Management Team

Mohamed Ibrahim Kamel

Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Kamel assumes the role of Chief Executive Officer having previously served on the ERC Board, Audit and Investment Committees. Prior to joining ERC, he spent eight years with KATO Investment, one of Egypt’s largest and most diversified industrial and services conglomerates with over twenty subsidiaries in eight divisions operating in manufacturing, aerospace, tourism, real estate, construction, logistics, banking, and trading. Mr. Kamel assumed several roles in different divisions of KATO, including sales and marketing, operations manager, project manager and, finally, business development manager at KATO Investment’s headquarters. While at KATO, he was instrumental in creating the first modern privately-held, bonded warehouse at Cairo International Airport, and managed the debt-raising process from European banks for the aerospace division. Mr. Kamel also worked as a consultant with Bain & Company in their London offices following his MBA. Mr. Kamel holds a Bachelors degree in Economics with high honors from the American University in Cairo and an MBA with honors from Harvard Business School.

Darren Gibson

Vice President, Planning & Development

Mr. Gibson joined ERC with over 20 years of experience in public and private sector urban planning, including 8 years as a Company Director in town planning and development consultancy practices. He has extensive experience in assessment and management of urban planning projects, including master plans and large urban land release areas, major tourism projects, commercial and residential projects and major infrastructure. Mr. Gibson spent nine years as a town planner for Tweed Shire, a regional government in Australia which covered an area of 1,300 square kilometers, specializing in urban planning, strategic feasibility studies and land use structure planning. Mr. Gibson holds a Bachelors degree with honors in Town Planning from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. He is also accredited as a Certified Practicing Planner by the Planning Institute of Australia.

Mohamad Saad

Director of Community Management

Mr. Saad joins ERC from Misr American Carpet Company (MAC), where he was the regional business manager (Middle East and Africa). Previously, as a general manager with El Sewedy Electrical Group, he was responsible for business development and sales of major electrical infrastructure projects, including power stations, substations, and transmission and distribution networks. He also has extensive experience in the beverage sector, having worked at Coca Cola Bottling Company of Saudi Arabia, Fayrouz International, and Pepsi-Cola’s North Africa division. Mr. Saad holds a Bachelors degree in Electrical Power and Machines Engineering from Cairo University.

Abu Bakr Makhlouf

Head of Investor Relations

Mr. Makhlouf has over ten years of experience in strategy, commercial management and investor relations. He holds an MBA from IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. Prior to joining ERC, Mr. Makhlouf served as the Commercial Strategy Manager at CEMEX, a world leading cement and Ready Mix producer. During his tenure with CEMEX, Mr. Makhlouf was a member of a turnaround team for the operation in Egypt after acquiring a local producer and has led strategic projects in several areas of the business. Mr. Makhlouf is a lecturer of Strategy and International Marketing at the American University in Cairo and has published case studies on the reforms of the Egyptian Economy and the prospects of the global telecom industry through IESE Business School.

Hazem Kassem

Head of Approvals

Prior to joining ERC in 2008, Mr. Kassem launched an architecture and interior design firm in Cairo that has, over a seven year span, successfully delivered more than 45 commercial and residential projects in Egypt and London. Mr. Kassem holds a Bachelors degree in Architectural Engineering and Environmental Design from the Arab Academy for Science and Technology.

Hassan Azab

General Manager, Sahl Hasheesh Company for Touristic Investments

Mr. Azab has 30 years of experience developing some of the largest and most comprehensive resorts in Egypt. He has designed and commissioned hotels in Hurghada, Sharm El-Sheikh, Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, in addition to five Nile-floating hotels. A veteran Lieutenant Colonel in the Egyptian Air Force, Mr. Azab holds Bachelors degrees in Aeronautical Engineering and Military Scienc

Ahmed Zaki

Head of Contracts & Procurement

Mr. Zaki joined ERC in July 2010 as Contracts Manager. Mr. Zaki has extensive field experience with major local and multinational corporations from his time with PGESCo, a local joint venture managed by Bechtel, where his last position was Project Procurement Manager. Mr. Zaki holds a Bachelors degree in Civil Engineering from Ain Shams University and an MBA from the American University in Cairo.

Carlos Arenas

Director of Strategy and Business Development

Prior to joining ERC, Mr. Arenas spent the last four years of his career with McKinsey & Company, the world’s most prestigious strategy and management consulting firm. While at McKinsey, Mr. Arenas led teams advising a geographically and industrially diverse client pool, from telecom companies in Spain and Portugal to Egyptian ministries, on a wide range of issues, including strategy, M&A and core operations. Most relevant to ERC is his real estate and master development experience acquired on engagements mainly for the Egyptian government. Mr. Arenas also worked as a project manager for oil and gas multinationals Union Fenosa and BG Group prior to his MBA. Mr. Arenas holds a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering from the Alfonso X University in Madrid and an MBA from INSEAD Business School.

Wael Abou Alam

Director - Finance and Administration

Prior to joining ERC, Mr. Abou Alam was the Group Financial Controller for Gozour, Citadel Capital’s food holding company, which comprises a number of leading brands such as Rashidi Al Mizan, El Masreyeen, Enjoy and Dina Farms. Prior to this position, he was the Financial Planning, Analysis & Reporting Manager for Misr American Carpet Company (MAC). Mr. Abou Alam was also employed by ExxonMobil for over 14 years, rising to become the North Africa Cluster Fuel Marketing Business Analysis & Reporting Manager. Mr. Abou Alam holds a Bachelors degree in Accounting from Cairo University and an MBA in Banking & Finance from the Maastricht School of Management.