About The Speaker
Hossam Allam
A marine scientist from Southampton University by training, Hossam spent the first 10 years of his career at Shell International first in environmental advisory roles studying the impacts of oil and gas developments on deep sea, shallow water and coastal environments. Later he moved into increasingly senior commercial roles helping to structure, negotiate and operationalize complex multi-billion USD natural gas sales between the Middle and Far East.In 2010 he joined Hassan Allam Holding and established its facilities and asset management business, growing it from zero to a 4,000-person operation with clients across the industrial, commercial, heritage, infrastructure, residential and healthcare sectors. In this role he also drove the unionization of his workforce and championed buy-in from local communities wherever the company operated. He sold this business in 2011 after securing a 5-year contract to manage Egypt’s New Administrative Capital and the 12-year management contract for the iconic Grand Egyptian Museum.During these years he also became an angel investor, investing in 30 deals and exiting 8, and established Cairo Angels which has grown to become Africa’s leading angel syndicate, investing in 50+ deals and exiting 12. He is recognized as one of the region’s most experienced startup investors and an early believer in, and among the builders of, Egypt’s and the region’s entrepreneurship finance ecosystem. In parallel he also chaired the GIZ funded National Employment Pact which championed blue collar mobility, employment and fair working conditions, and whose transition to a social venture he oversaw. He also serves on the US NGO Education for Employment.He holds an MBA from London Business School.