On Monday, the three-day private equity and venture capital conference opened Monday, for its first time in Africa.
Abdalla ElEbiary, Citadel Capital managing director, said that “Private equity opportunities are tremendous” in Egypt.
Ahmed Badreldin, executive director of Abraaj Capital, said that his company is investing in the healthcare industry. Abraaj already owns a 50 percent share in a Turkish hospital group.
Mark Rorison, from CI Capital, said that Africa in general and Egypt in particular are “lands of opportunity” for private capital.
Badreldin added that other areas of that require development are logistics, distribution and packaging. There is potential to combine small companies into big companies which could then operate on an international level, he added.
Egypt offers unique investment opportunities in the field of agri-business, according to Abdel-Monem Omran, chief investment officer at Beltone Private Equity. The country’s geographical size has varying climatic conditions, from the Nile Delta in Lower Egypt to Aswan in Upper Egypt. Therefore, various crops can be grown at different places and times of the year. Due to its strategic location south of Europe, the Egyptian agri-business sector can ensure export deliveries in a shorter period of time than from other Middle Eastern countries, he added.