Valu unveils plans to IPO within a year

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What We're Tracking Today

US Secretary of State Blinken will land in Egypt shortly for ceasefire talks

Good morning, friends. It’s finally the end of what has been a very busy week. The news flow shows no sign of slowing down as we wait for US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to land in Egypt later today to meet with officials to talk Gaza.

HAPPENING TODAY-

Blinken is coming to Egypt: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be landing in Egypt today after concluding a one-day trip to Saudi Arabia, where he met with Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. This marks Blinken’s sixth trip to the region since the war on Gaza started.

On the agenda: Blinken is scheduled to meet with Egyptian leadership to discuss efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire agreement that secures the release of all remaining hostages, intensified international efforts to increase humanitarian assistance to Gaza, and coordination on post-conflict planning for Gaza.

PSA-

PSA #1-The Central Bank of Egypt will not hold its regularly scheduled policy meeting on Thursday, 28 March in light of its special meeting earlier this month when it hiked interest rates by 600 basis points in tandem with the float of the EGP, it said in a statement yesterday (pdf).

When will it meet next? The bank’s Monetary Policy Committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday, 23 May next.

PSA #2- So, when do we eat? Maghrib prayers are at 6:07 pm in the capital city, and you’ll have until 4:29 am tomorrow to hydrate and caffeinate ahead of fajr.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1-Gov’t to decide on a consultant for the Ras Gamila project next week: The Madbouly government has set up a ministerial committee that will select a consultant to manage, evaluate and market Sharm El Sheikh’s Ras Gamila development project, a government source told Enterprise. The committee is expected to make its choice next week.

The price tag? The project is expected to have an initial sale value for the development rights of USD 2-3 bn, the source said, although the figure could go up depending on the consultant’s vision to maximize Ras Gamila’s value.

What’s next? The government will likely open the door to receive offers within two months, the source added.

Ras Gamila? Unconfirmed media reports said that Egyptian authorities have been in talks with Saudi officials regarding the development rights for Ras Gamila, though negotiations are said to be at “early stages and could fall through.” The Ras Gamila plot is “far smaller” than Ras El Hekma but could bring in USD bns.

Right across from Tiran: Ras Gamila is directly across the Strait of Tiran from Saudi’s Neom and not far from the site of a proposed bridge that would link Neom to Sinai.

#2- Fuel prices to increase soon? The government’s fuel pricing committee is set to meet within a week after a two-month hiatus to look into raising fuel prices, Al Arabiya Business reports, citing an unnamed government official.

It’s only a matter of time until fuel prices increase — in fact, it’s quite of a surprise it hasn’t happened yet in line with the float of the EGP over two weeks ago. Finance Minister Mohamed Maait earlier this month reassured us that the government’s allocation to fuel subsidies will remain unchanged until the end of the fiscal year even if fuel prices change.

DATA POINT-

Egypt remains a VC favorite: Despite a downturn in venture capital activity in Egypt last year, the country accounted for 11% of the USD 4.5 bn African countries received from ventures capitals in 2023, according to the African Private Capital Association’s 2023 Venture Capital in Africa Report (pdf).

In numbers: Local startups inked a mere 22 VC agreements in 2023, compared to 63 in 2022. Egypt accounted for more than two thirds of VC activity in North Africa between 2019 and 2023, the report added.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

The US Federal Reserve's guidance that it is on track to deliver as many as three rate cuts this year is the big story in the global business press. We have the rundown in this morning’s Planet Finance, below.

Also worth knowing about:

Reddit has priced its IPO at the top of the range on which it had guided. Shares start trading this afternoon in New York. (Financial Times)
PE giant Apollo Global is offering USD 11 bn for Paramount Global’s film and TV studio, the owner of broadcast outlet CBS and producer of the Top Gun franchise. (Wall Street Journal)

And Tim Cook isn’t having a great morning: The Apple CEO is dealing with a report that the US government could sue the company as soon as today for alleged antitrust violations. Meanwhile, rivals Meta, Microsoft, X, and Match have joined Epic Games in claiming that Apple isn’t playing ball with a court ruling on in-app payments.

FINALLY- Of Black Nazis and other AI faux pas: Semafor writes that Adobe AI model Firefly is as bad as Google’s Gemini was a couple of weeks back.

The misstep: “I asked Firefly to create images using similar prompts that got Gemini in trouble. It created Black soldiers fighting for Nazi Germany in World War II. In scenes depicting the Founding Fathers and the constitutional convention in 1787, Black men and women were inserted into roles. When I asked it to create a comic book character of an old white man, it drew one, but also gave me three others of a Black man, a Black woman and a white woman. And yes, it even drew me a picture of Black Vikings, just like Gemini.” Read more.

Somabay set to make a splash again with World Aquatics triple event extravaganza: Somabay is hosting the World Aquatics series for the second year, featuring three events in March, May, and August. The series includes the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup 2024, World Aquatics Elite Beach Water Polo World Cup 2024, and the World Aquatics Under 18 Beach Water Polo Cup 2024.

Egyptian fintech platform Valu plans to make its EGX debut within a year

Valu is coming to the EGX: EFG Holding’s fintech platform Valu plans to offer up to 25% of its shares on the EGX within a year, CEO Walid Hassouna told Asharq Business. He didn’t specify how much Valu is looking to raise from the offering.

Still in early stages: “We are yet to decide on the stake that will be offered. That will highly depend on the [revenues] … the higher they are the lower the stake offered will be,” he said, adding that he expects the offering to be for 20-25% of the company.

Advisors: EFG Hermes will act as the financial advisor for the transaction; other advisors may be tapped later in the process.

We’re already expecting a couple of IPOs this year: The developer of the new administrative capital Administrative Capital for Urban Development is set to be ready for listing by 2Q 2024 and aims to raise over EGP 150 bn from listing 5-10% of its shares in one of the EGX’s largest ever transactions. Meanwhile, Raya Holding plans to offer 30-35% of its IT arm Raya Information Technology on the EGX in 1H 2024.

2023 was pretty dry: Last year saw a single company make its EGX debut, Taqa Arabia started trading on the EGX in July 2023 — in a technica listing, not an IPO — listing 1.35 bn shares on the exchange.

IN THE PIPELINE FOR VALU THIS YEAR-

Valu could begin Jordan operations by the end of the year: The company expects to launch its services in Jordan sometime between late 2024 and early 2025, pushing back its initial plans to launch in the country early this year.

What’s the hold up? Valu is awaiting its license from the Central Bank of Jordan, which it expects to receive in the first half of the year, he added. The company will kick off operations three months after receiving its license.

Ready to go: Valu has already hired a CEO to take care of its Jordan operations and is on the prowl for people to fill other senior positions. The new CEO will be announced after the firm receives final approvals from the Central Bank of Jordan.

New markets to follow? Valu could look at other North African markets following its launch in Jordan. The firm is hoping to begin operating in either Tunisia or Morocco “hopefully” by 2025, Hassouna added. The company’s expansion plan involves looking at markets “with favorable dynamics that allow for the implementation of its full product and services … flexibly,” he previously said.

Remember: Valu is investing some USD 10 mn into its Jordan expansion, around USD 7 mn (JOR 5 mn) of which is going towards capitalizing its local unit, Hassouna said in October.

Valu has big plans for 2024: Valu aims to increase its net income by 117% this year to EGP 500 mn. It also aims to increase transactions carried out through its platform to reach EGP 13 bn, up 41% from the year before.

The fintech platform wants to close a EGP 900 mn securitized bond issuance before the end of March. The company plans to issue a total of EGP 4 bn worth of securitized bonds this year, with EGP 1 bn closed in each quarter, Hassouna adds.

PREPAID VALU CARD?

Another prepaid card has entered the market: Valu has partnered with our friends at Visa to launch its prepaid card, they said in a joint statement (pdf) yesterday. Cardholders can transfer funds from their Valu account to the prepaid card for everyday use.

Egyptian banks’ capital adequacy ratio saw a minor decline in 2023

The banking sector wrapped up 2023 with a slight decline in the capital adequacy ratio (CAR), with the metric hitting 18.6%, compared to the 19% recorded a year earlier, according to the financial soundness indicators report (pdf) released by the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE). Banks’ CAR remains well above the central bank’s minimum threshold of 12.5%.

Egyptian banks are well-positioned to absorb financial shocks, banking expert and Alraya Consulting CEOHany Abou El Fotouh told Enterprise. The marginal CAR drop doesn’t pose a risk to the banks, and it’s expected to recoup as economic recovery accelerates, Abou El Fotouh added.

What is CAR? The capital adequacy ratio — also known as capital to risk-weighted assets ratio — is a metric that measures a bank’s ability to pay liabilities (bank-speak to give depositors back their money), absorb potential losses (from, say, bad debts), and respond to credit risks.

When does CAR drop? The CAR declines as risk-weighted assets grow, Abou El Fotouh explained, adding that the latter could be a result of increased credit and operational risks, investment in securities, and financial losses as well as the deterioration of asset quality. Moreover, a weaker EGP can pressure the CAR due to its impact on the value of banks’ assets and liabilities, he said.

The float may shake things up: Some banks may have to increase their capital to meet the CBE’s capital requirements, EG Bank board member Mohamed Abdel Aal told Enterprise on the day the central bank floated the EGP. “It’s hard to tell where the price of the EGP will stabilize, but with sufficient FX liquidity in local banks to meet demand, there won’t be a big impact on banks’ capital adequacy ratio,” he added. If that doesn’t happen, then some banks will probably have to increase their capital to meet requirements, Abdel Aal said.

Remember: Under the 2020 Banking Act, local banks were mandated to increase their capital to a minimum of EGP 5 bn, while foreign banks operating in Egypt were required to raise their capital to USD 150 mn.

Sound smart: The float could pressure both banks’ ability to disburse FX loans and customers’ ability to pay them back. A weaker EGP could hurt banks’ asset quality and mount pressure on their non-performing loans, especially FX-denominated loans, as it would cost borrowers more in local currency to pay them back. On the other hand, currency depreciation could also hamper banks’ FX exposure, especially amid a low rate of FX assets, which would cost banks more in EGP to disburse FX-denominated loans.

Other metrics from the report:

The ratio of non-performing loans to total loans shrank to 3% in December 2023, down from 3.4% a year earlier, reinforcing the conventional wisdom that borrowers tried hard last year to keep current with their dues so as to avoid losing access to finance or assets;
The ratio of loan provisions to non-performing loans ratio slid to 89% from 92%, meaning banks set aside less money to cover potential bad assets, reflecting the improved NPL ratio;
The loans to deposits ratio jumped to 54%, up from 48%, as banks put more of their clients deposits to work by lending them out to other clients;
The ratio of private sector loans to customer loans dropped to 52% from 56%, reflecting the banks’ efforts to attract more customers in the retail banking segment over the past year.
The net interest margin of banks dropped to 3.8% from 4.2% despite the higher interest rate environment, likely reflecting a drop in corporate borrowing.
The return on average equity rose to 18% from 16% while the return on average assets was flat. The two metrics talk to how efficiently banks use their assets (loans to clients) to generate returns.

Saint-Gobain lays the foundation for its EUR 175 mn glass factory in Egypt’s Sokhna Industrial Zone

Another Saint-Gobain project incoming: French glass and building materials manufacturer Saint-Gobain has laid the foundation stone for its third glass factory in Egypt with investments amounting EUR 175 mn in the Sokhna Industrial Zone, according to a statement.

A green factory: The factory will be powered by a solar plant that will produce 10-MW worth of green power. The plant was inaugurated yesterday.

Where will the glass go? The manufactured glass will help Egypt localize its automotive industry and 60% of its production will be exported.

Saint-Gobain is no stranger to Egypt’s construction materials industry: The company’s flat glass production line in the SCZone is the largest in the Middle East. It also owns two building materials factories in Sadat and Amreya worth more than EUR 150 mn.

Remember: The company last year purchased 100% of United Paints and Chemicals (Drymix) from Orascom Construction subsidiary United Holding Company in a EGP 785.3 mn transaction.

ANOTHER VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTER-

The Chinese government will help the SCZone set up a vocational training center specialized in a number of industrial sectors, according to a statement. The center will be funded by a CNY 128 mn (c. USD 18 mn) grant from the Chinese government.

Egypt’s only female angel investment network makes its first ever investment in biomedical startup

Investors continue to love medical startups, with two USD investments in medical startups announced only days apart.

TIYE ANGELS MAKES FIRST INVESTMENT-

Biomedical startup InCurA is raising a USD pre-seed round with investments from Tiye Angels, AUC angels, KAUST Innovation Ventures, UI Investments, and Pharos Holding, Tiye Angels Manager Christine Sedky told Enterprise adding color to a statement (pdf) sharing the news.

Where’s the money going? InCurA will use the funds to develop new products, finalize clinical trials for products that have already been developed, and carry out scientific marketing for products that will be released this year, Sedky said. InCurA aims to launch eight products in the fields of wound dressing and hemostatic agents by 2027, Sedky said.

About InCurA: Launched in September 2021, InCurA manufactures medical products, particularly those that focus on bleeding control. The startup also introduces the market to medical devices and then sends them to be manufactured locally in the Middle East, according to the statement. The company registered in Delaware in 2022, then in Egypt and KSA the following year, Sedky told us.

A first for Tiye: The funding round marks the first ever investment by Tiye Angels — the country’s first female angel investment network — which invested a six-figure USD sum itself, Sedky told us. Launched in December 2019 and backed by USAID’s Business Egypt Program, Tiye Angels empowers investors, the majority of whom are female, to invest in female founders.

PHARMA MARTS SECURES SIX-FIGURE USD FUNDING-

Healthtech startup Pharma Marts has received a six-figure USD investment from venture capital firm Acasia Ventures, according to a statement (pdf). The statement didn’t disclose how the funds will be utilized.

About Pharma Marts: Founded in 2021, the startup is an online B2B marketplace that allows pharmacies to connect with suppliers, allowing them to browse medical supplies, compare prices across different suppliers, place orders with flexible buy-now-pay-later options, and receive deliveries within 24 hours. Some 12k pharmacies currently use the platform — which accounts for 20% of the total market — giving them access to over 200 featured suppliers.

To date: The startup has secured USD 2 mn in funding from local and international VCs.

Regional expansion ahead? “We are excited about having Acasia Ventures on board, given its great presence in African markets that we are planning to enter, as well as their solid network of advisors and experts in the pharma industry,” CEO and co-founder Ahmed Kadous (LinkedIn) said.

ICYMI- Funding for healthtech startups in Egypt jumped 137% y-o-y in 2023 to USD 36 mn, on the back of investments in Yodawy (USD 16 mn), Chefaa (USD 5.3 mn), and our friends at primary care company Dawi Clinics (USD 8 mn).

EFG Holding delivered a record breaking EGP 14.7 bn revenues in 2023

Revenues and income up for EFG Holding in 2023: EFG Holding recorded its highest-ever recorded revenues in 2023, recording EGP 14.7 bn, up 34% y-o-y from 2022, on the back of growth at its investment bank EFG Hermes, Valu, and its commercial bank aiBank, according to a statement (pdf) from the company. The company reported net income after tax and minority interest increasing up 39% y-o-y to EGP 2.5 bn.

The breakdown:

aiBank’s revenues grew 61%y-o-y in 2023, to come in atEGP 3.6 bn, mainly driven by higher net interest income, commissions, and fees. Its bottom line more than doubled to stand at EGP 1.1 bn, up 117% y-o-y.
Investment bank EFG Hermes revenues grew 32% y-o-y to stand at EGP 8.1 bn, driven “primarily by its core operations, the sell-side, and the buy-side.” Its net income after tax and minority interest increased 20% y-o-y to EGP 1.6 bn.
The group’s NBFI arm EFG Finance saw its net income after tax and minority interest rise 51% y-o-y to EGP 349 mn. Revenues were up 17% y-o-y to record EGP 3 bn for the year. This was driven by consumer finance platform Valu’s top line climbing 78% y-o-y, coming at EGP 1.2 bn.

Looking ahead: “With Egypt's market taking a pivotal turn following the recent floatation, EFG Holding looks ahead with optimism towards our future endeavors. Our robust balance sheet has been strategically hedged to withstand the fluctuations in the EGP, while our expanding regional operations consistently yield considerable USD revenues annually,” said CEO Karim Awad.

ACWA’s solar plant named IJGlobal’s energy transition transaction of the year

Kom Ombo solar recognized: ACWA Power’s 200-MW Kom Ombo solar plant was named IJGlobal’s Africa 2023 Energy Transition Transaction of the Year, according to a statement.

Refresher- The project is Egypt’s largest privately-owned solar plant with long-term loans from multilateral lenders including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), OPEC Fund for International Development, the African Development Bank, the Green Climate Fund, the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa, and the Arab Bank. ACWA has also taken out equity bridge loans from Apicorp and the EBRD.

Officials voice concerns over Egypt’s EUR 7.4 bn EU package

Concern over our EU package: The European Union’s rights watchdog wants to take a look into several of the bloc’s funding packages, including Egypt’s EUR 7.4 bn package, criticizing them for not taking into account human rights, writes Reuters.

Akhdar will develop content for Egyptian publishing house Nahdet Misr

STARTUPS-

Akhdar to develop educational content for Nahdet Misr: Homegrown book summary and education platform Akhdar will develop digital educational content for Nahdet Misr’s platforms under a cooperation agreement inked between the two, according to a statement (pdf).

The two go way back: Nahdet Misr Publishing House’s venture capital arm, EdVentures, invested a six-figure sum in Akhdar back in 2021 to add new learning tools to its app and improve its user interface.

FINANCIAL SERVICES-

Zilla Capital is heading to KSA: Investment firm Zilla Capital is setting up a portfolio management company in Saudi Arabia in partnership with an unnamed Saudi financial institution, Managing Partner Moustafa El Shenety told Asharq Business. The company, which is expected to launch within two months, plans to reel in and manage USD 300 mn worth of assets by the end of the year and to invest in Arab, European, and US markets.

LOGISTICS-

Five new DP World offices in Egypt: Emirati port operator DP World has set up five offices across Egypt, in Cairo, Alexandria, Cairo Airport, Sokhna, and Beni Suef, according to a statement picked up by Al Borsa. The company has plans to set up more offices in Egypt in the coming months, seeing as there is a growing market in Egypt for logistics services, said Urs Moll, the company’s country manager in Egypt said.

US Federal Reserve keeps rates unchanged, signals rate cuts are coming

Fed signals it will stay the course on rate cuts: The US Federal Reserve left rates unchanged at 5.25-5.5% in line with expectations, citing solid expansion of economic activity, elevated but easing inflation, strong job gains, and low unemployment, the central bank said in a press release.

Bullish on growth: The Fed raised its forecast for US economic growth this year, saying that it expects GDP to expand by 2.1% this year, compared to previous forecasts of 1.4%. “The economy is performing well,” Fed chair Jerome Powell said during a presser (watch, runtime: 1:11:22) after the Fed wrapped up its two-day meeting. That said, he added that there will be challenges before the economy moves into a soft landing, with core inflation projections currently sat at 2.6% in 2024, above the Fed’s 2% target.

Sit tight for rate cuts this year: Policymakers signaled that the central bank is still on track for rate cuts this year, with a three-quarters of a percentage point cut expected before the end of 2024. More officials are now expecting three cuts in 2024.

Market reax: The Fed’s meeting sent investors to market, leading to a spike in the S&P 500, which closed at a record 5,225 on Wednesday. Tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 rose 1.2% while gold rose 1.6% to as much as USD 2,200 per ounce for the first time. Two-year Treasury yields fell 0.09 percentage points to 4.60%.

THE MARKET THIS MORNING-

Traders this morning welcomed the US Federal Reserve’s guidance: All of the major Asian benchmarks we follow are up in early trading — and three of them are soaring, up nearly 2%: The Nikkei, Kospi, and Hang Seng.

Sound smart: The Nikkei has just hit an all-time high. Traders were already in a good mood, having welcomed the Bank of Japan’s move earlier this week to raise interest rates for the first time since 2007. Prior to the move, Japan was the world’s last remaining negative-rates regime.

Futures are also up, with everything from S&P, Nasdaq, and Dow futures to wagers on European equities and oils on the rise.

EGX30	28,589	-0.3% (YTD: +14.8%)
USD (CBE)	Buy 46.89	Sell 47.02
USD at CIB	Buy 46.9	Sell 47.0
Interest rates CBE	27.25% deposit	28.25% lending
Tadawul	12,739	-0.5% (YTD: +6.5%)
ADX	9,269	+0.1% (YTD: -3.2%)
DFM	4,291	+0.4% (YTD: +5.7%)
S&P 500	5,225	+0.9% (YTD: +9.5%)
FTSE 100	7,737	0.0% (YTD: +0.1%)
Euro Stoxx 50	5,000	-0.2% (YTD: +10.6%)
Brent crude	USD 85.95	-1.6%
Natural gas (Nymex)	USD 1.70	+0.2%
Gold	USD 2,208	+1.0%
BTC	USD 67,752	+7.5% (YTD: +45.4%)

THE CLOSING BELL-

The EGX30 fell 0.3% at yesterday’s close on turnover of EGP 3.1 bn (36% below the 90-day average). Local investors were net buyers. The index is up 14.8% YTD.

In the green: Orascom Construction (+5.0%), Eipico (+4.0%), and Madinet Masr (+2.2%).

In the red: E-Finance (-5.4%), Orascom Development Egypt (-3.9%), and Palm Hills Developments (-3.0%).

CORPORATE ACTIONS-

Mopco to hand out dividends: Misr Fertilizers Production Company (Mopco) will pay out a dividend of EGP 2.0 per share starting 7 April, according to an EGX disclosure (pdf).

Ayman Amer, general manager of SODIC

Ayman Amer, general manager of SODIC: For a special Ramadan edition of our weekly My Morning Routine column that we will run through the holy month, we spoke to Ayman Amer (LinkedIn), the general manager of SODIC. We asked Amer the usual questions to find out how a successful member of the community starts their day and threw in a few more to find out how he adjusts to Ramadan and what he looks forward to in the holy month.

I'm a 46-year-old father of three and I’ve been working in the real estate and construction industry for almost 24 years. I studied to become an architect, but never worked as one. After graduating, I worked on-site for three years before I joined Orascom Constructions’s procurement team and then moved on to Turner as Emaar’s project manager. For the last 14 years, I’ve been at SODIC, where I’ve worn different hats, including chief procurement and business development officer, COO, and now the GM of the company.

One of the most prominent industry trends right now is diversification, which was spurred by a myriad of things. One of them is the float, which has prompted companies to seek USD-generating assets, like hotels and commercial buildings. Another is the need to have a recurring income portfolio. All developers are headed in this direction. SODIC has always done things differently, though. When we hired a hotel operator, for instance, we opted for Nobu, a unique brand that complements our story of catering to a discerning clientele.

SODIC has been branching out widely into different sectors. For example, in retail, we're doing Eastown District New Cairo retail on 15k sqm of gross leasable area. We're having four hotels and the fifth is in the pipeline. We're also building schools. I think that within the coming three to five years, SODIC will be anchored in this area.

In the eleven non-Ramadan months of the year, I wake up sometime between 5:30 to 5:45 am. I exercise for an hour from 7 to 8am. Two days a week I do pilates, and I do weight training on three other days. I then head into work around 9 or 9:30am and wrap up around 8pm. When I’m done, I go back home, have a snack, and go to bed. I sleep for five to five-and-a-half hours maximum.

My one hour of me time is absolutely essential. I might skip exercise, but never the one hour of winding down before I go to bed. During that time, I do nothing related to work. Sometimes I’ll scroll through some articles. Other times I do nothing but eat some fruits and sit calmly without thinking of anything serious or talking to anyone. I have to clear my mind so I can sleep deeply. It’s a form of meditation to me.

I read Enterprise at 6:30am before I exercise and dive deeper into the stories that are interesting to me when I come to the office — what I like the most about Enterprise is that it’s concise, analytical, and well sourced. This is pretty much my approach to everything, including emails. I receive a good 100 of those during the day, and I scan them to identify the ones that I should respond to immediately.

On the weekends, I spend time with the kids. Friday we have to have breakfast and lunch together — no excuses. Saturday is our unplanned day. We spend it doing whatever anyone in the house wants to do.

My Ramadan routine is very different from my regular routine. I don't eat much for iftar, so I usually lose weight during the month. We have a tradition in our family to watch a comedy show after breaking our fast. I stick to just one show for the month. This year we’re watching Ashghal Shaqa together. It makes me laugh from the heart. I then head out to pray and go watch my elder son’s football tournament. I get back home at 11pm and go to bed at midnight.

Waking up for suhoor seems to be increasingly démodé, but I get up around four to have some yogurt and water before I head back to bed to squeeze in a couple more hours of sleep. I spend pretty much all day at the office — say 9:30 to 5:30, just minutes before iftar. I don’t exercise during the month, I’ve only worked out twice so far.

I live by the rule of three. I set three overarching targets — strategic goals — at a time and avoid having too many things on my plate to achieve at once. I write them down on the board and revisit them every day. Once I tick these boxes, I move on to the next three things. That’s especially important in Ramadan, when there are less work-hours to get things done and everyone’s energy is more limited. I definitely respect these limitations. Ramadan is also particularly challenging this year because it comes in the first quarter, which is when clear-cut goals must be set and tackled head-on.

On a personal level, one of the things that matters to me the mostis making the best out of my kids. I want to help them achieve their dreams regardless of what those are. My elder kid, who is very talented, has insisted on being a goalkeeper since he was four. And my daughter is an artist. She paints very well and if she chooses to pursue it, she’d have my full support. I don’t know what’s in store for my youngest just yet.

For me, I’d love to open up a business related to the science of sports. I took a DNA test for sports a long time ago in Russia and it was very insightful. These tests examine your DNA, muscles, and psychology to determine what sports your body is best suited for and guide you towards certain routines so that you don’t get burned out. They can be life-changing for athletes.

Taking chances is a philosophy I apply to my life. I’ve taken on some challenges during my career at SODIC that some people thought I was mad to undertake. Usually people don't like to move from one place to another when they don't have the experience. But how do you get the experience without stepping into something new? I’ll take the risk and if I'm good enough, I’ll stay. If not, I'm out.

One of the best pieces of advice I received in my adolescence was not to focus on the money coming in now. If you work hard and perfect your job, the money will follow. I was 23 and working onsite when I was given this piece of advice by a supervisor at the construction company that my parents used to own and I still live by it. Money isn’t the most important thing to me, achievements are.

CALENDAR

2024

MARCH

28 March (Thursday): Industrial Development Authority to close applications for 1 mn sqm of land in 10 different governorates.

29 March (Friday): Egypt removed from JPMorgan Chase’s Emerging Local Markets Index Plus.

APRIL

1 April (Monday): Deadline to bid for 23 blocks in an international oil and gas tender.

2 April (Tuesday): President Abdel Fattah El Sisi swearing in ceremony, New Administrative Capital.

9 April (Tuesday): Eid El Fitr (TBC) (national holiday).

15-21 April (Monday-Sunday): The IMF / World Bank Spring Meetings.

25 April (Thursday): National holiday in observance of Sinai Liberation Day (TBC) (national holiday).

26 April (Wednesday): Clocks move forward one hour at midnight as daylight saving time starts.

28 April (Sunday): Grace period to ins. brokerage firms to comply with Law 215 for 2023 expires.

28-29 April (Sunday-Monday): Saudi Arabia hosts a World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting on ‘global collaboration, growth, and energy.’

29 April (Monday): The government’s car export scheme expires.

MAY

1 May (Wednesday): National holiday in observance of Labor Day (TBC) (national holiday).

2-5 May (Thursday-Sunday): Townhall Expo in Riyadh.

5 May (Sunday): Coptic Easter.

6 May (Monday): Sham El Nessim (national holiday).

20 May (Monday): Malaysian Palm Oil Forum in Cairo, with attendance from Malaysian Plantation and Commodities Minister Johari Abdul Ghani.

23 May (Thursday): Central Bank of Egypt’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

29 May (Wednesday): Virtual launch of Chicago Booth Executive Program.

JUNE

15-19 June (Saturday-Wednesday): Eid El Adha (TBC) (national holiday).

30 June (Sunday): June 30 Revolution Day (national holiday).

JULY

7 July (Sunday): National holiday in observance of Islamic New Year (TBC).

18 July (Thursday): Central Bank of Egypt’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

23 July (Tuesday): Revolution Day (national holiday).

SEPTEMBER

2-5 September (Monday-Thursday): Egypt International Airshow, El Alamein International Airport.

5 September (Thursday): Central Bank of Egypt’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

15 September (Sunday): National holiday in observance of Prophet Muhammad’s birthday (TBC).

25-26 September (Wednesday - Thursday): The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank’s (AIIB) 2024 annual meeting, Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

OCTOBER

6 October (Sunday): Armed Forces Day.

17 October (Thursday): Central Bank of Egypt’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

21-27 October (Monday-Sunday): The World Bank and IMF annual meetings.

NOVEMBER

21 November (Thursday): Central Bank of Egypt’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

DECEMBER

26 December (Thursday): Central Bank of Egypt’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

EVENTS WITH NO SET DATE

January 2024: The Red Sea Ports Authority is set to finalize an agreement with the Abu Dhabi Ports Group for the operation and maintenance of the tourist passenger terminal in the Sharm El Sheikh Sea Port.

February 2024: Egypt will sign a USD 1.5 bn financing agreement with the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).

February 2024: Funds from the Islamic Development Bank for the high speed electric railway will get the sign off.

April 2024: President Abdel Fattah El Sisi will visit Turkey.

1Q 2024: Egyptian-Qatari Joint Supreme Committee.

1Q 2024: Opening of the newly developed Pyramids Plateau in Giza.

1Q 2024: The government is set to finalize the sale of the Gabal El Zeit wind farm.

February-May: The Grand Egyptian Museum could officially open to visitors.

March 2024: The USD 2.7 bn MIDOR Refinery is set to begin full operations.

May 2024: Arab Finance Ministers’ meeting at Egypt’s administrative capital.

June 2024: Gov’t expects to finalize sale of Beni Suef combined-cycle power plant.

1H 2024: Gov’t expects to finalize sale of four water desalination plants.

1H 2024: The European Union is set to hold an investment conference in Egypt during spring.

2H 2024: Gov’t to launch the Cairo Ring Road BRT buses.

November 2024: Egypt to host the World Urban Forum (WUF12).

End of 2024: The launch of the high-speed train line linking Ain Sokhna with Al Alamein City.

2025

EVENTS WITH NO SET DATE

2Q 2025: Safaga Terminal 2 to start operations.

2027

20 January-7 February: Egypt to host the African Games

EVENTS WITH NO SET DATE

End of 2027: Trial operations at the Dabaa nuclear power plant expected to take place.

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