KARIM AWAD - Co-Chief Executive Officer – Investment Bank
Mr. Awad is the Co-Chief Executive Officer of the Investment bank with an overall responsibility for managing the Company’s research, securities brokerage, asset management and investment banking divisions. Prior to assuming his current role, Mr. Awad was a member of the Group’s Investment Banking Department and was its head during the period from January 2008 and until May 2012.
Since joining EFG Hermes in 1998, he has focused on equity offerings and merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions with a special focus on the telecommunications and financial institutions sectors. During his tenure, Mr. Awad has participated in and closed deals including landmark transactions such as advising Telecom Egypt (TE) on its initial public offering and on TE’s acquisition of a 45% stake in Vodafone Egypt, advising Société Générale on its acquisition of MIBank and Actis on its acquisition of a stake in Commercial International Bank Egypt. He also played a major role in leading the IPO of Talaat Mostafa Group, the largest IPO in Egyptian history and the US$ 700 million private placement for Solidere International.
Since assuming his role as head of IBD, Mr. Awad has helped lead the group through a number of important transactions including the IPO of Palm Hills Development, Maridive & Oil Services, the rights issue of Orascom Telecom and Juhayana for Food Industries among others. He was also instrumental in developing the department’s debt practice through the underwriting of the Egyptian Company for Mobile Services and Orascom Construction Industries bonds in 2010, the first Egyptian bonds to be marketed outside the Egyptian commercial banking sector. Most recently, he advised Paradise Capital on the sale of a majority stake to Electrolux, Japan Tobacco on the acquisition of Haggar Cigarettes Factories in Sudan and Al Nakhla Tobacco in Egypt as well as the Egyptian Refining Company on a US$ 460 million capital raising effort, one of the largest placements in Egyptian history.
Mr.Awad graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a minor in Economics from the American University in Cairo with highest honours.
AHMED EL GUINDY - Head of Investment Banking
Mr. El Guindy is a Managing Director of EFG Hermes’ Investment Banking Division. He joined EFG Hermes in 2004. Prior to joining EFG, he worked as a Research Analyst in the World Bank, focusing on Macroeconomic Analysis. He holds a BA in Business Administration from the American University in Cairo and a MSC in Accounting and Finance from the London School of Economics.
Notable transactions include: the sale of Orascom Telecom’s 50% shareholding in Tunisiana to Qatar Telecom; Weather Investment’s merger with VimpelCom; the bond issuance for Mobinil; the private placement of Orascom Construction Industries; the sale of Al Watany Bank of Egypt; the IPO of Talaat Moustafa Group; the IPO of Telecom Egypt; the acquisition of a stake in CIB by Actis.
Mohamed Fahmi - Director
Based in Cairo, Mohammed M. Fahmi is a Director at EFG-Hermes’ Investment Banking Division. Mohamed Fahmi joined EFG-Hermes Investment Banking in early 2006 after completing the Morgan Stanley Analyst Training program. Mohammed holds a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Finance from the American University in Cairo, from where he graduated with high honors. Notable transactions include the sale of an 18.8% stake in Commercial International Bank (CIB) to Ripplewood; the initial public offering of Al Arafa for Investment and Consultancies; the sale of a 49% stake of Tarek Nour Holding to DDB; the acquisition of Italy’s Forall Group (Pal Zileri) by Al Arafa for Investment and Consultancies; the acquisition of a 50% stake in Syria’s Palmyra for Real Estate Development by SODIC; the sale of Olympic Group for Financial Investments to Electrolux AB; and the private placement for Wadi Degla for Investments S.A.E.
Amr Fikry Hamdy- Director
Mr. Hamdy is a Director at EFG Hermes’ Investment Banking Division. He joined EFG Hermes in 2006. Prior to joining EFG, he worked at the Commercial International Bank Egypt SAE (CIB) . He holds a BA in Economics from the American University in Cairo is a CFA level III candidate.
Notable transactions include: the sale of Orascom Telecom’s 50% shareholding in Tunisiana to Qatar Telecom; Weather Investment’s USD 25.7 bn merger with VimpelCom; the sale of Egyptian Fertilizers Company by Citadel Capital to Abraaj Capital through a leverage buyout; the sale of Al Rashidi El Mezan to Citadel Capital; the sale of Arabeya Online Securities Brokerage to Bank Audi; the acquisition of a stake in CIB by Actis; and the USD 794mn Orascom Telecom rights issue.
Hisham Halbouny - Director
Mr. Halbouny is a Director of EFG-Hermes Investment Banking, based in Dubai. He joined EFG-Hermes Investment Banking in 2005. Prior to joining EFG, he was a member of the structured finance team in MIBank/National Société Générale advising a broad range of general industrial clients. He holds a bachelors degree and an MBA from AAST graduating with Honors. Since joining EFG-Hermes, he has focused on merger and acquisition transactions as well as equity and debt offerings across various sectors. Notable transactions include the buyout and take-private of Damas, the private placement of the Egyptian Refining Company, the secondary offering of Ezz Steel Rebars, the private placement of Solidere International, bond issuance for Orascom Constriction Industries, structuring and raising the project financing for Egyptian Nitrogen Products Company and the leverage buyout of the Egyptian Fertilizers Company by Abraaj Capital.