AUC Appoints Two New Members to the Board of Trustees

Shahira Zeid ‘83 and Wael Bayazid were recently appointed as the newest members of AUC’s Board of Trustees. Both coming from business and financial backgrounds, their expertise serves as a valuable asset to AUC’s goals in the near future. 

Members of AUC's Board of Trustees are all volunteers who dedicate their time and resources to supporting the University. Coming from a range of backgrounds, AUC’s trustees include many alumni in the areas of business, law, education, philanthropy and scholarship. Primarily Egyptians and Americans, the trustees do not receive any compensation. They provide generous financial support to the University, in addition to their fiduciary responsibilities.

Zeid graduated from AUC with a degree in business administration, and is now the vice chairman of Maridive & Oil Services, which was one of the first companies to respond to the Suez Canal Ever Given blockage. Using a 703 tug ship, the company helped remove the Ever Given ship. Maridive is one of the largest companies in the world in the offshore marine and oil support services sector.  

“The Maridive crew positioned the 703 tug ship immediately after knowing about the Ever Given situation,” Zeid said. “Above all, it is a national duty and we were honored to partake in it, as Maridive will never hesitate to utilize its expertise of over 40 years in serving the Egyptian state.”

Zeid is also chairman of MZ Investments, which is the holding company for several entities in the fields of petroleum and marine services. She is also active in the tourism and real estate sector and holds investments in companies all around the world, including the United Kingdom, Spain and China. 

Apart from her business activities, Zeid is also involved in a number of NGO’s around Egypt, such as the Egyptian Food Bank, Children are the Future Foundation and the Magdy Yacoub Heart Foundation. She has been listed by Forbes Middle East as one of the top and most powerful businesswomen in the region, and in 2015 she was selected as one of the Top 50 Businesswomen in Egypt. 

“We are excited to welcome Shahira to the Board,” said Mark Turnage (ALU ‘82), chairman of the board of Trustees. “She brings enormous business acumen and a strong sense of civic responsibility and is very enthusiastic and committed to assisting with AUC's fundraising efforts.”

Bayazid has been managing director and partner of The Carlyle Group since 1996. His business with the group revolves around developing businesses in the Middle East and Europe, and he works between Washington D.C., London and New York. 

Before joining The Carlyle Group, Bayazid was Global Country Head for Saudi Arabia in the Global Asset Management Group of the Chase Manhattan Bank, based in Geneva, Switzerland. He has an extensive history of working in the banking and financial sector. 

He also serves as a board member of ABANA, a U.S. organization for finance professionals and institutions with interest in the Middle East and North Africa.

“Wael has a deep commitment to education in the Middle East. He also plans to support AUC's advancement and recruiting efforts, particularly in the Gulf region,” Turnage said.

Members of AUC's Board of Trustees are all volunteers who dedicate their time and resources to supporting the University. Coming from a range of backgrounds, AUC’s trustees include many alumni in the areas of business, law, education, philanthropy and scholarship. Primarily Egyptians and Americans, the trustees do not receive any compensation. They provide generous financial support to the University, in addition to their fiduciary responsibilities.