Sherif Kamel to Tell Egypt's 'Promising Economic Story' as President of AmCham Board of Governors

As the 2019-2021 term for the Board of Governors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt (AmCham Egypt) approached, Sherif Kamel ‘88, ‘90, ‘13, dean of AUC's School of Business, began to muse about running for president of the Board of Governors.  Having been involved with AmCham for the last 15 years, and previously serving as executive vice president, board member and chairing several of the chamber’s core committees including Information and Communication Technology, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, International Cooperation and Education, he figured he had a chance to serve in his capacity as president.  "The rest is history," he said, cracking a smile. "I am honored and privileged to be elected to lead the chamber in the next two years."

Kamel, who started his 2019-2021 term June 1, said as president he’s excited to tell Egypt’s economic story. "The economic situation changes from time to time, but we're living in a time and age where we have an interesting and promising economic story to tell."

According to Kamel, economic indicators are showing a positive trend. Egypt’s economic growth has been robust, averaging 5.3 percent during the fiscal year 2017-2018 driven by the growth in several sectors including energy, tourism, manufacturing, construction and information, and communication technology, and the growth rate has the potential to reach 6 percent, as key economic sectors continue to recover and grow.

According to Kamel, AmCham Egypt's 22 core committees "virtually cover all key economic sectors" with the "primary objective to spearhead advocacy efforts for an enticing and favorable business environment in Egypt, and provide a dynamic and interactive forum for AmCham members to identify, discuss and pursue common interests regarding their sector and business interests." 

An AmCham’s mission Kamel is looking forward to carrying on building on the efforts of his predecessors in the Board of Governors is to continue to promote Egypt as a destination for business for U.S. companies and to support Egyptian enterprises in identifying business opportunities in the U.S. market. Another is the annual Doorknock mission, where a delegation of top-level executives representing companies and businesses that operate in Egypt visit Washington, D.C. to take part in meetings with members of the U.S. Congress, administration officials, think-tanks, media and leaders from the U.S. business community to share different opportunities and prospects about Egypt’s economic and business environment. Kamel is also looking forward to the regular coordination with AmCham Egypt Inc., the chamber’s permanent representative in the United States to further bilateral economic ties, as well as the organization of sector-specific business missions for AmCham members to identify business, trade and investment opportunities with their U.S. counterparts.

"Strategically, the main objective here is to promote and encourage investment and trade opportunities across different sectors between the U.S. and Egypt, and naturally I am very excited and passionate about the prospects lying ahead." 

Kamel started his career working for the government before moving to academia with regular engagements with the private sector. Over the last 30-plus years, he has contributed to a number of government and private sector projects and initiatives addressing issues such as strategic planning, organizational transformation and restructuring, human capital development, information technology management, entrepreneurship, leadership and change management.  

Kamel holds a PhD in information systems from the London School of Economics and Political Science as well as a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Arts in Islamic art and architecture from AUC.