Interviews

Naguib Sawiris is Chairman of Egypt-based Orascom TMT Investments, an investor and strategic shareholder in telecommunications and technology. First established as a construction company in 1950 by his father Onsi Sawiris, the Orascom Group has grown to encompass contracting, telecommunications, technology, and development on an international scale. The eldest of three brothers, Naguib Sawiris joined the diversified family business in 1979 and established the group’s railway, information technology, and telecommunications sectors.

Sawiris begins the interview by reflecting on his upbringing in a family that emphasized their Coptic Christian faith and entrepreneurship as pivotal values. He explains how his mother taught him and his brothers to live according to strong religious principles, while his father instilled a commitment to education and hard work. The three brothers – Naguib, Samih, and Nassef Sawiris – attended German schools in Egypt and then pursued higher education in Switzerland, Germany, and the United States, respectively. Obtaining a diploma in Mechanical Engineering with a Master’s in Technical Administration from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich (ETH Zürich), Sawiris expresses gratitude for his father’s insistence on providing his children with the best possible education.

While studying in Switzerland, Sawiris shares how he felt that “it was never an option for me not to return” to Egypt due to strong bonds with his family and country. While his father’s construction companies had been nationalized under the administration of Gamal Abdel Nasser in the early 1960s, Sawiris explains how he returned to Egypt when it had converted to a freer market under Anwar El-Sadat, who became President after Nasser’s death in 1970. After graduating from ETH Zürich, Sawiris describes starting a successful small business with a friend before his father approached him to join the family business in 1979.

Upon joining Orascom, Sawiris prioritized the establishment of new ventures for the group, starting their railway division before transitioning to the telecommunications sector. With all three brothers working in the family business, Sawiris credits his father for the freedom he gave all to innovate and learn from his experience. Sawiris also details the decision-making processes that characterized this shared business leadership, outlining a “golden rule” that required all to obtain the support of at least one other brother, or their father, before proceeding with an investment. He notes how among his brothers, he most often gained support from his father and describes the different leadership styles that each person brought to the table.

In the mid-1990s, Sawiris explains how the family decided to transition from primarily trading to investments and development. While his brothers focused on cement production, construction, and real estate, he launched the group’s telecommunications interests. After establishing Orascom Telecom Holdings in 1997, Sawiris won a license to run Egypt’s first mobile phone network and explains how the business grew rapidly, operating in 28 countries by the early 2000s. At this stage, he describes wanting to expand by acquiring a telecom company in Europe which he pursued by purchasing Wind, Italy’s third-largest mobile operator, in 2005. He outlines the process of financing the deal which involved half of his net worth, and attributes the success of the acquisition to the replacement of public-sector leadership with private-sector management.

Sawiris discusses his management philosophy as he later expanded Orascom’s operations into high-risk regions. He speaks about his expansion into North Korea in 2008 and details his divergent experiences in Iraq and Algeria. In such environments, Sawiris was able to quickly acquire a mobile license and scale large businesses. He explains how exposure to corruption and authoritarianism, however, forced him to eventually exit from Algeria despite initial success. While confronting these issues caused significant losses, he underscores his view on the importance of instilling zero-tolerance policies among his staff when it comes to corruption.

On the relationship between the Egyptian government and business over time, Sawiris emphasizes his belief in the need to support free-market economics and foreign direct investment. He also describes the establishment of the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development in 2001, which started as an extension of his mother's philanthropic efforts. To formalize and expand her charitable work, the foundation leads social development projects that promote education and job creation through specialized training in fields such as nursing. He highlights the purpose of specific programs such as the Sawiris Fellowships, which support Egyptian students attending Ivy League universities in the United States under the condition that they return to promote economic growth in the country.

Sawiris concludes the interview by sharing how he envisions his legacy as someone who ventured into uncharted business territory while retaining his principles in the face of challenges ranging from corruption to extortion. He also shares advice for aspiring entrepreneurs especially from emerging markets, recommending that they leverage their education as a competitive advantage and explore untapped opportunities in their home countries. When faced with obstacles, he advises entrepreneurs to remain persistent and never succumb to unethical shortcuts that can forever damage one’s reputation. Beyond someone’s education and individual intelligence, he also underscores the value and importance of hard work, viewing it as the primary driver of success.

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