For the past 16 years, Dr. Sarwat Sabet Bassily has been a great supporter of AUC, recently naming the Bassily Auditorium on the new campus.

“We are most delighted that Bassily Auditorium on the new campus will stand tribute to his generous gift,” said AUC President David Arnold.

Dr. Bassily started his career as an employee of Cairo University’s hospitals. He then worked for private pharmacies before establishing his own pharmacy in Aswan. In 1976, he founded a pharmaceutical company, making him the first person in Egypt authorized to set up a private pharmaceutical factory, at a time when the public sector had the monopoly over the pharmaceutical industry and when industrialists were more inclined to manufacture chips and chewing gum.

Today Dr. Bassily is Chairman and CEO of Amoun Pharmaceuticals. His company is one of the fastest growing private pharmaceutical companies in Egypt. In 2005, Amoun’s net profit reached LE155 million. Out of all prescriptions in Egypt, 43% include one or more drugs manufactured by Amoun Pharmaceuticals.

Dr. Bassily is a member of the Shura Council and Chairman of the pharmaceuticals section in the National Party. He is also a member of the Pharmaceutical Union at the Industrial Union and Deputy of the Civil Council.

He has four children, Elijah, a '91 AUC alumnus with a BA in economics, George, Nevine and Mona. Elijah is also a keen supporter of AUC, having contributed to the university since 1994. He also gave towards the Coptic Studies Professorship in 2001 and towards the Suzanne Mubarak PSSF in 2006.