Everyone You Need to See at uth Festival 2026

The third edition of uth Festival returns to Cairo this year under the theme ‘Work in Progress’, taking over the Grand Egyptian Museum from November 20th to 21st. Built by and for young people across Egypt and the region, the festival is expected to draw up to 10,000 attendees for two days of talks, music, fashion, food and film.

More than 100 speakers will take part across six industry tracks spanning fashion, money, the creator economy, film and music, food, and sports. The programme is designed to give young people a closer look at the industries they want to enter, with speakers sharing their experience, career paths and what happens behind the scenes.

With over 40 names already confirmed and further announcements still to come, here’s who to look out for at uth Festival 2026.

Trevor Noah

Comedian, author and host

Best known for leading Comedy Central’s Emmy Award-winning ‘The Daily Show’ from 2015 to 2022, South African comedian Trevor Noah is set to headline the third edition of uth Festival. A two-time Primetime Emmy Award winner, he has written, produced and starred in numerous comedy specials and hosted the Grammy Awards for six consecutive years between 2021 and 2026.

Beyond comedy, Noah launched The Trevor Noah Foundation in 2018 to expand access to quality education. He also hosts the weekly podcast ‘What Now? with Trevor Noah’ and runs his production company, Day Zero Productions.

Eva Cavalli

Creative director and philanthropist

Austrian-born Eva Cavalli played a key role in the revival of the Cavalli fashion house during the 1990s, serving as co-creative director of the brand.

Hatem Dowaidar

Former Group CEO, e&

Hatem Dowaidar joined e& in 2015 as Group COO before becoming Group CEO in May 2020. During his tenure, the company rebranded from Etisalat Group to e& in 2022, expanded internationally and moved further into fintech, AI, cybersecurity and entertainment.

Abdallah Sallam

President and CEO, Madinet Masr

Abdallah Sallam is a prominent figure in Egypt’s real estate sector, overseeing the development of large-scale urban communities through Madinet Masr.

Bruno Casanovas

Co-founder, Nude Project

Bruno Casanovas launched Barcelona streetwear brand Nude Project with Alex Benlloch in 2019, when they were both 19. The pair have since expanded it into a broader ‘Nude Universe’ spanning a podcast, events, beer and a coffee shop.

Richie Akiva

Founder, The Butter Group

Richie Akiva established The Butter Group in 2002 and went on to build a hospitality and nightlife portfolio including Butter Restaurant, 1 OAK and Up & Down. 1 OAK has since expanded to cities including Las Vegas, Mexico City, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Dubai, as well as the Maldives.

Ammar Kandil

Co-founder, Yes Theory

Ammar Kandil is one of the four friends behind Canadian digital media brand Yes Theory and its widely followed YouTube channel. He has also produced and directed an award-winning feature documentary inspired by the group’s ethos.

Peter Lewis

Chief Commercial Officer, SXSW

Peter Lewis oversees partnerships and commercial growth at SXSW, one of the world’s most influential festivals spanning technology, film, music and creative industries.

Mirna Arif

General Manager, Microsoft Middle East and Africa Growth Markets

Mirna Arif leads Microsoft’s business and expansion strategy across its growth markets in the Middle East and Africa.

Loulou Khazen

Founder, Spade Ventures and With Loulou

Loulou Khazen has built ventures and platforms centred on entrepreneurship, people and community, including Spade Ventures and With Loulou.

Youssef Salem

CFO, ADNOC Drilling

Youssef Salem oversees the financial strategy of ADNOC Drilling, one of the region’s leading energy services companies.

Ahmad Hammouda

Co-founder, Thndr

After previously serving as general manager of Uber in Egypt, Ahmad Hammouda co-founded investment platform Thndr with Seif Amr in late 2020. The company later raised a USD 20 million Series A co-led by Tiger Global, BECO Capital and Prosus Ventures.

Abdel-azim Osman

Co-founder and CMO, Nawy

Abdel-azim Osman helped build proptech platform Nawy alongside Mostafa El Beltagy, Ahmed Rafea, Aly Rafea and Mohamed Abou Ghanima. The company later secured USD 75 million in combined funding, including a USD 52 million Series A.

Taher El Moataz Bellah

Writer and founder, Heartbeat

Taher El Moataz Bellah is known for his work in storytelling and creative media through Heartbeat and his wider writing practice.

Shady Sherif

Host, G. Talks Podcast

Through the G. Talks Podcast, Shady Sherif sits down with notable guests for candid, in-depth conversations covering their work and experiences.

Nayra Nassar

Founder and CEO, SELF

Nayra Nassar has grown Egyptian lifestyle brand SELF from its beginnings in skincare essentials into a broader range spanning homewear, lingerie and everyday self-care products.

Zena Abdelbaky

Writer and director

Zena Abdelbaky is an emerging Egyptian filmmaker whose work includes writing and directing ‘Meen Yesadaq’.

Mohammed Shelbaya

CEO, PepsiCo Middle East and Africa

Mohammed Shelbaya leads PepsiCo’s operations across the Middle East and Africa, overseeing one of the company’s largest and most diverse regional markets.

Ahmed Samy

CEO, Edita Food Industries

Ahmed Samy leads one of Egypt’s major food manufacturers, overseeing a portfolio of established brands while steering Edita’s growth and regional expansion.

Babel Sadek

Regional Manager of A&R for MENA, Sony Music Publishing

Babel Sadek works with songwriters across the region, scouting emerging talent, developing creative relationships and connecting artists with opportunities across the wider music industry.

Ahmed El Hefny

Founder and Chairman, Heca Data

Ahmed El Hefny works in digital infrastructure, with a particular focus on data centres and the systems supporting AI, cloud computing and high-performance computing.

Bashek Mohamed

Founder, Coddiwomple

Bashek Mohamed has built Coddiwomple around contemporary streetwear shaped by Egyptian youth culture and local design influences.

Marwan Moussa

Rapper and producer

One of the most prominent figures in Egyptian hip-hop, Marwan Moussa won two AFRIMA awards in 2022, including Best African Rapper/Lyricist.

Ahmed El Gendy

Olympic modern pentathlon champion

Ahmed El Gendy won modern pentathlon gold at the Palace of Versailles on August 10th, 2024, becoming the first Egyptian and African athlete to win Olympic gold in the sport. The victory followed his silver medal at Tokyo 2020, which had already marked Egypt’s first Olympic medal in modern pentathlon.

Jessica Hossameldin

Actress

Jessica Hossameldin began her career on stage before moving into television and film. She is best known for playing Amina in ‘Kamel El Adad’, alongside roles in ‘Bergham El Qanoun’ and the internationally recognised film ‘The Goat’.

Basma Nabil

Actress and founder, El Warsha

Basma Nabil works across performance, filmmaking and creative education. Through El Warsha, she develops practical programmes in acting, writing, filmmaking and content creation, bringing emerging talent together with working industry professionals.

Adham Madkour

Co-founder and CEO, SAFE Investments

Adham Madkour works on making commercial real estate investment more accessible through fractional ownership. Before SAFE Investments, he held leadership positions at Tanmeyah and Halan.

Nada Shehata

Founder and CMO, Mothernaked

Nada Shehata has combined her marketing background with her understanding of consumer behaviour to build Egyptian beauty brand Mothernaked.

Mostafa Magdy

Founder and CEO, Palma

Mostafa Magdy launched Egyptian fashion brand Palma in 2016 with a focus on bringing local art and craftsmanship into contemporary design. Drawing inspiration from nomadic artisans across Egypt, the label produces clothing, accessories and lifestyle pieces locally.

Rahma Zein

Journalist and media strategist

Rahma Zein brings more than a decade of experience across investigative reporting, field journalism and public relations. Now a consultant with Tech for Palestine, her work sits at the intersection of technology, advocacy, media and public narratives around Palestine.

Amr Nassouhy

Content creator and founder, Saba7o Korah

Amr Nassouhy has built an audience of millions through his football platform ‘Saba7o Korah’, where he breaks down matches, discusses tactics and weighs in on the latest developments in the sport.

Amr Salama

Writer and director

Amr Salama is behind films including ‘On a Day Like Today’ (2008), ‘Asmaa’ (2011) and ‘Excuse My French’ (2014). He also created ‘Paranormal’, Netflix’s first Egyptian production.

Tarek Kamel

Chairman and Managing Director, Nestlé Egypt and Sudan

Tarek Kamel brings more than 20 years of business leadership experience, including senior positions across Nestlé and Orascom Development.

Nirvana Bebars

Founder and cultural strategist, Sound Sauce

Nirvana Bebars works across music, technology and culture, connecting MENA artists and producers with brands, filmmakers and content creators through Sound Sauce.

Mohamed Diab

Writer and director

Mohamed Diab began his career as a screenwriter before making his directorial debut with ‘Cairo 678’ in 2010. ‘Clash’ later opened Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section in 2016, and in 2022 he became Marvel’s first Arab director through Disney+ series ‘Moon Knight’.

Sarah Al Jarman

SVP of TV and Radio Channels, Dubai Media Incorporated

Sarah Al Jarman oversees programming across Dubai Media Incorporated’s television and radio networks, including content development and broader programming strategy.

Sherin Wafaai

Chef and restaurateur

Sherin Wafaai is behind Cairo dining concepts bäxters, PaoPao and Sisko, building a portfolio that spans different cuisines and styles of dining.

Sarah Bissada

Founder and CEO, Solari

Sarah Bissada leads Egypt-based experience-design firm Solari, which works across premium events, luxury brand activations and cultural storytelling.

Amira Sherif

Founder and CEO, Kindo Films

Amira Sherif works across film and screen production, developing projects centred on storytelling through Kindo Films.

Nesma El-Shazly

Founder and CEO, Stardust PR

Nesma El-Shazly combines communications with music through her work as a songwriter and music consultant, operating across the creative and entertainment industries.

Talia Sawiris

Director of Strategy and Cultural Partnerships, El Gouna Film Festival

Talia Sawiris develops partnerships with cultural organisations and industry players, helping expand El Gouna Film Festival’s connections with the wider film community.

Hassan Allam

CEO, Hassan Allam Holding

Hassan Allam leads one of Egypt’s largest engineering, construction and investment groups, with operations spanning infrastructure, energy, water and real estate across the region.

Ahmed El Aawar

Executive and performance coach

Ahmed El Aawar works with business leaders and teams on leadership development, professional growth and improving individual and organisational performance.