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!
Bahaa El Ansary, described by BBC Radio 3 as “one of the young voices shaping Egypt’s cultural future,” is a composer working across opera, experimental music, and AI-driven performance. A Guildhall graduate with distinction, he co-founded Cairo Impro to cultivate free improvisation within Egypt’s music scene. He is currently developing AI-responsive operatic characters that reimagine how performers and technology share the stage, pushing contemporary performance into new expressive territory.
Doaa joined the British Council Egypt in 2003 and currently serves as the Regional Gender Advisor for the MENA region, leading efforts to mainstream Gender Equality and Inclusion across Education, English, and Arts portfolios. Formerly Head of Social Development, she brings 20 years of experience in gender consultation and programme design across 17 MENA countries. She holds a master’s degree in Gender and Development from Cairo University.
Heba joined the British Council Egypt last year as the Head of Creative Economy, she has over 10 years of experience in international programmes with a focus on creative economy innovation and cultural initiatives in the MENA region. She has a track record of success in executive management and strategic planning within the arts and education sectors as she headed Partnerships and Programmes in British Council offices in Kuwait and Qatar for over 6 years overseeing a portfolio of Education, Culture, Science and Sports Programmes.
Heba’s impact was extended to business development when she designed and strategically facilitated several programmes like Kuwait's first Creative Economy Roadmap in collaboration with various cultural stakeholders from both the private and public sectors.
He is an architect, academic, and researcher with 17 years of experience. He holds a PhD from the Liverpool School of Architecture, specializing in building technology, transformable structures, computational design, and digital fabrication. He has taught at LSA, Zagazig University, and Galala University, where he contributed to academic curricula and the development of institutional facilities. His professional portfolio includes work on many major projects such as the Grand Egyptian Museum.
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.
