Amr Talaat has been appointed the Minister of Communications and Information

Technology since June 2018, to the Cabinet of the Prime Minister Dr. MostafaMadbouly.

Talaat possesses over 30 years of solid experience in communications and information technology areas, with a wide experience in developing and implementing strategies across a vast spectrum of activities in Egypt.

Talaat joined IBM-Egypt in August 1988 and held various managerial positions. On May 23 rd , 2010, Amr Talaat held the position of the Country General Manager of IBM, and also served as IBM Egypt Territory Manager since 2005.

He held various managerial positions within IBM Egypt including Business Partner Organization (BPO) Manager as well as Systems and Technology Group Manager.

During his tenure, his scope transcended financial goals to strategic and operational elements such as building human capital, fortifying customer loyalty, corporate social responsibility and employees’ Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

He also sought to establish relationships with key officials and executives of various sectors, both at the national and international levels, to attract major investments, and Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) deals.

In addition, Talaat was an adjunct professor at Cairo University; teaching marketing and & sales strategies and tactics, organizational behavior and strategic management. He was, also, an honorary member at the ICT Board at Cairo University and member of the ICT Board of the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT) and the Chairman of ICT Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham).

Talaat graduated in 1983 from the Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, completing his undergraduate studies in Electrical Engineering at Cairo University.

He earned his PhD or doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) from the University of Paris - Paris School of Business (PSB) and Masters of Science in Computer Science from Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), in addition to an MBA from Paris ESLSCA Business School, France.

2014 – Present: Chairman of Egyptian / Russian Business Council 

2014: Member of the Committee of 50 for drafting the new Egyptian Constitution

2010-present: Chairman, ASCAME (Union of Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce & Industry)

2010 – Present: Chairman, Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce.

2010 – Present: Chairman, Union of African Chambers of Commerce, Agriculture, Industry and Professions.

2010- Present: Senior vice chairman, Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

2010- Present: Board Member, Arab Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture.

2010- Present: Member, Board of Trustees, the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones, «GAFI»

2010- Present: Board member, the National Organization for Social Insurance.

2008- present: Board member, Internal Trade Development Authority.

2006-2010: 1st Deputy Chairman, Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce.

2006- Present: Board member, Alexandria Ports Authority.

2006-2011: Board member, Arab-Belgium-Luxemburg Chamber of Commerce, Brussels.

2006- Present: Chairman, Alexandria Chamber of Commerce.

2002-2011: Board member, Arab French Chamber of Commerce, Paris.

2002- Present: Chairman, Egyptian-Syrian Business Council.

1988-2006: Vice chairman, Alexandria Chamber.

1984- Present: Elected board member, Alexandria Chamber of Commerce.

2009- Present: Chairman Wakalex for Industry & Trade.

2008- Present: Board member Fast Bus Transport.

2004- Present: Board Member Antoniadis for the Civilized &Touristy Development Co.

1972- Present: Chairman and Founder, Wakalex Group.

•Board Member, Federation of the Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (FEDCOC), since 2015

•Chairman, Digital Economy and Technology General Division, Federation of the Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (DET-FEDCOC), since 2001

•Chairman, IT Division, Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, 1992-2006

•Board Member, Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, 2002-2015

•Board Member, Food Industries Chamber, Federation of the Egyptian Industries (FEI), 1986

•Head of Development Committee, FEDCOC

•Member of the Head Committee, PC4Egypt

•Member of the IPR Head Committee

•Chairman, Winner Trade for Imports and Agencies

•Managing Director, Winner Brands

Major Public Activities

•e-Alexandria Project for eradicating digital illiteracy in Alexandria

•PC4EachHome National Initiative with Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT)

•Economic GIS Project, Alexandria Chamber of Commerce    

•Articulation of Tax system for the IT industry

•Tanweer National Initiative with Ministry of Education (MoE), for availing technology for Educators and Students

Ambassador Jan Thesleff has been serving as the

Ambassador of Sweden to the Arab Republic of Egypt since September 2017.

From 2014 to 2017, Thesleff served as Sweden’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, residing in Abu Dhabi. In June 2015 and in October 2016, respectively, he was accredited as Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Kuwait.

Thesleff has previously been Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, the Republic of Yemen and the State of Kuwait (2006-2011) and to Libya and Tunisia (2011-14). He also served as Sweden’s Special Representative for the Syria Crisis (2012-2014).

His previous diplomatic posts include serving in Brussels (Deputy to the EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process at the Council of Ministers, as well as at the Swedish Permanent Representation to the EU) and at the Swedish embassies in Cairo, Tokyo and Damascus.

Ambassador Thesleff is a frequent speaker in international fora and has contributed to a number of publications, including on art and architecture.

Born on the 28th September 1960. HE Mr Stéphane Romatet is graduated from the Institute of Political Studies in Paris. and from the National School of Management, "Denis Diderot" class (1986). Minister Plenipotentiary.
Positions held : - 1986 - 1993, he served at the Ministry of Defense - 1st April 1993, assigned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - 1993-1996, Second Counselor in Amman - 1996-1997, he worked in the Central Administration (Budget, Administrative and Financial Affairs) as Deputy Commissioner for Budget and Financial Affairs - 1997 - 1999, Technical Advisor to the Minister's Office - 10th May 1999, he joined the corps of Secretaries an Counselors of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - 1999 - 2003, Second Counselor, Ottawa - 2003 - 2005, First Counselor and Advisor for Cooperation and Culture in Dakar - 2006 - 2007, Head of Equipment Department and Head of Real Estate Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - 2007 - 2008, Advisor and then Deputy Director of the Minister's Office - November 2008, Senior official for Defense and Security - 2008 - 2009, Deputy Secretary-General to the Administration Department - 2009 -2011, Director General of Administration and Modernization - 2011-2014, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in Canberra (Australia) - 2014 - 2016, served as a Diplomatic Advisor to the Prime Minister - Since December 2016, entrusted with the task (public administration) of the central administration - September 2017, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Arab Republic of Egypt
Decorations : - National Order of Merit, Knight rank, 14th November 2006 - National Order of the Honorary Legion of Honor, Knight rank, 1st January 2012
Languages : English German

Chris is one of the nation’s leading experts on launching startups and has been dubbed the “Startup Whisperer.” He co-founded MapQuest, is an angel investor, ran a corporate venture fund and 2 micro venture funds (directed over $75M) and is VP Innovation with Techstars. Chris recently published his first book about starting anything called Build The Fort.

Dr. Ayman Ismail is the Assistant Professor and Abdul Latif Jameel Endowed Chair of Entrepreneurship at the American University in Cairo School of Business.

His research focuses on entrepreneurship venture capital and private equity in emerging markets economic development in the Middle East industrial strategy international technology diffusion and knowledge transfer to developing countries technology policy and innovation energy and food security and political economy of development.

Dr. Ismail is a former Research Fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Kennedy School of Government in Harvard University.

He received his PhD in International Economic Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

He also holds a bachelor degree in engineering and an MBA from the American University in Cairo, and a master in city planning and geographic information systems from MIT.

He is also a co-founder and Managing Partner in Enovio, a management & strategy consulting firm operating in the US and the Middle East. Prior to that, he was a consultant in McKinsey & Company Business Technology Office, based in New York for several years.

Dr. Ismail has advised senior management in leading Fortune 100 companies, fast-growing startups, government agencies, and non-profits on key organization, operations and technology issues.

He has also consulted and conducted research for international organizations such as the World Bank and UNCTAD, as well as multiple US government agencies.

Dr. Ismail has a broad multidisciplinary experience in economic development, business strategy, city planning and technology based on professional practice and academic research.

Dr. Ismail is a co-founder and member the Board of Directors of Nahdet El-Mahrousa, a leading NGO incubating social entrepreneurs and social ventures targeting economic and social development issues in Egypt. He is also an Endeavor VentureCorps Mentor, advising entrepreneurs.

Keith Wallace is a Scotsman with a passion for entrepreneurs and deal-making.  Having founded the Dutch Investors Club (DeInvesteerdersClub) he put his vision of joint investments within the Netherlands and further afield into effect.

With deals in Africa and Asia, as well as Europe, this small group of active investors has striven from the beginning to make impact as well as financial returns.

Working with the Hivos Foundation, he was part of the team that founded Hivos Impact Investments, where he sits in the investment team and manages the portfolio companies of the Hivos Food and Lifestyle Fund (Southern Africa) and the Hivos Mideast Creatives Fund (MENA).

Keith is also Global Ringmaster of Get In The Ring, an international entrepreneurial competition that takes place in over 100 countries and allows him to wear top hat and tails, even in the tropics.

Ahmed Amin an Egyptian comedian, actor ,writer and tv presenter, graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts, who started acting and directing while he is still a kid in school, then he get into the college, participate in acting activities during the years of studying. But, after graduation and searching for stabilization he lost his way to his dream and worked in child press, yet achieve lots of success writing well known cartoon series like (Bassant & Diasty) (El Kobtan Azzuz) he never forgot about his dream, Acting. People actually started to know Amin from his online videos “30 sanya” (30 seconds) that went viral among Egyptians on Facebook, just when he's decided to leave everything and took the risk back to his real passion His second, and more important step, was “Al Plateau” TV show, then (El wasseya) and last but not least (Amin and partner) theatrical show.

In 2015 Ajlouny co-founded Fetchr, the Silicon Valley-backed tech company that was created to tackle the Middle East’s “no address” issue, which has been long been a hindrance to growth in emerging markets. She facilitated $11 million in initial investments in Fetchr, as well as $41 million in a series B round in 2017. Having raised over $72 million,the company now successfully operates in five countries with a 4500-person staff, and was dubbed the number one startup in the Middle East by Forbes. In 2019, Ajlouny demonstrated that she was beholden to nobody when she resigned from her position at Fetchr, with plans to launch her third Silicon Valley-backed company later this year. Ahead of founding Fetchr, Ajlouny was the driving force and sole entity behind the e-commerce luxury fashion platform Bonfaire. Acquired by Moda Operandi––a fashion e-commerce giant owned by LVMH and Condé Nast––in 2013, just two years after its launch, this was only the start of what would develop into a long-lasting relationship between Ajlouny and the fashion industry. Ajlouny is regularly hired as a consultant for fashion startups, as well as for venture capitalists. Over the last decade, her unmatched knowledge and expertise in funding and investment, startups and marketing strategies has compounded into what’s known as the “Joy effect,” a term that refers to the ripple of her influence on a multitude of new and once suffering companies. Considered an expert in emotional marketing, she follows the rule of thumb that in order to be successful, you have to “fall in love with your customer.” With less than three percent of venture capital funding raised by women, Ajlouny has successfully raised multiple rounds of funding for her two startups, acquiring investments from prestigious Silicon Valley venture capital firms. As a self-made woman in the industry, Ajlouny is passionate about encouraging and investing knowledge into the young women of tomorrow. Ajlouny is regularly invited to speak at forums and events across the world and most recently took the stage at the World Economic Forum in Jordan and BoF VOICES in the UK. Her talks are not only centered upon her businesses, but on the realities of being a female entrepreneur, the double bind and the relentlessness it takes to secure a position that counters the traditional roles allocated for women. Businesswoman, motivational speaker ,serial entrepreneur and advisor, Joy Ajlouny is a flash-bang grenade thrown into the Middle East. Born and raised in California to Palestinian refugees, Ajlouny has built a reputation for her success in startups and ventures worldwide, all the while disrupting the status quo of women in buisness. Belonging to the top one percent of female entrepreneurs, the self-made entrepreneur has “gamified rejection” and carved her space in the business world.

A Business Transformation, Technology Innovation and R&D professional, AI-driven Design evangelist. Since 2010 a startup entrepreneur, while in the past operated as a strategy & technology consultant, specializing in the Design, Development, and Launch of innovative Smart Products and Services. As of Entrepreneur, his best expertise and the main focus is concentrated on the Luxury Fashion Retail and Mass Customization, ideas and projects towards Luxury 3.0 philosophy. Currently is co-founder and CEO of ELSE Corp, a startup startup developing “Virtual Retail” and “Real Time Fashion System” concepts, which is a new business model and a set of technologies and processes for a complete Digital Transformation of fashion retail chains.

Ziad Mokhtar is Managing Partner at Algebra Ventures, Egypt’s leading VC fund. Ziad is also Managing Partner at Ideavelopers. Ziad has been an active VC investor since 2010. He has invested in many transformative technology companies in Egypt and the Middle East, including vezeeta, siware, elmenus, trella, dsquares, and posrocket. Before becoming a venture investor, Ziad served as a Consultant at McKinsey & Company where he worked on topics related to economic development, healthcare reform, and education. Prior to McKinsey, he co-founded eSpace in 2000 and served as its Chief Executive Officer until 2006. While at eSpace, he led the development of the number one mobile salesforce solution in the region, and spearheaded eSpace’s international services business. Ziad is a member of the board of directors of Elmenus, Iqraaly, SiWare, and Vezeeta. Ziad holds an M.B.A. from Stanford Graduate School of Business and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering from Alexandria University.

Mohamed Okasha Managing Director Mohamed Okasha is a co-Founder, member of the Board of Directors and the Managing Director of Fawry. With over 20 years of experience in the corporate retail sales, marketing and operations management of both IT and telecom Industries, Okasha launched the retail operation of Fawry across Egypt and built the strong client base of Fawry billers. Before joining Fawry, Okasha held top executive roles at Raya and Vodafone, where he contributed to the launch and establishment of various successful initiatives in the IT and Telecom sectors. Okasha holds a BSC in Computer Science from AUC, and an International MBA from the graduate school of ESCLSCA.

Ramy always liked taking on big problems head on, which is why he spent two years working for Google in the MENA region as the Public Relations & Communications Manager during the testing time of the Arab Spring and its aftermath. Seeing his growing passion for more challenges, he took on the route of private PR and worked with global brands including Coca-Cola, Vodafone, Barclays and many more. Fast forward a few more years and Ramy has finally found the love of his life in the form of digital media where he now leads as the Head of Planning at hug digital's - a regional advertising agency owned by WPP - Cairo & Rigadh offices following a two-year stint as the Cairo office General Manager which saw its expansion from 15 to 100+ employees and the acquisition of more than 70 clients. Not one to shy away from challenges, Ramy is currently working on many exciting brands and taking their digital strategies to the next level including Google, Vodafone, Emaar Misr, Shell, Americana Group, Mondelez, Orascom, Edita, Travco, Corona, and others! When he isn't in the gym, Ramy is probably trying to coerce his cat into taking a selfie with him.