My Morning Routine: Mayar Naguib, head of Corporate Reputation, CSR, Sustainability, and PR at Etisalat Egypt

Mayar Naguib, head of Corporate Reputation, CSR, Sustainability, and PR at Etisalat Egypt: 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 Mayar Naguib (LinkedIn), head of Corporate Reputation, CSR, Sustainability, and PR at Etisalat Egypt.

Edited excerpts from our conversation:

At my core, I care about one thing: helping organizations find the right words and build real relationships with the people they serve. I’ve done that for more than 20 years, much of it in tech and telecom, running communications, reputation, sustainability, and corporate responsibility. What keeps me hooked is how much a message can move. Good communication shapes business results and long-term value, not just visibility.

I often joke that I clean up corporate messes for a living. As head of corporate reputation, public relations, and sustainability, I protect one of Etisalat’s most valuable assets: its reputation. Crises excite me most, because while others shy away from uncertainty, I lean in. Protecting trust when things go wrong is where a communications team proves its worth. Alongside that, I run sustainability and corporate responsibility programs that leave a lasting mark on communities. No two days look the same, and that’s exactly what keeps it interesting.

Connectivity remains the foundation, but the real value is in what it unlocks. Telecom operators have moved well beyond SIM cards and network towers. Today, connectivity opens doors to education, financial inclusion, healthcare, and entrepreneurship. Our challenge is to give people the tools and services they need to take part in a digital world.

AI is one of the most transformative technologies of our time, and one of the most overused words in business. Everyone talks about it, yet many people are still trying to understand where it adds value. The real gains come from practical uses that solve real problems, not from adding “AI” to every presentation. In communications, it’s already changing how we create, analyze, and engage, but it can’t replace the judgment, empathy, creativity, and ethics that build trust. The companies that succeed will be the ones that use it responsibly.

My day actually starts twice. The first round begins around 5:30 am, when my two daughters get up for school. I treasure that time with them before they leave. Once the rush is over, I often sneak in another hour or two of sleep before starting work around 8 am.

I start the workday by mapping out my absolute priorities. I like working in natural light, and when I can, you’ll find me working in my garden because being outdoors helps me think clearly. That said, I’m not a big fan of working from home, since I’d rather be around people trading ideas. From there, one moment I’m discussing a sustainability initiative, and the next I’m reviewing a communications strategy or handling an emerging issue.

I can’t function without to-do lists and calendars. If something isn’t written in one of them, I’ll probably forget it, and in communications, priorities can shift by the hour. For all the technology around, I’m still old school. My notebook is one of my most valuable tools at work, and I write in it constantly because putting pen to paper helps me organize my thoughts.

However busy things get, I try to be home as early as possible to spend quality time with my daughters. The younger one has become my toughest accountability partner: the moment I reach for my phone while we’re talking, she gives me “the look.” It’s a reminder that being in the room isn’t the same as being present, and I’m still learning that every day.

Work-life balance is one of the hardest things any professional has to manage, and I still struggle with it. It takes discipline, boundaries, and constant rethinking of priorities. Communications people rarely switch off, because news doesn’t keep office hours and neither do reputational issues.

Padel with friends is my favorite way to unwind. I played competitive tennis until I was 14, so picking up padel about five years ago felt like getting back something I’d missed. It mixes exercise, competition, company, and a lot of laughter. For me, exercise has never been just about fitness. It’s how I recharge, clear my head, and come back the next day with fresh energy.

A trip to Malaysia about 20 years ago has stayed with me ever since. I was struck by how well the country promoted itself as a destination, and I left impressed and a little jealous. Egypt has one of the richest cultures in the world, and I felt we could do more to share it internationally and improve the tourist experience. Since then, I’ve literally dreamed about helping lift Egypt’s brand globally, strategies, meetings, and all. Whether or not that’s in my future, I still feel a responsibility to play a part.

“Do fewer things, but do them big” is the advice I’ve lived by ever since a manager at Intel shared it with me. At the time, I was overwhelmed and measured success by tasks finished rather than impact made. Her words made me more deliberate about where I put my energy, and my work became better, more visible, and far more rewarding. With everyone now expected to do more and move faster, I believe impact matters more than activity.