Flair Magazine By Menna Saad El Din
At the Narrative Summit 2025, a panel on “Empowering the Private Sector is Vital to Egypt’s Growth and Prosperity” brought together prominent leaders to discuss economic advancement. Moderated by Farzana Baduel, the panel featured Dr. Ahmed Moharram (Anchorage Investments), Hisham El Khazindar (Qalaa Holdings), Ahmed Tarek, Dr. Sherif El Kholy (Actis), Neveen Al Tahri (Delta Shield for Investment), and Mounir Nakhla (MNT-Halan).
Insights from the Panelists
Dr. Ahmed Moharram highlighted the $2.2 billion Anchor Benitoite Petrochemical Complex as a prime example of private sector contribution, creating jobs and boosting exports. He stressed that Egypt’s strategic location, government support, and access to international technology are vital enablers, while infrastructure gaps, policy stability, and cost uncertainties pose challenges. Moharram urged simplifying regulations, fostering public-private partnerships, and building investor confidence, especially for large-scale greenfield projects. He also emphasized addressing the cost of capital for investors.
Hisham El Khazindar pointed to Egypt’s strategic location, large population, diversified economy, and trade agreements as strong foundations for growth. He advocated for private sector investment in local value creation (e.g., energy, agri-food) and praised Egypt’s improved infrastructure.
Ahmed Tarek introduced “conscious capitalism,” where businesses balance profit with social impact, arguing this concept is deeply rooted in Egyptian culture.
Dr. Sherif El Kholy emphasized the urgent need to expand the private sector’s role, noting that private investment and exports currently form only 17% of Egypt’s economy. He expressed optimism about current efforts to rebalance this.
Neveen Al Tahri highlighted intrapreneurship as crucial for innovation within organizations, urging businesses to empower internal talent.
Mounir Nakhla stressed the importance of democratizing funding for small entrepreneurs, identifying fintech as a key player in bridging the gap left by traditional banking and expanding financial inclusion through digital infrastructure.
What do you think is the single most important action Egypt can take to further empower its private sector based on these discussions?
