FRA chief Islam Azzam joins GAFI board as gov’t streamlines investment oversight

Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) Chairman Islam Azzam has joined the board of the General Authority for Investment and Freezones (GAFI) as an expert member, following a decree from Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

What does that mean? Azzam now has a seat on almost every government institution that engages with the private sector. Besides his role as head of the FRA, he sits on the cabinet’s Economic Group and the Ministerial Committee for Entrepreneurship.

REMEMBER: GAFI just welcomed a new head. Last month, Mohamed Awad was tapped to serve as the authority’s CEO for a one-year period.

New Americana COO for multi-brands

Americana Restaurants appointed company veteran Hesham Talaat (LinkedIn) as chief operating officer for multi-brands, according to a statement (pdf). Talaat, who has been with the group for over three decades, will now oversee operations for Hardee’s, Krispy Kreme, and Baskin Robbins franchises across the Middle East. He will also maintain his current mandate as general manager for the company’s critical Egypt and Iraq markets.