Hala Saleh graduated in 2000 from The American University in Cairo with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. She worked in the oil and gas industry as a project manager, where she moved her way up into business development.
In 2005, Saleh pursued her second degree under Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from the Art Institute of Houston, completed the degree with Highest Honors in 2009. During her course of education, Saleh was awarded first place in several national design competitions. From 2007-2009, Saleh was Vice President of ASID (American Society for interior designers) Student Houston Chapter.
In June 2009, Saleh earned her LEED Accreditation from the Unites States Green Building Council and introduced the concept of green buildings in Egypt in its early phases to investors of various sorts and lobbied the cause with passion. Currently, her firm Sustainable Solutions is set up in partnership with Shaker Group, the largest electromechanical firm in the Middle East delivering LEED certified buildings across the healthcare, educational and recreational sectors in Egypt.
Saleh has a proven track record in P&L leadership and commercialization. She has led teams in small, medium and large size private companies in Egypt and managed growth cycles in declining markets. Her experience endows her with the kind of real-life, hands-on skillset that allows her to endeavor opportunities in different industries.
In 2010, Saleh founded TDF Architects, an international award winning interior design and architectural firm with a portfolio of projects in Egypt, Europe and the United States. HS Katamiya Heights project earned The African Property Awards for the best interior/architecture project in the Middle East awarded in Dubai. SM Hacienda project earned the International Design award for the best internationally from the UK. M2 Sales Center received an honorable mention from the IDA (International Design Award) program.
By building a dedicated team with talent in key areas of Design, Marketing, and R&D, along with adopting a management style that fosters collaboration, team empowerment and strong leadership, in 2017, Saleh wore two hats and joined the real estate industry as the Chief Commercial Officer of M2 developments, setting strategic goals for adding new dynamics to the real estate market in Egypt responsible for delivering an annual revenue of 200 million USD. During the course of which Saleh executed a complete internal restructure to the organization managing a solid culture of change and pushing through an external marketing plan that repositioned the organization in the industry resulting in almost tripling the annual revenues. A consultancy service that extended to a lot of the major private development companies in Egypt.
Showing continuous support to entrepreneurs, Saleh is always keen on extending her knowledge to the community through assisting in developing design conferences strategies, brainstorming entrepreneurial initiatives, participating in workshops, giving lectures at conferences that support entrepreneurs from different backgrounds in and out of the design industry, only to name a few. In addition to that, she is always demystifying Egypt to non-Egyptians through the articles she writes for Egypt Today magazine. As an extension to her support to the community, Saleh is an active board member on 2 NGOs; El Joud and Kol Share fi Belady. Takes pride in being appointed for the adaptative re-use project of Darb El Darb, Salah El Din Citadel, Cairo. Also her international addition extends to being a premium member of the WPO (Women President Organization) in the United States.
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