The British Council is pleased to announce the finalists for a prestigious award celebrating the outstanding achievements of the UK’s international alumni. They are selected by our panel of judges as best representatives for the impact of UK higher education in their chosen career path and the impact they have made for the development of Egypt.
We are proud of them!
Two participants with a passion for arts used forum theatre as a way to raise awareness and stimulate debate on local issues. Theatre troupe ‘Wa Lessa’ integrated forum theatre in their interactive performances on child labour, sexual harassment, women in society and interfaith understanding. Another group created a performance called ‘Alien Creatures’ to address stereotyping and prejudice among young people. The performances were held in cultural centres and social clubs in other governorates.
Jaida is a Financial Advisory Manager at Grant Thornton Egypt driving major public and private deals. Previously, as a Finance Expert at Egypt’s Ministry of Finance, she issued $500M in Samurai bonds and secured financing for key infrastructure projects. She also contributed to Egypt’s asset monetization program with the IFC. A recipient of multiple professional accolades, Jaida applies her expertise to pioneering strategies that foster sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
Mahmoud El-Sakka is the Chairman of Misr Finance for Financial Services. He is an Independent Regional Advisor to Brook Street Private Equity for North Africa. He was the Head of Investment Banking and Corporate Finance at the Arab African International Bank. He is a board member of the Egyptian Leasing Federation. El Sakka is the Chairman of the Association of Graduates & Trainees from Britain in Egypt and Chairman of the Egyptian Credit and Risk Association.
Marco is a PhD-holding lecturer who successfully designs and executes biological experiments and develops novel analytical methods. He has a track record of developing high impact publications, presentations, and collaborations with a broad basis of chronic diseases and cancer. In 2017, Marco was awarded the ‘Best poster award’ by Newcastle University for the poster entitled: SULFATASE-2, secreted from cancer-associated fibroblasts, which promotes hepatocellular carcinoma cell growth.
Maryam leads on a CoP of six teachers, from both government and private schools. They together created the ‘Bahrain Digital Leaders’ group to communicate with each other about their roles, benefits and expectations from the CoP. Maryam shares how she surveyed the teacher, learned their challenges, and reflected on this to best deliver the CoP goals and targets - learning a lot, herself, during the process.
Michael is a leading global expert in the school health and nutrition field. As a Global Advisor at Save the Children International, Michael actively shapes global school health and nutrition strategies. His work across several offices, including Egypt, helps influence national policies to provide high-quality health services and an inclusive learning environment for school children.
Through his public policy studies at the University of Bristol, Michael developed his analytical and advocacy abilities, enabling him to effectively engage with decision-makers at both the national and global levels to shape policies that prioritize children.
Mohamed is an award-winning finance professional at the Export Development Bank, driving innovative projects in sustainable banking and financial inclusion. With experience at the African Development Bank and European Investment Bank, he bridges academic research with real-world applications as a Research Fellow at AUC, BUE, and Monash University. Recognized with UNCTAD Research Award and Misr El Kheir Innovation Award, Mohamed focuses on sustainable finance solutions.
Also an alumnus of the Emerging Leaders Institute – APAP|NYC
