank, alongside specialists from multinationals, SMEs, fintech companies, ins. and risk management firms, and export credit agencies.

Key themes for 2026 center on regional integration under the African Continental Freetrade Area, supply chain resilience in the face of liquidity challenges and exchange rate volatility, and the digital transformation of trade documents.

Where and when: Dusit Thani Lake View Hotel, New Cairo, 13-14 October.


#4- IEX Egypt: An international edtech exhibition organized by FAE Holdings, a company specializing in education and technology. The event brings together more than 90 exhibitors and 6k visitors from 30 countries across Africa, Europe, and Asia, alongside more than 20 international universities. It includes regional, European, American, and Asian divisions for digital education companies, as well as a conference on AI applications in education covering impact, ethical considerations, and related issues.

Where and when: Egypt International Exhibition Center, Fifth Settlement, 26-28 October.


#5- Global Entrepreneurship Festival: The festival brings together more than 10k participants from around 70 countries, more than 100 exhibitors, and 60 international speakers under the patronage of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. The event is a platform connecting entrepreneurs and investors with startups, with a particular focus on strengthening investment ties with the African continent.

Where and when: JW Marriott Cairo, Fifth Settlement, 6-8 November.


#6- Cairo ICT: A key event for professionals working in communications and information technology in Egypt and Africa, bringing together more than 500 local, regional, and international entities to showcase the latest solutions in technology, communications, broadcasting, and AI, alongside business sessions and meetings connecting companies with decision-makers and investors in the sector.

Where and when: Egypt International Exhibition Center, Fifth Settlement, 8-11 November.


#7- Narrative PR Summit: The summit serves as Egypt’s national brand platform, gathering senior leaders, decision-makers, and thought leaders locally and globally to shape Om El Donia’s international image and attract investment. This year’s edition focuses on economic transformation driven by technology and AI. Speakers include Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathi, Industry Minister Khaled Hashim, and Presidential Advisor for Economic Development Hala El Said, alongside business leaders including Ayman Abbas, Ahmed El Sewedy, Mohamed Kamel, and Hisham El Khazindar.

Where and when: Soma Bay, 13-15 October.


#8- National Women’s Health Conference: Organized under the Interior Ministry’s medical services initiative, the conference presents a comprehensive national vision for women’s health in Egypt, focusing primarily on reducing morbidity and mortality rates among women, non-communicable diseases, reproductive and mental health, lifestyle med., telemed., medical tourism, and health awareness, with participation from government, private, and civil society health institutions.

Where and when: Cairo Marriott Hotel, 10-11 October.

3

Ears to the Ground

Marketing Over Coffee tackles marketing, tech, and everything in between in 20-minute episodes

🎧 It takes an average person some 20-30 minutes to sip through a cup of coffee. That also happens to be how long Marketing Over Coffee’s episodes run. Across bite-sized episodes, hosts (and professional marketers) John Wall and Christopher Penn talk all things that sit at the intersection of marketing and tech.

What to expect: As the name implies, Marketing Over Coffee tackles all updates pertaining to marketing strategies, sales techniques, and new innovations in technology — and more often than not, more. To stick to its episodic length, its hosts record the episodes over literal cups of coffee every Wednesday morning. Some episodes include interviews with popular industry figures such as author Simon Sinek, discussions pertaining to timely matters such as why AI marketing efforts fail, and observations about the industry.

In one particular episode, Wall and Penn break down why AI just can’t seem to figure out how to emulate actual human work — especially when it comes to writing. Both hosts offer interesting observations and quantifiable reasons explaining AI’s shortcomings, breaking down writing in algorithmic terms. The discussion offers an interesting perspective to how AI operates, and the hosts do a commendable job at conveying the information in a manner that is easily understood.

What we liked: Wall and Penn know their stuff and know it well. Both hosts are well-learned, passionate, infectiously curious, and know how to get something across in the best way possible. The topics discussed are timely, relevant, and interesting, with the hosts not limiting themselves to marketing, but rather broadening their horizons to cover all things even remotely relevant to marketers.

The verdict: Marketing Over Coffee is worth a listen — regardless of whether or not you’re in marketing. The episodes’ short runtimes make for very digestible listens — especially if you run your episodes on 1.5x, as we often find ourselves doing. The contained runtime also ensures that the hosts don’t go on tangents, so you’ll be in and out by the time you’re done with your flat white.

WHERE TO LISTEN- You can tune in on their website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify.

4

Sports

Arsenal host Chelsea in the London derby and Zed open their Confederation Cup campaign

⚽ It’s a relatively quiet day on the homefront, with African Champions League and Confederation Cup preliminary rounds underway:

Pyramids are currently playing Kenyan side Gor Mahia in Nairobi in the first leg of their Champions League preliminary round, which kicked off at 3pm. The match is now live on ON Sport.

In the Confederation Cup: Zed open their African campaign at home against Djibouti Telecom in the first leg of the first round of the CAF Confederation Cup at Cairo International Stadium. Kick-off is at 8pm on ON Sport.


In the Premier League: Manchester United travel to Everton at 4pm at Goodison Park, while Arsenal host Chelsea in a highly anticipated London derby at 6:30pm at the Emirates. Both on beIN Sports 1.

In La Liga: Barcelona face Valencia at 5:15pm, while Espanyol host Sevilla at 10pm, in the fourth round of the Spanish league. Both on beIN Sports 2.

In Serie A: The standout fixture is the Italian derby between Juventus and AC Milan in the third round of the Italian league. Kick-off is at 9:45pm on the Starzplay app.

On our radar across the major European leagues:

  • Angers vs. Rennes — Ligue 1, 6:15pm, beIN Sports 4;
  • Bologna vs. Sassuolo — Serie A, 7pm, Starzplay;
  • Alavés vs Osasuna — La Liga, 7:30pm, beIN Sports 2;
  • Málaga vs Levante — La Liga, 7:30pm, beIN Sports 3;
  • Trabzonspor vs Gençlerbirliği — Turkish League, 8pm, beIN Sports 5;
  • Marseille vs. Paris FC — Ligue 1, 9:45pm, beIN Sports 4.

🥅 ICYMI-

At home, Zamalek beat Djibouti champions AS Port 2-1 in the first leg of their CAF Champions League preliminary round, while Al Ahly beat Smouha 1-0 in the Nile League.

Over in Europe: Real Madrid lost 1-0 to Real Betis in a hard-fought match in which Kylian Mbappé missed a penalty. In France, Monaco beat PSG 2-1. Manchester City beat Coventry City 1-0, while Liverpool eased past Ipswich Town 2-0.

In transfer news: Manchester United are moving toward extending captain Bruno Fernandes’ contract by one more season, in a bid to see off interest from several clubs outside England. The Portuguese midfielder has expressed a desire to stay at Old Trafford, and the club is in early talks to reach a long-term agreement that keeps him at the club.

**The EnterpriseAM Fantasy Football League is live. Join the Classic League and lock in your picks — click on this link or use the code hm029y to join.

This publication is proudly sponsored by

5

Mark Your Calendar

Hisham Kharma takes his orchestra to Bibliotheca Alexandrina this Friday

🎼How about an orchestra by the coast? Iconic composer Hisham Kharma is heading to Alexandria to perform live at Bibliotheca Alexandrina on Friday, 11 September. Led by maestro Nayer Nagui and accompanied by the BA orchestra, Kharma will bring his signature orchestral sound to the iconic venue. The concert starts at 8pm — you can get tickets through BA’s website.

6

GO WITH THE FLOW

What the markets are doing on 6 September 2026

The EGX30 rose 0.7% at today’s close on turnover of EGP 15.1 bn (32.4% above the 90-day average). Local investors were the sole net buyers. The index is up 35.5% YTD.

In the green: Orascom Construction (+2.9%), Emaar Misr (+2.9%), and Fawry (+2.4%).

In the red: Abu Qir Fertilizers (-4.7%), Misr Cement (-1.7%), and Valmore Holding -EGP (-1.4%).


🗓️ SEPTEMBER

1 August - September 15 (Saturday-Tuesday): El Alamein Book Fair.

6 September - 30 October (Sunday-Friday): Khayal Mareed at Theatro Arkan.

10 September (Thursday): Adonis at Teatro 90.

10-14 September (Saturday-Monday): MedFest Egypt at AUC Tahrir Square.

11 September (Friday): The Goats Beyond the Scene with MedFest Egypt at AUC Tahrir Square.

11 September (Friday): Hisham Kharma at Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

11 September (Friday): Ahmed Hassan at El Anfoushy Cultural Palace, Alexandria.

11 September (Friday): Tablet El Sitt at Port Said Culture Center.

11 September (Friday): 100 Years of Singing with Ali El Haggar at Cairo Opera House, Zamalek.

12 September (Saturday): Next Summit by iCareer at The Greek Campus, Downtown Cairo.

12 September (Saturday): Ice Warrior Challenge at Ski Egypt, Mall of Egypt.

18 September (Friday): Miles for Meaning run at The Great Pyramids of Giza.

18 September (Friday): Hisham Kharma at Cairo Opera House, Zamalek.

18 September (Friday): Tawfeek El Ha2ee2y at Theatro Arkan.

18 September (Friday): Kadim Al Sahir at Ivoire East, New Cairo.

18 September (Friday): Haifa Wehbe at Kiki’s Beach Bar, North Coast.

18 September (Friday): Aida El Ayoubi at Ewart Memorial Hall, AUC Tahrir Square.

18 September (Friday): Bazarna Society Premium Outlet at Downtown Katameya.

19 September (Saturday): Omar El Gamal Vol.68 at Theatro Arkan.

19 September (Saturday): The Football Aura X Dor El 16 Live at Teatro 90.

22 September (Tuesday): Shawn Chidiac at CJC 610.

25 September (Friday): Omar Khairat at Nile University, Sheikh Zayed.

25 September (Friday): Zamalek 5k Run by The TriFactory at Mamsha Ahl Misr.

26 September (Saturday): John Achkar’s Feena Nehke at Theatro Arkan.

OCTOBER

1-3 October (Thursday-Saturday): Oliver season 3 by Fabrica at Teatro 90.

1-4 October (Thursday-Sunday): She Arts Festival at Ewart Memorial Hall, AUC Tahrir Square.

6 October (Tuesday): Armed Forces Day.

11 October - 8 November (Sunday-Sunday): Cairo International Art District by Art D’Egypte at Downtown Cairo.

15-23 October (Thursday-Friday): El Gouna Film Festival.

16 October (Friday): Tul8te at Al Manara Arena.

16-17 October (Friday-Saturday): Ultra Relay Run by The TriFactory at AUC, New Cairo.

16-17 October (Friday-Saturday): Egypt Coffee Festival at Common Grounds in Obour.

17 October (Saturday): Steps Summit at Sodic Sports Club, Sodic Eastown.

17 October (Saturday): Konnect Summit at The Greek Campus, El Tahrir St.

24 October (Saturday): Blue 25th Anniversary Tour at New Capital.

28-31 October (Wednesday-Saturday): Egypt’s Cheese Festival at Al Horreya Garden, Zamalek.

NOVEMBER

5 November (Thursday): Gala De Danza at the Grand Egyptian Museum.

2-7 November (Monday-Saturday): Barbara O’Neill Wellness Journey at Sheraton Miramar Resort, El Gouna.

11-20 November (Wednesday-Friday): Cairo International Film Festival.

13-14 November (Friday-Saturday): Max Amini at St. Regis, New Capital.

19-28 November (Thursday-Saturday): Cairo Design Week.

21 November (Saturday): El Gouna Half Marathon.

28 November (Saturday): Shakira at the Pyramids of Giza.

DECEMBER

4 December (Friday): Ghostly Kisses at Zed Park, Sheikh Zayed.

11-12 December (Friday-Saturday): The Marakez Pyramids Half Marathon at the Pyramids of Giza.

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