Cairo – Marking its fifth anniversary, Business Forward, the knowledge portal of the School of Business at The American University in Cairo (AUC), held its annual event at AUC Tahrir campus. Under the theme “Egypt’s Economy 2023: Structural Reform Amidst a Volatile Global Outlook”, the event brought forward-looking academic, professional and industry perspectives on pressing topics, including currency devaluation, public debt and private sector challenges, in light of the heightened economic shockwaves resulting from the Russia-Ukraine war.

The event took stock of the past year’s economic happenings and generated advice on public policies and directions, providing a platform of exchange between industry leaders, economists, policymakers and academia.

“This is an exceptional year for the School marking 75 years of service to Egypt and the region, having started offering our first economics program in 1947,” said AUC School of Business Dean Sherif Kamel. “Throughout the five-year journey of Business Forward, it has been keeping a close eye on the development of Egypt’s business environment and the economy at large in light of the changes happening worldwide,” he added.

The event also included the launch of a new edition of Business Forward’s flagship digital campaign, “I Moved My Business Forward”. This year the campaign focuses on stories about family businesses, given their importance in the economy and significant contribution to production and employment. The campaign’s objective is to share the latest knowledge and best practices in promoting the thriving of family businesses across generations, engaging companies of all sizes and subject matter experts.

The event discussions witnessed the participation of distinguished experts and industry leaders, including Hisham Ezz Elarab, managing partner, HE Advisory and non-executive board member Commercial International Bank (CIB); Maha Saleh ’02, foreign trade expert and director of government affairs, Apple; Hany Genena ’95, economist and adjunct professor of management, AUC School of Business; Alia El Mahdy, economist and professor of economics at Cairo University; Ahmed Kouchouk ’99, vice minister for fiscal policies and institutional reform, Ministry of Finance; Dina Abdel-Fattah ’07, chair, Department of Economics, AUC School of Business; Khaled El Mekati, Chairman of the Board of Mekati Investment and Trading Company; Yasmine El-Hini, acting country manager for Egypt, International Finance Corporation (IFC); Sameh Hassan ’87, chief executive officer, Savola Foods Co.; Maged Ezz ElDeen, country senior partner, PwC Egypt; and Randa El-Bedawy, associate professor of management, AUC School of Business.

AUC School of Business plans to develop a white paper that provides actionable suggestions for policymakers and stakeholders, addressing the complex economic challenges discussed at the event. The paper is led by the School’s Department of Economics, which celebrated its 75th anniversary on the day of the event. 

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Founded in 1919, The American University in Cairo (AUC) is a leading English-language, American-accredited institution of higher education and center of the intellectual, social, and cultural life of the Arab world. It is a vital bridge between East and West, linking Egypt and the region to the world through scholarly research, partnerships with academic and research institutions and study abroad programs.

The University offers 40 undergraduate, 52 master’s and two PhD programs rooted in a liberal arts education that encourages students to think critically and find creative solutions to conflicts and challenges facing both the region and the world.

An independent, nonprofit, politically non-partisan, non-sectarian and equal opportunity institution, AUC is fully accredited in Egypt and the United States.