Hugo and The Boss: 7 Egyptian Moguls and their Thoughts on Success
success
səkˈsɛs/
noun
The accomplishment of an aim or purpose.
synonyms: favourable outcome, successfulness, favourable result, successful outcome, victory, triumph.
Success is something we all measure differently. By the things we've accomplished, the people we surround ourselves with, the places we've been or the person we've become. There's no single indicator for success, but in the some of its parts a person who achieves success is always one with advice to give. And we're here to listen ... and learn.
The seven Egyptian men featured in this article were selected as representatives for success in their respective fields. Hugo Boss is a brand that's been around since the 1900's and in advocating, dressing, and supporting individuals who have worked hard and thrived in their careers, the clothing label stays true to its philosphies.
Hussein Nasser - “There are certain things - skills - that you have that no one can take away from you. Never shy away from teaching people all what they need.”
Hussein Nassar is an architect and the founder of his production and contracting company, Hussein Nassar Designs. Ever since he was 5, Nassar dreamt of becoming an engineer, which he wanted to combine with art. This lead him to study architecture and start his company straight out of college, at 23. he is responsible for the designs of some of the most iconic spots in Cairo, namely classic dinner hubs such as Seqouia, Gaby's and Balthazar.
Hussein Heiba - "My favorite motto is ‘Keep going’. If things are going great, keep going; if things are not going well, just keep going, as long as you have the right path.”
Hussein Heiba is the managing partner at OWH Properties, a real estate consultancy and development company. Besides its consultancy branch, the development branch of the company creates luxury, Hollywood-style houses and apartments. His passion for real estate comes from his wish to turn the Egyptian market into one similar to international markets with its high-end designs and finishings. OWH’s development branch is now open in London and the consultancy branch is present in eight other companies.
Ahmed El Ganzoury - “Everyday you close one door, I promise you, a million others open, just keep trying and keep believing that you can do it. You will.”
Ahmed El Ganzoury is the CEO of byGanz Events Extraordinaire, one of Egypt’s most renowned PR and events companies. He started his business almost 15 years ago. Now byGanz parties are the most-talked about and most desirable parties to attend not only in Egypt, but also in London, Ibiza and Mykonos.
Bassem El Hady - “Wherever you are you should focus on developing yourself and those around you. That’s how you’ll develop and help Egypt rise.”
Bassem El Hady is one of the founders of digital media agency, Kijami. He’s also one of the founders of TEDx Cairo, which he started in 2010 when he was still in college. El Hady believes in the importance of storytelling and technology in driving the digital industry forward, and that’s why and how Kijami was created and is one of the most successful digital media agencies in the country with branches expanded in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Hassan Morshedy - “You need a good team. It’s a huge help. You have to always try and open their minds to new ideas, new opportunities and new sources of motivation.”
Hassan Morshedy is the CEO of Memaar Al Morshedy, a real estate development company. The company, which was established 35 years ago, has grown by a striking 300 percent since Morshedy took over as CEO. His top philosophy is giving people high value for their money.
Sameh Kamal - “You don’t need to rely on anyone to be who you want. Set your own goals and be different.”
Sameh Kamal is the founder of Celia Professional, a company producing various cosmetics. He started his business of selling and distributing cosmetics when he was still in college and found it was a very successful path for him. To be able to fund his business, he works as a Senior Sales Manager for real estate company Capital Group.
Abdel Karim Fathy - “You go to work everyday playing chess. You’re playing chess with your team so you capitalize on each person’s strength by empowering them and you drive them forward to reach a certain objective with this strength.
Abdel Karim Fathy is the former general manager at Red Bull and is the one who established and solidified the existence of the energy drink in Egypt. He has since moved on to a new challenge, holding the position of general manager of Lead, a top marketing solutions company. When he’s not giving it his all at work, he can be found recharging his soul through kitesurfing.
The one thing we can learn from all of these individuals is that success is not a one man show. It takes perseverance and hard work, a team of people whom you trust and believe in, the leadership skills to keep your team motivated and invested in your vision, and finally the ability to accept failure and try again. A million times over. Because the prevailing message here is that a strong vision and consistent work ethic will never fail you. So keep going.
Photographs shot by Hassan Hamdi.
“I don’t expect success. I prepare for it.”
