Mr. Naguib Sawiris founded Orascom Telecom Holding (OTH) and led it to become the leading regional telecom player until the much-publicized merger deal with VEON (formerly VimpelCom Ltd.), creating the world’s sixth largest mobile telecommunications provider in April 2011.
Mr. Sawiris is Chairman of the Advisory Board of La Mancha Holding, an international gold producer sitting on the board of Evolution Mining, the second largest gold producer in Australia, and Endeavour Mining,Africa’s third largest gold producer.
Mr. Sawiris is also a Director of Gemini Global Development, a company undertaking high-end real estate developments in various prime locations around the world.
In 2015, Mr. Sawiris managed the acquisition of 53% of Euronews, Europe’s leading news channel, through Media Globe Networks (MGN), a company owned by the Sawiris Family. In 2017, MGN increased its ownership to 60% after the recent entry of NBC into Euronews through a capital increase. He also has ownership in several assets in the media business in Egypt.
At international and regional levels, Mr. Sawiris served and is serving on a number of boards, committees and councils including International Advisory Committee to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), International Advisory Board to the National Bank of Kuwait, London Stock Exchange Group’s Africa Advisory Group, the Board of Trustees of Nile University (NU), the French University in Egypt (UFE), and the Arab Thought Foundation.
Mr. Sawiris is also the recipient of numerous honorary degrees, industry awards and civic honors, including the “Legion d’Honneur“ (the highest award given by the French Republic for outstanding services rendered to France). In July 2011 Mr. Sawiris was awarded the Honor of Commander of the Order of the “Stella della Solidarietà Italiana” (Star of Italian Solidarity). In 2006, the prestigious “Sitara-e- Quaid-e- Azam” award was conferred upon him by General Pervez Musharref for services rendered to the people of Pakistan in the field of telecommunication, investments and social sector work.
Mr. Sawiris holds a diploma of Mechanical Engineering with a Masters in Technical Administration from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zürich) and a Diploma from the German Evangelical School, Cairo, Egypt.