Osman Zarkani, executive flights director at ZAS Air: 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 Osman Zarkani. Edited excerpts from our conversation:

My name is Osman Zarkani, and I come from a family with a long history in aviation. My father, Sherif Zarkani, was a true pioneer in the field. In the 1980s, he founded the first private airline in the Middle East, ZAS Airline of Egypt. It was his vision that inspired my brother and I to continue his legacy in aviation.

I'm currently the executive flights director at ZAS Air. The title reflects the main responsibility that I have within the ZAS group, which is overseeing operations for executive flights, from the chartering and ins. to management and maintenance. However, I could have gone by a number of different titles — chairman, VP, managing director, or general manager — as it is myself and my brother Omar Zarkani who run the company and are very much involved in all aspects of the business.

My job involves managing the influx of private aircraft that enter Egyptian airspace. This includes arranging land permits, fuel supply, security, transportation, and hotel accommodation for our clients. We are the agents for over 80% of the private aviation entering and flying over the country. We also handle commercial, cargo, and corporate aviation, ranging from military and embassy to commercial flights, which includes tourism and tour operators. We're proud to have introduced several aircraft to the region including two Bombardier Global 7500s — one of the world's largest and longest range business jets.

My brother and I work very well together. We're like yin and yang — we manage to combine our differences and make it work for the benefit of the organization.

We’re working on a major project for Egypt's private aviation sector. With the New Administrative Capital and New Alamein City, we believe that we are in the right place at the right time to build something transformative. Our aim is to grow the local private aviation industry and provide a platform for foreign business and high-end individuals to invest and engage with the country.

My ideal morning routine would be to be part of the 5am club. However, my job in aviation is 24/7, which means that my routine is constantly changing. A typical workday for me starts with identifying my responsibilities and allocating my time accordingly. I always incorporate some physical activity in my day to stay in good form — as they say, a strong body makes the mind strong.

In addition to my work in aviation, I'm also involved in other companies that specialize in entertainment and IT. I like to invest and take small shares in startups to expand my horizons. If I need to be involved in these other businesses, I'll allocate my time accordingly to see how I can participate and help my partners.

The one constant in my day is my family, who mean the world to me. We are a tight knit group thanks to the upbringing we had from our parents, who instilled a strong sense of family values in us. We don't have this independent, individualistic life; We are very connected.

When it comes to work-life balance, I've found that there's no such thing. Instead, it's about discipline, respect, risk-taking, and leaps of faith. Every industry is different, so it's important to find what works for you. As someone who doesn't work for anyone else, leaving work at the end of the day it never feels like my job is done.

When it's time to relax and switch off, I enjoy spending time with the people in my life who bring me joy. I have a great love for music, sports, and staying positive — positivity breeds positivity.

I enjoy indulging in self-help books. I’m not much of a fiction buff. My recommendation is to tune into something that personally benefits you, whether it's an artistic mission, a political ambition, or simple personal healing. This could be religion, meditation, sports, or anything else that you can work on for least 20 minutes a day for yourself.

My father referred to me as a "jack of all trades and master of none," and that has actually been one of the best pieces of advice he ever gave me. It made me realize that I tend to have the kind of personality where I desire to do everything and strive for perfection, but ultimately end up being overwhelmed by my ambition. The lesson I learned from this is the importance of self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-love. It's crucial to know yourself well, embrace your strengths and weaknesses, and never give up on your goals and ambitions, no matter what obstacles you are faced with.

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