Every year, Forbes Middle East selects and ranks 50 powerful businesswomen from across the region. The women were chosen because they have "shown resilience, flexibility, and strength in the face of unprecedented adversity, both in the workplace and in their communities," according to Forbes. Egypt leads with the highest number of women on the list, eight, followed by the United Arab Emirates with seven. Five AUC alumni are featured on the list this year. You can find the full list here.

#16 Elham Mahfouz '84

Mahfouz is the CEO of the Commercial Bank of Kuwait and has been working in banking and finance for about 30 years. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with honors, from AUC. 

#32 Mervat Zohdy El Sayed Soltan '83, '89

Soltan has been the executive chairperson for the Export Development Bank of Egypt for 16 years. She has 36 years experience in banking. SHe graduated from AUC with a bachelor's in business administration followed by an MBA. 

#34 Nadia Al Saeed (MBA '92) 

Al Saeed has served as the CEO of Bank al Etihad for more than 12 years. She spearheaded the bank’s digital transformation by launching an app in 2019 that is now being used by 85% of the bank’s clients on a daily basis. She received her MBA from AUC.

#39 Yasmine '99 and Farida Mohamed Farid Khamis '00

Sisters Yasmine and Farida Khamis are executive board members at Oriental Weavers. Yasmine is also vice president of sales and marketing in the company and holds a  Bachelor of Arts in mass communication from AUC. Farida is vice president of corporate finance and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from AUC.

The AUC Ethics HelpLine encourages the AUC community to report any acts of misconduct or violations of the University's policies on its premises. It guarantees confidential reporting and documentation of complaints, as well as the timeliness and completeness of the administration’s response. News@AUC spoke to Wessam Abozeid, senior director of compliance in the Office of General Counsel and Compliance.

What is the benefit of an Ethics HelpLine?

The AUC Ethics HelpLine is a tool to report any misconduct, actual or potential legal violations, or violation of University policy. The AUC Ethics HelpLine also provides the option to report anonymously. This confidential and impartial web-based system directs the reports to the authorized University official to handle the issue and track progress to ensure timely resolution.

During the AUC Ethics HelpLine’s three-month pilot phase, we will work to improve/optimize the system to meet the University’s needs.

Why does AUC need an Ethics HelpLine?

The earlier we address any potential misconduct, the easier we prevent or remedy any potential impacts or risks, and the better we improve our working and learning environment.

When should people file a report through the AUC Ethics Helpline? 

Any situation, activity, or transaction that could potentially violate a law, regulation, or University policy or procedure could be a compliance issue. If you are concerned that an activity is inappropriate under these guideposts, or if you encounter a situation that simply feels wrong or makes you uncomfortable, you should speak to your supervisor or contact the University official that manages the area in which the issue has arisen. If, for whatever reason, you are uncomfortable going through these channels, or if you have raised an issue with the appropriate people but feel that it has not been addressed, you can make a report through the AUC Ethics HelpLine.

What are examples of types of cases that should be reported?

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Any forms of waste, fraud, abuse, or neglect whether rising to the level of potential illegality or at minor levels, that appear relatively easy to rectify for the general benefit of AUC and our community;
• False claims, financial misstatements, or accounting or auditing irregularities;
• Undisclosed or unmanaged conflicts of interest;
• Physical, sexual, verbal, and mental abuse;
• Retaliation;
• Mismanagement or abuse of authority relating to a contract or grant, including the competition for or negotiation of a contract; and/or
• A substantial or specific danger to public health or safety. 

What distinguishes the AUC Ethics HelpLine from other reporting platforms that currently exist?

Any community member (faculty, staff, students, vendors, and visitors) can use the AUC Ethics HelpLine to raise a concern. Additionally, the AUC Ethics HelpLine supports anonymous reporting. Meanwhile, only students can report concerns or violations through the Advocate system.

Is this common practice in other universities? Can you give examples?

Yes, most universities have several tools for reporting concerns and the option to report anonymously. Many US institutions such as Harvard University, Georgetown University, Columbia University, and Northwestern University, as well as the American University in Beirut, use the same third-party provider, NAVEX, to facilitate reporting.

Other examples include Lehigh University, Miami University, Cornell University, Villanova University, Claflin University, and the University of Buffalo.

Who manages the AUC Ethics HelpLine? 

The Senior Director of Compliance manages the AUC Ethics HelpLine.

What is the role of the third party, NAVEX Global? What's the benefit of having this third party?

The NAVEX system is entirely stand-alone and web-based, which means it does not link to AUC’s internal systems. In fact, NAVEX, as the provider, is contractually committed not to pursue a reporter’s identity. This enables individuals to report issues and concerns associated with unethical or illegal activities while maintaining anonymity and confidentiality.

How can someone file a report?

The AUC Ethics HelpLine is carefully designed to maintain confidentiality and anonymity at every step. Go to the AUC Ethics HelpLine from any device (mobile, home computer, etc.) and select "Make a report."

Following the on-screen instructions, complete the report as thoroughly as you can. Specify what report you would like to make from the available choices and read the anonymity information carefully—it helps to ensure that you do not compromise your identity during the reporting process. It is recommended to include the following information about the incident you are reporting:

• Who: persons engaged in the incident, including titles
• What: what specifically occurred
• Where: the location of the incident
• When: the time and duration of the incident

Create a password and write it down with the "Report Key" that will be given to you. You will need both of these to follow up on, review, or amend your report later.

You may also email the Senior Director of Compliance at complianceoffice@aucegypt.edu or visit our office in person on the 2^nd floor of the Administration Building to file a report in person.

Who can file a report?

Students, faculty, staff, vendors, or visitors to the campus may file a report through the AUC Ethics HelpLine.

Who accesses these reports? 

The AUC Ethics HelpLine enters reports directly onto NAVEX’s secure server. NAVEX makes these reports available only to the Senior Director of Compliance and individuals designated by the University’s complaint procedures, who are charged to promptly evaluate the report and decide how to follow up for effective resolution. Depending on the nature of the report, the system will send it to the appropriate University official.

Can people file anonymous reports? Will their identity be known to anyone?

Yes, they can. The AUC Ethics HelpLine allows you to submit reports anonymously. The AUC Ethics HelpLine does not generate or maintain any internal connection logs with IP addresses, so no information linking your PC to the AUC Ethics HelpLine is available.

How do people who file a report guarantee that they will not be discriminated against afterward? Are there policies that protect them?

Reports filed through the AUC Ethics HelpLine (and reports made through other University channels) are covered by the Policy on Reporting Unethical or Illegal Conduct, which recognizes that reporting is a service to the University and prohibits retaliation of any kind for reports that are made in good faith.

What happens after someone files a report?

If you include your contact information when filing your report through the AUC Ethics HelpLine system, the Senior Director of Compliance will follow up with you directly to schedule an in-person or telephone meeting. If you file your report anonymously, NAVEX will send you an email when the Senior Director of Compliance responds to your report or asks you any follow-up questions. You will have the option to continue to respond anonymously via the AUC Ethics HelpLine.

Can someone provide additional information after filing a report? How? 

When you file a report through the AUC Ethics HelpLine via the online system, you will receive a case key number and the system will ask you to choose a password. You can return to the AUC Ethics HelpLine system at any time to access the original report or add further information.

Will people who file a report be informed of the outcome? When?

Yes, the reporter will be notified of the outcome of any reports filed once the investigation is finalized. The investigation time varies on a case-to-case basis.

What can people do if a false report is filed against them? What if the report is anonymous?

Any reports or complaints filed through the AUC Ethics HelpLine will be fully investigated, and actions will only be taken based on the evidence found, not just based on the report itself.

How can people get more information about the AUC Ethics Helpline?

They may visit the AUC Ethics HelpLine page or contact the Compliance Office by email at complianceoffice@aucegypt.edu or in person on the second floor of the Administration Building.

AUC welcomes the Class of 2025 in unusual circumstances — with new hopes and challenges awaiting them. AUC is still implementing a hybrid model of classes with an emphasis on maintaining a low-density campus.

Having the first month of the spring semester entirely online did not prevent the incoming students from enjoying their orientation and preparing for their AUC journey.

"We are all ready for the pandemic to end and active life to resume on campus, yet for the ongoing safety of the community, we conducted this year's orientation entirely online via Zoom," said Mohamed Gendy, manager of the First-Year Program. "This didn't stop the new students from fully engaging with their peer leaders during the sessions — asking questions, exchanging ideas, sharing stories and playing educational games. The energy and vibes were great."

The new undergraduate class — 54% females and 46% males — enriches the community's diversity, with students coming from Nigeria, Algeria, Yemen, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

Likewise, on the graduate level, the class — 70% females and 30% males — comprises a diverse international body coming from the United States, Nigeria, Libya, Yemen, Canada, Kuwait, Palestine and Syria. 

Students expressed their hopes and eagerness to learn more about Egyptian culture, engage in a wide variety of cocurricular activities and improve their Arabic-language skills. News@AUC caught up with some Egyptian and international students during orientation week to learn about why they decided to join AUC and what they look forward to this semester. Here's what they had to say: 

Amanda Robles, an international student, studying at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., is looking forward to forming a strong base for Modern Standard Arabic and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic, in addition to acquiring a thorough understanding of the regions that practice those languages. "When it comes to subjects regarding the Middle East, [my home university] does not offer many options for courses," she said. "In comparison, AUC has an extensive list of courses which range from the culture of different areas in the Middle East to language, politics, and economics; this is why I chose AUC. I haven't seen a university that offers a list of courses as impressive as AUC, and since my university partners with AUC, I thought it would be an excellent option!"

Olivia Voss, an international student studying international relations at the University of North Carolina, is looking forward to improving her Arabic-language skills. "I wanted to come to AUC because it has a great reputation, and I want to improve my Arabic. I have wanted to travel to Egypt since I was a kid," she said. "Everyone has been so kind already, and my expectations going forward are to make many great and long-lasting friendships and to improve my understanding of the region."

Vebjørn Hole Uleberg, an international student pursuing a Master in International Management/CEMS, came to AUC because it is the only CEMS academic partner in Africa and the Middle East. CEMS, or the Global Alliance in Management Education, is also the only AUC program ranked by the Financial Times and The Economist. "I find Egypt — with its culture, language, and people — very interesting," he said. "AUC is also the only University in the MENA region that is part of the CEMS network, meaning that it must be of high quality while also giving a unique cultural experience."

Uleberg is also looking forward to "seeing and experiencing what Egypt is like, including learning Arabic, getting to know locals and traveling all over the country," he added.

Marissa Jean Haskell is joining AUC from the United States. She had previously studied abroad at AUC as an undergraduate student. "I loved being here and in Egypt so much that I was looking for an excuse to come back," she said. "One of the main reasons I returned to AUC is the quality of professors here. At AUC, it seems like every professor is a well-known scholar in their respective field, so I am excited to learn from such renowned professionals. I am expecting to not only substantially broaden my knowledge of education and global affairs but also take advantage of the opportunity to grow my international network."

Egyptian students are joining AUC from more than 12 governorates across the country, including Giza, Monufia, Beni Suef, Ismailia and Gharbia.

For freshman Marwan Gamea, one of the main reasons he applied to AUC is sustaining a reasonable balance between academics and cocurricular activities. Gamea's intended major is data science, which "is exclusively available at AUC."

Salma Omar, a freshman intending to major in graphic design, decided to join AUC for the balance that it offers between the quality of education and the cocurricular activities that allow her to find her passion in various fields. "I thought it would give me the best education and environment to thrive," she said. "I am looking forward to building a solid foundation for my future and enjoying college life while still learning about my passion."

Lama Khallaf is another freshman intending to major in electronics and communications engineering who has chosen AUC for its liberal arts education that would prepare her for a strong career. "I'm hoping to really enjoy the diversity of courses that are offered. Although I'm an engineering major, I still have interests outside my major that I want to be able to pursue," she said.

Fahad Muhammad Dankabo, a freshman intending to major in political science, expects to make the best use of his time at AUC on so many levels. "I want to be able to develop both academically and socially," he said. Dankabo was overwhelmed with the welcome he received from everyone since he joined AUC. "The peer leaders' dedication truly reflected on the three-day orientation. It was simply superb and worth emulating. Everything was well-coordinated and executed. What a way to set a high standard for newcomers. Thank you for making it easy for me to blend into my new family."

On the last day of classes, students surprised their professors with handwritten notes to express their gratitude for their ongoing support in online learning despite the unusual circumstances.

Walid Kazziha, professor of political science:

“A number of students sent me thank you notes during the semester. However, the most rewarding gesture of thanks that I received from them is when at the end of the last class, they unmuted the sound and video and each one of them carried a note of thanks expressing their appreciation. For me, it was a thrilling gesture, which I will always cherish."

Read more here.

Tarek Selim '92, '95, professor of ecomomics:

"A gratifying moment from my wonderful students in the feasibility study class (Econ 4012). They were one of the best feasibility classes I taught, and I have been teaching at AUC for the past 20 years."

Soraya Altorki, professor of anthropology:

"I was very touched by the message that I received from my students in ANTH 1099 on the last day of classes this semester. It reads: 'We love you professor! Thank you for the amazing course.' It is truly gratifying to get [my] students' feedback like this. It is an experience that says it all."

Hania Sholkamy '85, '89, associate professor at AUC's Social Research Center:

"In my Introduction to Community Development course (Anth 2201), my students surprised me. They are a wonder bunch and made the course interesting and dynamic. I am thanking them for their kindness. They said 'thank you,' and that really meant a lot to me. So in sharing this with you, I am thanking them."

Students in the marker research class also decided to surprise their professor, Hakim Meshreki (MBA '05), visiting assistant professor of marketing, and show him love and appreciation. Nathalie Nabil Kamel, senior, who decided to share with us the story on behalf of her class, says:

"A class member sent the idea in our project group, and then we created a students only group to coordinate. No one hesitated to join this celebratory action for Dr. Hakim, I guess because he's not only our doctor, [but also] he checked up on everyone who missed class, every class he asked how we were and gave us advice to help us mitigate the stress. All his classes were enjoyable, even the difficult chapters, and we wanted to show him the appreciation we had for him."

Hakim Meshreki (MBA '05), visiting assistant professor of marketing:

"Toward the end of the last class, students stunned me with a wonderful thank you note that represents the best reward an instructor can get from his students. Though they were not forced to do so, they showed that good work, care and dedication pay off. They were able to understand the essence of my teaching philosophy, which is knowledge, fun and love . For this, I am thankful and grateful to all of them."

 Sonia Zulfiqar, associate professor of chemistry, 

“It is an overwhelming experience for me to earn so much love, affection, and respect, given the fact that I am teaching this course for the first time."

Read more here.

Yasmine Saleh '91, associate professor of practice of clinical psychology,

“When the students asked me at the end of the class to stop sharing my screen since they had something that they wanted to share with me, I had no idea what was going on, and I was genuinely very surprised. This was unexpected and SO appreciated, after all we have been through together.”

Read more here.

Daoud Siniora, assistant professor of mathematics and actuarial science

"I feel honored to teach such beautiful minds and future stars. The main lectures were pre-recorded and sent to students in advance. On lecture days I hosted optional live Zoom sessions for further discussions on the material, homework problems, and beauty of mathematics. When the semester became very stressful, I made all deadlines flexible, meaning that students may submit their work as soon as they can. I also supplied my students with detailed lecture notes covering the whole course so they do not need to worry about taking notes. From time to time I give easy short quizzes so students can keep up with the course. We had a WhatsApp group that included the students, teaching assistants, and myself so that we all stay connected with each other as one team."

Taking an active stance to integrate people with disabilities into the workplace, students in Managing the Human Capital class engaged in a real-life, experiential learning project with DHL Global Forwarding to address this challenge. Their recommendations will be used by the company’s HR department.

“I really enjoyed the experience of coming up with real solutions for DHL,” reflected undergraduate student Menna Fathy. “It seemed easy at the beginning; however, the more research you do, the more details you have and the more complex the implementation of the solutions turns out to be. I feel that people with disabilities are underestimated in Egyptian society, and [we should all] raise awareness of how we can integrate them into the workplace.”

Estimates of people with disabilities in Egypt have ranged from 1.8% to 11% of the population from 2006 to 2011. The Egyptian law requires companies with 50 employees or more to hire 5% of people with disabilities. “People with disabilities are often paid the minimum wage and may be happy with that, so what we are seeing is a tick box exercise,” explained Nellie El Enany, assistant professor of management and course instructor. “Having a diverse workforce is one thing, but honest inclusivity takes time, strong leadership and an organizational culture of acceptance and empathy.”

One of the reasons behind the lack of integration could be that the recruitment and selection processes are not thoroughly thought out and aligned with the human resources strategy or that of the organization as a whole, explained El Enany.

“When you recruit and select, it should be regardless of disability. But then if somebody has a disability, you have to make the workplace work for them,” emphasized El Enany. “If organizations are not doing this, their workplace is not diverse and, therefore, cannot be inclusive. They are losing out on a whole talent pool that can add value to the organization. Rather than adding to existing social issues and stigmatizing people with physical and mental disabilities, organizations need to recognize how diversity and inclusion are positive for everyone, both within the workplace and the wider society.”

Throughout the course, students in El Enany’s class explored the conceptualizations of disabilities, how they differ across the world, the different disabilities and their impact on job acceptance rates, best practices, the perception of people with disabilities in the workplace – positive and negative disability discrimination - and how they impact the way people with disabilities perform and are being assessed.

“I believe that people with disabilities are not getting the opportunities they deserve just because of the stigma around disability in Egypt, which is extremely unfair in my opinion,” said undergraduate student Nada Madkour, based on her group project. “Policies should be implemented that protect people with disabilities and force organizations to provide them with equal opportunities of employment.”

Based on their wider research, students were then tasked with supporting DHL’s human resources department by providing recommendations of what can be done to recruit and train people with disabilities, highlighting whether the process would be different than the standard procedures and considering aspects including mobilities impairment, mental health awareness and learning difficulties. Students also provided practical recommendations for how DHL can make the most effective use of their current employees with disabilities to benefit both the organization and employees through training leaders and managers and rethinking the company culture.

“Honestly, I was surprised by the quality of the students’ research and their efforts to gather all this data,” said Fady Labib, HR director at DHL Global Forwarding. “While they were presenting, I felt they were experienced employees presenting a real business-life situation and giving valid suggestions for developing solutions. I will use their assignments and research to implement different aspects in DHL and, soon, you will hear about their ideas being used and processed.”

Labib recalled when he was closely involved in a family issue where the breadwinner was disabled and the family was suffering because their income didn’t match the average income of Egyptian families. “I thought to myself: Why do disabled people earn minimum wages? And then I realized it’s because companies like us don’t rely on their productivity. We just pay their minimum wages,” he said. “From there, I started to think that we need to leverage our disabilities workforce rather than pay them the minimum wages while they’re staying at home. I really believe that the young generations (Gen Z) who have a [good] education can view problems differently than us and suggest new ideas.”

Fast-evolving technology and digitization have left companies with no choice other than digital transformation. Taking the publishing industry as an example, users are currently consuming more content than ever on their digital devices. Where does this leave publishing houses, particularly with the onset of COVID-19?

For Dalia Ibrahim ’93, ’99, ’14, chairperson and CEO of Nahdet Misr, one of Egypt’s leading publishing companies, and recipient of the 2020 Arab Women and Social Responsibility Award, it means being always on your feet. When COVID-19 spikes hit the world, Nahdet Masr wasn’t exempt from their impact.

“Preparation is one thing, but the acceleration and sudden disruption is an entirely different thing. If today you have a digital plan for the next three years, you suddenly had to cram it in one year,” said Ibrahim, explaining that Nahdet Misr has been anticipating the digital revolution and planning to move away from the traditional business model to a more agile one for a long time. “We were always keen on going digital, and people considered us crazy.”

Going Digital

Providing content for all segments of society, Nahdet Misr works to raise public awareness and knowledge, developing creative and intellectual potential in society. The company produces thousands of cultural and educational books for adults and children, including fully integrated educational solutions for students, teachers and parents. That’s in addition to being an exclusive provider of localized versions of children’s publications, like Disney and National Geographic.

Two companies under Nahdet Misr Group are Nahdet Misr for Digital Solutions and Nahdet Misr for Advertising, both taking the group forward with digital transformation. Today, Nahdet Misr owns its own licensed software and provides educational digital solutions, animations, infographics, interactive curricula for grades one through 12, learning objects, interactive e-books, curricula and more.

Under the mother company also comes EdVentures, the sole venture capital company supporting educational technology startups in the MENA region founded by Ibrahim. To date, EdVentures has supported 45 startups through training and mentorship, provided dedicated incubation programs for 38 startups, accelerated 13 and invested in seven in just three years.

“Yet digitization is much bigger than interactive books, e-books and education technology,” Ibrahim asserted. “Digitizing the work environment itself is the challenge. Digitization entails a digital transformation for the company at large, and that’s a whole different story.”

Four years ago, Ibrahim had implemented “change management” in the literal sense of the word by introducing SAP solutions to the company. Adapting to that change wasn’t easy. Yet today, she describes the system as one that “manages the whole company,” from raw material acquisition to printing. Indeed, the streamlined processes are what kept Nahdet Misr running and going strong during COVID-19 challenges.

Presently, Nahdet Misr is coping and adapting to the latest digital technologies to cater to educational needs, from curricula to general knowledge. For example, the well-known educational book, Al Adwaa, transitioned from coming with a CD to now having a mobile application featuring videos, resources, question banks and more to adjust to online learning and digital transformation Moreover, Al Adwaa books come with a “Smart Code” that students scan to access a library of educational resources and additional features on Al Adwaa app. 

The company also recently joined forces with Egypt's Ministry of Education and Technical Education to provide digital, interactive learning solutions and innovative curricula for school students of all ages, including developing the new curricula (2.0) for Arabic language and Religious studies. This started with KG1-G1 in 2018, and this year witnessed the release of G3 curricula and a new curriculum covering “Morals ​​and Respecting Others,” introduced by the ministry for the first time in Egyptian schools.

“Our collaboration with the Minister of Education and Technical Education Tarek Shawki is our biggest achievement to date,” said Ibrahim. “We’re working with a very unique vision of developing Egypt’s educational curricula with a unified theme of maintaining engaging, top-notch quality to ultimately develop Egyptian students and foster cultural awareness within them.”

A Global Presence

Moving forward, Ibrahim strives to drive Nahdet Misr’s presence globally, starting with the MENA region. In fact, the company is well on its way to do so. “We dedicated our first global project to Egypt through the Ministry of Immigration. We launched an initiative, named “Etkalem Masry (Speak Egyptian),” under the guidance of Minister Nabila Makram, to teach young Egyptians living abroad to speak Egyptian Arabic as their second language, if not first,” said Ibrahim. “That’s one step ahead in our journey to becoming an educational producer that fits everywhere.”

Ibrahim wholeheartedly believes that the publishing industry, especially on the educational front, has boundless potential when it comes to people's development and creating a better society. "When you have a true purpose, faith in what you're doing, people who believe in your cause and a team that shares your vision, the result is a relentless drive to achieve your mission."

Nahdet Misr is a family business, where Ibrahim directly manages several family members and relatives. When she first joined the company, she didn't start her career ladder as a manager or in a top-management position. Instead, she started from scratch and faced resistance, especially from men in the family. Despite that, she was guided by focus and a clear vision. "Being firm, straightforward and honest are key; no sugar-coating or complimenting. I learned to say, 'This is what I want, and this is how it's done' -- all with respect." Today, the very same people believe Ibrahim has raised the bar high for them and carry the utmost respect for her.

Ibrahim has earned several prestigious awards, including the Top 50 Women Performing in the Egyptian economy, the Arab Woman Award for Social Responsibility from the Arab League and more. Despite that, the awards closest to her heart are those she was granted internally, especially by her father, founder of Nahdet Misr Group. "My first award was back in 2006, when I was very young and the award was entirely unexpected," she reflected. "It meant the most to me and left the biggest impact. He gave it to me in front of everyone – although he traditionally doesn't award family members."

Right after that, the 2017 AUC School of Business Alumni award is her favorite.

“It’s special to me because it came from home. I loved that because I belong to AUC to a great extent. AUC is my house – even my two daughters are currently undergraduate students. That award was truly deep to my heart.”

Ibrahim recounts that her undergraduate and graduate journeys at AUC are major contributors to her success.

"Once I graduated, I followed AUC's ABC mindset: I need to do something different," she narrated. "AUC taught me to create my own space instead of trying fitting into one. That mindset, along with negotiation and leadership skills, went a long way with me."

She proceeded to recollect the first time she heard about AUC introducing the EMBA program. “I was the first to apply! I believe in AUC and its education, and I needed to study executive management and change management,” she said. “The program made all the difference for me and tremendously accelerated my development. It truly added insane value to my career.” 

Ibrahim holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with honors, a master’s degree in public administration with honors, and was among the first cohort of graduates from AUC’s EMBA program.

“Overall, living with a purpose that has an impact is my motto for life,” concluded Ibrahim. “When you live with a purpose, it echoes in all aspects of your life, whether it’s choosing your husband, raising your kids, delivering quality work, maintaining relationships with friends, having a meaningful relationship with your parents and much more. It truly makes a difference.”

When it comes to exports, not all businesses possess the same risk tolerance. Some businesses are first movers, entering new markets and willing to take more risks, while others are late-movers, observing what peers do first and only adopting successful moves. You'd think that first-movers outperform late-movers in export markets, right?

The answer is no. 

In his new research, Assistant Professor of Economics Jamal Haidar finds a clear pattern: It's the late-movers who outperform exporters that enter new markets first.

By analyzing export transactions from nine different countries, including Egypt, and examining each country's exporting habits by product, destination and data sets of exporting transactions using regression analysis, Haidar argues that explorers, or first-movers, don't necessarily exploit the export markets they enter and that late-movers, who begin exporting the same product to the same destination at least one year after first-movers stepped in, outperform these first movers in the same product-destination export markets.

To illustrate, if mangos are being exported for the first time from Egypt (origin country) to France (product-destination), the first mover would be the first firm to consider exporting to France, while the late-movers would be firms entering the mango-France market after that. Since Egyptian firms observe and learn from the first mover, they only choose to enter the same destination when success is evident. And once they enter the market, they start selling more quantities than the first mover, although prices are the same.

One reason behind this pattern could be the lack of internalization of information externalities by first-movers about the host country's market trends and status. In other words, firms in the same industry have their ways of staying updated with the first mover’s progress in the new market, which unnoticeably gives hints to competitors on whether there’s market potential at the product-destination level. By having information on product demand, consumer preferences, quality standards, regulations and distribution networks, late-movers can make more informed export decisions.

On that ground, first movers may prefer to cage this information to prevent being outclassed. Yet, from another perspective, what if the first mover is making the information available intentionally because they're facing a capacity constraint, which governs the amount of items that can be produced by a supplier or business thus preventing it from achieving more output? Yes, the data can be critical, but sometimes, the firm can't do more with it. In that case, the best scenario is to avail the information to other competitors and benefit the country's economy at large. In essence, capacity constraints could be another reason first movers don't perform as well as late movers.

Moreover, Haidar explains that from a policymaker perspective, the goal isn’t relating to an individual firm, but rather to national export levels as a whole.

“Policymakers want to increase exports, so they want to encourage more firms to export and existing ones to sell more or enter new export markets,” he said.

With that in mind, the relationship between first movers and late movers has important policy implications. For one, first movers could get discouraged, and the new norm could be for firms to become late movers all across, which isn’t the optimal strategy for a given economy. For that reason, first movers can hide information relating to their export markets, but then again, what’s the benefit if they can’t employ it for their own profit and will just prevent other firm entries? This dynamic is “tricky and should be assessed carefully,” as Haidar puts it.

“One way to go about this would be for governments to think about policies to encourage ‘explorers’ who discover new markets versus ‘exploiters’ who take advantage of the disclosed information on new export markets,” said Haidar. “Policymakers can incentivize first movers by allowing them to export without paying customs or reducing their export costs, for example.”

Firms shouldn't be discouraged from becoming first movers, even without government incentives. Haidar considers that if they're able to take the first move, sell in adequate quantities to make a sustainable profit and be able to increase their output according to the demand they receive in the destination market, there shouldn't be a reason to be hesitant.

Overall, the exact justifications behind this tendency of late movers to outperform first movers in export markets leave a new learning space and require more research. For now, there are no "prescriptions" to whether a firm should become a first-mover or wait to observe the results of peers. It depends on the firm’s risk aversion, willingness to explore new markets and productive capabilities. Each case needs to be evaluated and assessed independently, Haidar affirmed. 

Offering a unique experiential learning experience with hands-on training at the workplace, AUC’s new Cooperative Education (Co-Op) course is the first of its kind in the region to be initiated by a business school.

Co-Op, an elective three-credit course (BUSC 4000-Experiential Learning: Co-Op), offers students at the School of Business the opportunity to be directly engaged on a full-time basis with external entities for at least six months, including multinational corporations, startups, financial institutions, government entities, professional service firms, think tanks, local and international economic and monetary bodies, and nonprofit organizations. The course is currently in its pilot phase and featured in the six business undergraduate programs at AUC.

“Market readiness is a key quality measure of AUC School of Business students,” said Ahmed Abdel-Meguid, associate professor of accounting and associate dean of undergraduate studies and administration at the School of Business, whose office academically administers the course. “I consider the Co-Op model to be the apex of experiential learning.”

Students will have two possible time windows for Co-Op: spring and summer or summer and fall. During the six months, they will be assigned specific tasks relevant to their fields of study to get exposed to realistic on-the-job training. Assessment-wise, their performance is co-evaluated on key learning objectives by an academic faculty member and an external entity counterpart, ultimately yielding a pass/fail grade. 

“The course provides an unprecedented realistic experience featuring the technical applications of the student’s field of study as well as the innate particularities of being a working professional,” noted Abdel-Meguid.

To ensure productive training, the School of Business and AUC’s Career Center joined forces to construct the program design and partner with carefully selected entities to host the students. By promoting the program to a diverse pool of employers and soliciting opportunities relevant to business majors, the aim is to develop sufficiently challenging Co-Op job descriptions for students to fully immerse them in the experience and fulfill the program’s learning objectives.

“The Co-Op program’s objectives are part of the mandate of the Career Center to provide quality experiential learning opportunities to undergraduate students that help them focus on their career goals and develop their career readiness. It also helps them apply what they learn in the classroom to real life, gain hands-on work experience, establish professional networks and enhance their employability,” said Soha Hassan, assistant director of experiential learning at the Career Center.

“On the other hand, the Co-Op program provides employers with an excellent opportunity to identify and test drive potential talent, manage short-term hiring needs and enhance their on-campus employer brand. The Career Center will act as a liaison between the School of Business, the students and the employers," added Hassan.

To date, various leading corporations and multinationals have expressed their interest in the program and are keen on being involved in the pilot and launch phases. Some have even recommended expanding the program to incorporate students from other schools at AUC.  

Upon registration, the Career Center will manage the matching process by connecting with pre-selected students, understanding their Co-Op needs and matching them to the relevant experience. In addition, students will receive guidance during the application process through the Career Center’s various advising services, including resume critiques, cover letter critiques, mock interviews and more. 

While an internship component is already integrated in business programs, the Co-Op model differs in three main aspects. First, it provides a significantly longer interaction with the host entity. Second, the process of matching students with host entities is jointly managed by AUC and employers to ensure a value-adding student experience. Finally, faculty members closely oversee Co-Op assignments, provide mentorship for students throughout their Co-Op journey and co-evaluate them with their host entity counterpart based on preset components.

“This practical training coupled with our robust academic programs further enhances the competitiveness of our students and prepares them to be impactful agents of change,” said Abdel-Meguid. By equipping students with a blend of comprehensive knowledge and hands-on experience, their learning experience, career readiness and placement quality are amplified. The Co-Op program establishes an open feedback channel regarding the quality of students and programs, ultimately building academic resilience.

“For the past two years, the School of Business has been focusing on revamping its undergraduate programs with the ultimate objective of further paving the path to quality graduates set to be change-makers through their competitiveness and career-readiness,” added Abdel-Meguid. “To bring that to fruition and apply it to both local and international job markets, the revamping plan was based on four guiding principles: contemporary and market-relevant content, innovative teaching and learning methods, interdisciplinarity and on-the-job training. With this plan set in motion, Cooperative Education (Co-Op) came about.”

Born and raised in South Sinai, Heba Shama ’13, architectural engineering graduate, moved to Cairo to pursue her undergraduate studies at AUC. Her stay was later extended to build her professional career in the development sector when she first learned about the Lazord Fellowship offered by AUC's John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy, Civic Engagement and Responsible Business in partnership with the Lazord Foundation.

“My passion to join the development sector started with one of AUC’s elective courses in social sciences, questioning clutters and reasons behind current social issues in the Arab world. Another undergraduate course focusing on upgrading slum areas inspired me even more to seek a career path in philanthropy and civil society,” said Shama.

The Lazord Fellowship is a multi-dimensional program seeking to empower young, fresh graduates to develop a critical understanding of civic engagement and improve their leadership and technical skills for their future careers. With chapters in Egypt, Tunisia and Jordan, the fellowship is a yearlong program where fellows receive job placements in a local organization, including a stipend, where they acquire professional and personal development training and mentorship by civically minded conscientious individuals to help them realize their full potential as responsible leaders. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the partnership between the John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy, Civic Engagement and Responsible Business and the Lazord Foundation.

“Lazord offered me an opportunity to employ my academic and technical skills through working for a cause I’m passionate about, while providing me with a chance to build my expertise in the development sector throughout this journey,” reflected Shama. “The fellowship offered me an opportunity to be engaged, not only as an employee, but as an individual, in seeking education and mentoring.”

When applying for the fellowship, Shama had high expectations based on her network of former Lazord alumni who spoke highly of their experiences. However, what she didn’t expect was to be placed at an organization that was very relevant to her undergraduate studies. “I thought I would have to make a huge shift to be able to work in development. I knew little about urban development as a field back then,” she explained.

Between 2013-2014, Shama was placed at Takween Integrated Community Development (Takween ICD) for her fellowship, an urban development company. During that period, she was heavily involved in dealing with vulnerable communities, and designed and led participatory projects promoting women’s safety in public spaces, children’s right to play, social inclusion of refugees in their host communities, and heritage documentation and preservation.

“I will always be indebted for this hands-on journey with Takween ICD. Not all development professionals get to directly interact with local communities and beneficiaries in the field, design development programs through participatory approaches, partner with government entities and provide recommendations on policies and proposals, while partnering with international organizations like UNWomen, UNHCR and UNHabitat,” she asserted.

Moreover, the training provided by the Lazord Fellowship mentors on NGOs and nonprofit organizations’ strategies and practices presented Shama with a solid background on community development and nonprofit management, which she found to be crucial competencies for her involvement with local communities. Overall, she found the mentorship aspect to be a unique feature of the fellowship, especially for fresh graduates just starting their careers. “As someone starting a slightly different, non-conventional career path for an architect, I think mentorship was crucial for me to realize my potential and use my technical and interpersonal skills in a field that I aspire to join,” said Shama.

Shama particularly admired interacting with civically engaged citizens from both Egypt and the MENA region at large. She perceives it as an “eye-opening” experience through which she realized regional challenges and opportunities and recognized the importance of cross-border communication in efforts of achieving a common vision and creating a lasting change. Through this experience, she built her own regional network of professionals and individuals sharing her vision: “development of themselves and their communities.”

Shama’s journey with the Lazord Fellowship has changed her both professionally and personally.

“We carry a set of assumptions with us as when we start working in the philanthropy and development sectors. As we set foot in the field, we realize why so many development initiatives fail and that development agents fail in the very minute they think they know better or understand the local community better than the locals,” she stated. “Along this journey, one gets to ‘become’ while rethinking these assumptions, even those about one’s self. Furthermore, assumptions about the root causes of social issues and the best means to resolve them also change. Direct interaction with local communities allows us to better understand the context we work in as well as the local challenges each community faces, and how development models have to be locally driven to ensure sustainable solutions.”

As a result of her experience, Shama advanced her education in development policies and practices to pursue her passion of empowering local communities and developing their resilience to cope with the changing socioeconomic factors while ensuring the inclusion of all community groups. She enrolled in an anthropology and development management master's program at the London School of Economics and Political Science, combining social sciences and development, and graduated in 2019.

“I walked out of my AUC undergraduate experience at AUC with more than education. Extracurricular activities were an environment to learn, grow, and practice integrity, commitment and effective communication,” Shama said on AUC’s role in her perception of civic engagement. “Through AUC’s civic engagement initiatives, I became a global citizen with eyes opened on different cultures and development models, but with an appreciation and understanding of the richness, challenges, potential and resilience of the community I belong to and its power to develop local solutions for long-lasting issues.”

Today, Shama is the case studies coordinator of the Education 2.0 Research and Documentation Project, a collaboration between Egypt's Ministry of Education and Technical Education and AUC's Social Research Center to research and document the current educational reform to better inform and provide evidence for educational policy making.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, AUC's John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy, Civic Engagement and Responsible Business held a weeklong conference in partnership with the Lazord Foundation, hosting 12 graduating fellows to reflect on their learning journey and orienting a new batch of 12 incoming fellows. While the program was initially piloted as an initiative for AUC graduates, today, it has evolved to be open to the public, mirroring the many programs AUC offers beyond its campus walls.

If Shama were to offer advice to upcoming Lazord fellows, it would be: “Take the whole journey one step at a time. Remember that you are surrounded by an inspiring circle, so seek guidance and consultation; not only from your mentors, but also from each other as fellows."

"My last advice is a lesson for one’s self as a development professional. Remember that ‘we often know much less about the impact of anything than we think we know’-unknown.” 

“I believe that as a qualified scholar, a faculty member should have an impact and engage in the theoretical debate about contemporary issues that are of interest to academics, practitioners and policymakers,” said Nermeen Shehata, associate professor of accounting and director of El-Khazindar Business Research and Case Center (KCC).

Shehata has recently received the Abdul Hameed Shoman Arab Researchers Award in the Economics and Administration Sciences category on the topic “Financial Solutions and Creative Innovations in Emerging Markets” for her research on corporate governance and its impact on the development of capital markets, especially in emerging economies.

Established in 1982 by the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation, the Shoman Award aims to support and highlight scientific research throughout the Arab world and is awarded in recognition of distinguished scientific outcome of both scientific and social value. This year, 13 Arab researchers were awarded among 477 candidates within the award’s six fields: medical and health sciences, engineering sciences, communication systems engineering, arts, humanities, social and educational sciences, technological and agricultural sciences, and economic and administration sciences.

In her research, Shehata highlights that accounting practices in a given country play a central role in developing its economy through various means, one of which is influencing the quality of information disclosed by firms. By disclosing relevant and transparent information about firms, the development of financial markets is supported, enhancing international trade and foreign investments between countries, and positively influencing the economy at large.

“I am extremely honored and proud to receive the prestigious Abdul Hameed Shoman Arab Researchers Award in the Economics and Administration Sciences category. I have particular interest in corporate governance, as it is a multidisciplinary topic that can have an impact on corporate disclosure practices, financial reporting and financial performance,” said Shehata. “Corporate governance will, in turn, affect the development of capital markets, especially in emerging markets.”

Shehata focuses on two important pillars of corporate governance; financial and non-financial disclosure, and board diversity. She’s also keen on studying developing countries, especially in the MENA region, where she believes there is a “dearth of research” that addresses developing versus developed countries.

Shehata holds a PhD in Management (Accounting concentration) and a Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education from Aston University, UK, and MSc and BSc (highest honors) in Accounting from the Faculty of Commerce, English section, Cairo University, Egypt. She is a certified trainer by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for SME Governance and Women on Boards and in Business Leadership, and a certified corporate director by the Egyptian Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA), as well as a Certified Management and Business Educator (CMBE) by the Chartered Association of Business Schools, UK.