Early Life
Nassef Sawiris was born in Aswan, Egypt, on January 19, 1961, into a Coptic Christian family. He received his secondary education from the Deutsche Evangelische Oberschule Kairo. Sawiris then attended the University of Chicago, where he earned a bachelor's degree in economics in 1982. His early exposure to business, stemming from his father's founding of the Orascom Group, set the stage for his future career.
Rise to Success
Sawiris joined the Orascom Group in 1982. He took charge of Orascom Construction's construction activities in 1995, and became CEO of Orascom Construction Industries (OCI) in 1998. Under his leadership, OCI expanded globally. Key achievements include overseeing major infrastructure projects in Egypt and the acquisition of a 50% stake in Besix in 2004. Sawiris served on the board of directors of the Cairo and Alexandria Stock Exchanges from 2004 to 2007 and was a board director at the Dubai International Financial Exchange DIFX from 2008 to 2010. In 2013, he became CEO of OCI NV, and in 2015, he was elected as a board member of LafargeHolcim.
Key Business Strategies
Sawiris's business acumen is evident in his strategic investments. He acquired a 5% stake in Madison Square Garden Sports in December 2020. He has a significant stake in Adidas and co-owns Aston Villa Football Club. In 2024, Sawiris's company, OCI, agreed to sell its global methanol business to Methanex for approximately $2 billion.
Philanthropy
Sawiris is involved in philanthropy, serving on the Board of Trustees at the University of Chicago and as a member of the Global Board of Advisors for the Council on Foreign Relations. He has also contributed to the Cleveland Clinic's International Leadership Board. In 2019, he pledged $24 million to the University of Chicago to aid Egyptian students and fund an executive education program.
