My Morning Routine: Rehab El Batouty, CMO of Horizon Egypt Developments

Rehab El Batouty, CMO of Horizon Egypt Developments: 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 Rehab El Batouty (LinkedIn), chief marketing officer (CMO) of Horizon Egypt Developments.

Edited excerpts from our conversation:

I’m a builder at heart. I like taking ideas, people, and businesses and turning them into something bigger and stronger. My career has always centered on understanding people: what motivates them, what they value, and what makes them connect with a brand. Over the years, that grew from pure marketing into a much broader leadership role, building teams, shaping strategy, and driving growth.

I’m ambitious by nature and always looking for the next challenge. Still, leadership doesn’t mean having all the answers. You need the vision to know where you’re going and the ability to bring people along.

I connect the dots between strategy, creativity, people, and business results. In real estate, my role goes well beyond marketing and communications. I shape the brand, study the customer, and make sure the business stays relevant and competitive. I also lead the marketing vision, develop the team, and work with the leadership team to turn business ambitions into clear strategies and customer experiences.

Balancing the big picture with the details matters most. You have to know when to step back and think strategically — and when to dig in and make sure the execution is exceptional.

Real estate is shifting from selling a property to selling a lifestyle. Customers no longer look only at the size, location, or specs. They want to know how a place fits their lives and the kind of community that comes with it. Technology, data, and AI now let us understand customers far more deeply, cater to their needs, and personalize their experience.

The human side of the industry matters now more than ever. The brands that stand out will pair technology and data with a strong emotional connection. People buy into a vision of the life they seek.

My mornings are my quiet time before the day gets busy. I start slowly with my coffee and take a few minutes to get into the right mindset. I don’t jump onto emails the minute I wake up. I’d rather give myself a little space to think and plan.

I read EnterpriseAM over my morning coffee. It gives me a quick sense of what’s happening in business and which conversations are shaping the market. I like starting my day informed without feeling overwhelmed. After that, I switch into work mode and prepare for the day ahead. If I get busy or run late, I read EnterprisePM instead.

No two days look the same, and that’s one of the things I love most about my job. A typical day mixes strategy, meetings, creative thinking, and a lot of decision-making. I might start by reviewing business and marketing priorities, then move into meetings with my team, the leadership team, or other stakeholders to align on projects.

I like to stay close to the work. I’m part of the big strategic decisions, but I still want to see the creative process, challenge the thinking, and understand what the customer is experiencing.

Unexpected issues always come up, and that’s where experience counts. You learn to stay calm, decide quickly, and keep everyone moving in the same direction. By the end of the day, my greatest satisfaction is knowing we moved something forward. That could be the business or the people around me.

Coffee is the one constant in my day. Beyond that, it’s curiosity. I never stop questioning things. What are we missing? How can we do this better?

I usually write a to-do list at home to pin down what needs my attention. I’m very conscious of time. When your day is full of meetings, it’s easy to get busy without being productive. I rely heavily on my team. Good leadership means empowering people and knowing what you need to own yourself, versus what you should delegate.

When everything feels urgent, I come back to priorities. I ask myself one question: what will actually make a difference? I think a lot about what comes next and the impact I want to have. Professionally, I want to work on things that genuinely excite me. I’ve spent years building brands, businesses, and teams. I’d love the next chapter to take that experience to an even higher level.

I haven’t had much of a work-life balance, to be completely honest. Work has been a huge part of my life for years, and I’ve always given everything to what I do. I love my career, and I’m proud of what I’ve built. But things need to look a little different going forward. I want to be far more intentional about making space for the people I love, for travel, and simply for enjoying life.

Making room for life won’t make me any less ambitious or passionate. If anything, it means finding a healthier way to do both. I can keep doing my best work while allowing myself a life outside it.

Switching off hasn’t always been easy for me, because work has taken up such a big part of my life. When I do, I love simple things like time with family and friends and dinners out. I also enjoy quiet time at home, with no agenda and no need to be productive.

Travel is my favorite way to completely disconnect. Being somewhere new, experiencing a different culture, and walking around without a schedule gives me a different kind of energy. It has been my favorite discovery. I’ve started exploring without always needing a work-related reason. Some of my best ideas come when I’m completely outside my usual environment. I’m also learning to appreciate doing absolutely nothing sometimes, and I’m getting better at it.

A book my daughter Farida gave me has made a real difference in my life lately. It’s How to Work Without Losing Your Mind by Cate Sevilla. I’d also recommend The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins, both the book and the podcast.

“Don’t be afraid to take up space” is the best advice I’ve ever been given. It came from someone I really respected professionally, at a time when I was still figuring out leadership and my own confidence.

As women especially, we sometimes feel we have to prove ourselves before we let ourselves speak up or take the lead — that advice stayed with me. I’ve learned you don’t need to wait for permission. You can have a voice, take a seat at the table, and believe you belong there.