Embassy in Cairo launches alumni masterclasses

Britain’s 30-year investment in Egypt’s future leaders through the Chevening Scholarship programme has created a remarkable asset of over 1,000 Chevening Alumni in all walks of Egyptian life – political leaders, business leaders, social leaders. Prominent alumni have held roles including that of Minister of Technical Education, Deputy Prime Minister, Stock Exchange Chair, Egyptian Market Authority Chair, Managing Editor of Al Ahram Weekly, and Chair of Egypt Post and Ambassador, to name a few.

At a critical time in Egypt’s history, the British Embassy in Cairo is now investing again in this outstanding group, as part of Britain’s commitment to a successful Egypt  full of empowered citizens and healthy institutions. Our goal is to support our Chevening Alumni to exercise authentic and transformational leadership, making a positive difference to Egypt’s future in whatever context they are now living and working.

This is the motivation behind the launch of a new Chevening Leadership Masterclass series. The two-hour masterclass sessions is hosted at the British Embassy in Cairo and gives Chevening Alumni a unique face-to-face encounter with world class leaders from Egypt and around the world, to learn from them and to discuss the leadership challenges and ideas faced by Egypt’s emerging leaders.

Speakers so far have included HE John Casson, British Ambassador to Egypt , Naguib Sawiris, Chairman of Weather Investments & Orascom Telecom Media and Technology Holding, and Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub, world leading cardiothoracic surgeon.

Ahmed Osama, a Chevening Alumnus and Project Engineer at Enppi commented ‘Attending the Chevening Masterclass offered a valuable opportunity to meet HE Ambassador John Cason; I admire his energy and openness for new ideas. This event was also a great venue to reconnect with Chevening Alumni and to personally interact with the distinguished guests. I was extremely inspired by meeting Sir Magdi Yacoub and I aspire to follow his example of leadership and sense of personal responsibility towards local communities in Egypt’. 

Lydia Morcos, Business Planning Manager at MBC Group and Chevening Alumna, class of 2010, said: ‘The Chevening Masterclasses initiative is a great capitalisation on the lifetime changing experience of the Chevening Scholarship. We get together to put things back into perspective, to inspire, empower, and motivate each other to lead our country to where we all dream.’