9 Talks to Catch at Egypt's First Forbes Middle East Under 30 Summit

From November 24th to November 26th, Forbes Middle East's Under 30 Summit is coming to Egypt for the first time. Settling within the Red Sea shores of El Gouna, the three-day event will be an unprecedented fathering of both up-and-coming and established entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, celebrities, founders and achievers from across the MENA region.

The El Gouna Conference and Culture Center will see these distinguished guests stand on its stage and deliver a series of insightful talks and thought-provoking panels on some of the most cutting-edge topics of our time, from the new age of ecommerce in a post-COVID world to the reinvention of our finances in the face of crypto and DeFi. In preparation, we've collated some of the most thoughtful and empowering talks to look forward to throughout the course of the conference...

Empowering the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs | PANEL

Speakers: Omar El Hamamsy (Group CEO at Orascom Development), Mohamed Shelbaya (CEO at PepsiCo Egypt), Yasser Shaker (CEO at Orange Egypt)

Moderator: Claudine Coletti (Managing Editor at Forbes Middle East)

In the face of rising underemployment amongst Arab youth, entrepreneurship is becoming a more crucial path towards financial independence for the next generation - not just for the individual, but for society and the region's economy at large. This panel discusses the role that private sectors can play to unlock youth entrepreneurship, the mechanisms needed to enable the startup ecosystem especially in the early stage, and what partnerships between the public and private sectors need to be forged to provide Arab youth with the necessary skills, training and confidence to make their way in a burgeoning economy.

Next-Gen Payment Methods | FIRESIDE CHAT

Speakers: Islam Shawky (Co-Founder & CEO at Paymob), Ziyaad Ahmed (Co-Founder at Spotii)

Moderator: Kyane Kassiri (Partner at RaliCap Ventures)

The evolution of e-commerce has accelerated dramatically in recent years, with projections of over $7.5 trillion spent through global e-commerce transactions by 2026. Card schemes have maintained their position as king of cashless payment methods, yet it remains to be seen if that will continue to hold true with the emergence of disruptive innovations in digital payments such as BNPL services, digital wallets, crypto, omnichannel, M2M, biometrics and QR code payments. What will the future hold for digital money, and how will the industry be shaped by these emerging services and products?

Entrepreneurship, Startups and the Future Promise of Audio Streaming Platforms | FIRESIDE CHAT

Speakers: Hossam ElGamal (Vice President at Anghami - North Africa)

Moderator: Ramia Farrage (Senior Presenter & Producer at Forbes Middle East)

As Anghami - one of the foremost audio streaming platforms in the MENA region - works to establish itself as a major player in this growing market, Vice President Hossam ElGamal speaks to us about the burgeoning potential such platforms hold in the region, and his experience in mentoring entrepreneurs across different startups.

What's Next for Media & Entertainment? | FIRESIDE CHAT

Speakers: Claudius Boller (Managing Director Middle East, North Africa, South Asia excluding India at Spotify), Stefano Fallaha (CEO & Founder at Podeo), Amy Mowafi (Co-Founder & CEO at MO4Network), Shadman Sakib (Founder & CEO at Vurse)

Moderator: Mohamad Hosam (Co-Founder at El-Da7ee7)

In spite of the economic challenges of the past two years, media and entertainment has not just endured but flourished, strongly outpacing global economic growth. In this panel, the minds behind some of the most impactful media and entertainment companies in the MENA region share their predictions around social media 2.0, NFT innovation, cross-platform consumer interactivity, and how a younger and more digital consumer base is shaping the future of the industry.

Stepping Off Stage and Onto the Silver Screen With Dorra Zarrouk | FIRESIDE CHAT

Speakers: Dorra Zarrouk (Actress & Artist)

Moderator: Nancy Bahmad (Journalist at Forbes Middle East)

After launching her professional acting career at El Teatro in Tunisia in 2000, and then appearing on-screen in Franco-Tunisian film 'Khorma' in 2002, Tunisian actress Dorra Zarrouk has experienced a surge in popularity - one that has led her to continue her career in Egypt in 2007, where she continues to garner regional acclaim. Zarrouk engages in a one-on-one conversation with Forbes journalist Nancy Bahmad about her path to fame and the struggles she faced along the way.

The Next Horizon for Shopping and Ecommerce | PANEL

Speakers: Nisreen Shocair (CEO Middle East at Yoox Net-A-Porter Group), Mahmoud El-Said (Co-Founder & CEO at Wasla), Philip Johnston (Co-Founder & Co-CEO at Opontia

Moderator: Michael Gord (CEO at GDA Capital)

The global ecommerce market is expected to reach $11 trillion by 2025, and merchants around the world are rushing to keep up as evolving consumer preferences demand constant changes to their business models. In this panel, experienced operators and investors sit together to discuss the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic on the retail landscape, how marketplaces can benefit from Web3 and the metaverse, and how innovations like AI and AR can forever shift the shopping experience.

Crypto, DeFi and The Reinvention of Our Financial System | FIRESIDE CHAT

Speakers: Yehia Badawy (Co-Founder at Rain)

Moderator: Jamil Abuwardeh (Director and Co-Founder at METKAF.com)

With cryptocurrencies making headlines, rising and falling seemingly overnight, it has become impossible to ignore the way they have transformed our concept of money and disrupted the world economy. Estimates suggest that there are currently over 16,000 cryptocrrencies at a total values of $2 trillion. How will it continue to change the way financial networks operate, how can players capitalise on its momentous growth, and how can fintechs and payment firms develop a scalable crypto payments infrastructure?

Ministry of Planning and Economic Development | FIRESIDE CHAT

Speakers: H.E. Professor Dr. Hala H. Elsaid (Egypt's Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Chair of The Sovereign Fund of Egypt)

Moderator: Ramia Farrage (Senior Presenter & Producer at Forbes Middle East)

Having been sworn in as Minister of Planning and Economic Development in December 2019, H.E. Dr. Hala H. Elsaid has led the implementation of the National Sustainable Development Strategy in partnership with stakeholders and the private sector in line with the UN Sustainable Development Strategy and the Africa 2063 Agenda, and launched several programmes for capacity building, gender inclusion and youth empowerment including the Women in Leadership Positions Program, the Leadership for Government Excellence Program and Rowad 2030. In this fireside chat she discusses the challenges behind implementing sustainable development, and the importance in effective monitoring in order to maintain them.

Shining a Light on Women in Tech & Entrepreneurship | PANEL

Speakers: Dina Ayman (Program Manager at Microsoft), Hoda Mansour (Head of Business Process Intelligence, Southern Europe, Middle East & Africa at SAP), Dr. Sara Al Madani (Serial Entrepreneur at HalaHi)

Moderator: Manar Elamin (CEO at Rizek)

While women in tech has been the subject of debate and discussion around the globe over the decades, progress in the field has not always been linear. Women leave the tech industry at a 45% higher rate than men, and the percentage of women working in tech during the 1980s are higher than it is today. With the rise of female-founded and female-led startups, it becomes more important than ever to ask how women entrepreneurs can shape the digital future, and question the impact of gender disparity in the advancement of ICT.