{"id":663201,"date":"2025-04-06T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-06T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2025\/04\/06\/ntra-to-begin-smuggled-phone-crackdown\/"},"modified":"2025-04-06T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-04-06T00:00:00","slug":"ntra-to-begin-smuggled-phone-crackdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2025\/04\/06\/ntra-to-begin-smuggled-phone-crackdown\/","title":{"rendered":"NTRA to begin smuggled phone crackdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

Good morning, folks<\/strong>.<\/strong> To kick off the first full work week after Eid, we\u2019ve got news of the 10% tariff on all Egyptian goods entering the US market coming into effect, the country\u2019s non-oil private sector activity slipping back into the red in March, freshly greenlit funds from the EU, and more.<\/p>\n

BUT FIRST- We\u2019re delighted this morning to welcome Qalaa Holdings to EnterpriseAM<\/strong> as <\/strong>our latest pillar advertiser. <\/strong>Our friends Ahmed Heikal and Hisham El Khazindar \u2014 together with many others on the team at Qalaa \u2014 were a key part of our origin story.<\/p>\n

Two threads run through that story: <\/strong>What has since become Enterprise was born as a two-person investor relations and strategic communications agency back in 2007. Our first client was our good friends at EFG Hermes. Our second: a hot private-equity upstart called Citadel Capital, as Qalaa was then known. The firm had just pulled off what stands as one of the most audacious exits ever in Middle East PE \u2014 the USD 1.4 bn sale of Egyptian Fertilizers Company, which stood at the time as the largest M&A in Egypt and the biggest-ever Mideast PE transaction, yielding a gross IRR of nearly 100%. <\/p>\n

Everyone and their sister wanted to work with Qalaa <\/strong>in fall 2007 when it put out a call for a communications agency. Ahmed and Hisham (entrepreneurs at heart who had sketched out their business and logo on a literal napkin) took a chance on us, a then-still-unincorporated two-person shop. Why? They recognized fellow finance nerds passionate about building a business.<\/p>\n

Fast forward to 2010 and you\u2019ll find the second thread: <\/strong>Our agency had grown to more than a dozen people. Our founders were longtime journalists who had always been passionate about entrepreneurism \u2014 and we had decided to launch a print magazine about how Egyptian entrepreneurs were building great businesses. The \u201cevents of 25 January 2011\u201d killed our zero issue before we could go to print, and we went on to get a crash course in doing business under duress. <\/p>\n

Today, we\u2019re a 150-person shop <\/strong>with two business units: A news and business intelligence division that delivers essential insights into business, finance, economics, public policy, and regulation in the UAE, Egypt, Saudi, and beyond to a global audience of more than 500k people who matter. And an advisory firm run by a separate team who work with some of the most interesting listed companies on markets including Tadawul, ADX, DFM, EGX, LSE, and beyond. <\/p>\n

And now, Qalaa Holdings and its more than 17.5k employees touch mn of <\/strong>consumers and business leaders every day.<\/strong> With holdings spanning from the USD 4.3 bn Egyptian Refining Company to Taqa Arabia and Dina Farms, Qalaa is committed to improving lives and livelihoods by building sustainable businesses for its employees and community. <\/p>\n

EGX-listed Qalaa is a leader in energy and infrastructure<\/strong>, one of Egypt\u2019s most export-oriented manufacturers, and a leading import-substitution play. As Heikal recently noted, \u201cEgypt continues to be an attractive investment destination for both local and regional players, and I am confident in both the country\u2019s long-term economic outlook and in our ability to generate long-term returns for all of our stakeholders as we grow.\u201d You can learn more about Qalaa here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Please join us in thanking Qalaa Holdings and all of our other advertisers. <\/strong>Their unwavering support is what allows us to bring you your essential morning read every day without charge. <\/p>\n

HAPPENING TODAY- <\/p>\n

<\/a> French P<\/strong>resident Emmanuel Macron is set to land in Cairo today <\/strong>as part of a three-day stay in the country that will see the head of state meet with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and other officials to discuss the war on Gaza, economic cooperation, and more. We\u2019ll have full coverage, including a report from a business conference due to take place while the French leader is in town. Macron will also visit Arish on Tuesday to stress the need for a ceasefire, according to a report from the AFP<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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HAPPENING TOMORROW-<\/p>\n

The EFG Hermes One on One kicks off tomorrow morning in Dubai. <\/strong>More than 200 companies from 29 countries attended last year\u2019s iteration, meeting with 670 fund and portfolio managers from 250 global institutions. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s difficult to imagine a more opportune time for an EM-focused equities conference <\/strong>given the turmoil roiling markets<\/strong> as US President Donald Trump sets out to shake the foundations of the post-Second World War economic order. The gathering runs through Thursday. <\/p>\n

Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk and CBE Deputy Governor Rami Aboulnaga are on <\/strong>stage tomorrow morning<\/strong> for the headline panel, followed by a UAE-focused panel discussion and the gathering\u2019s customary EFG Hermes Live Research Poll. We\u2019ll have full coverage all week long. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Want to catch up for coffee during the One on One? <\/strong>Hit reply to this email and let\u2019s see if our schedules intersect. <\/p>\n

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NEWS TRIGGERS-<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the first<\/strong> workday after the Eid break<\/strong> \u2014 here are the key news triggers to keep your eyes on through the rest of April:<\/p>\n