Inayat-ur-Rahman, Business Editor

The second annual edition of the Under 30 Summit, which was held on January 11-14 in the beautiful community of El Gouna, Egypt, was concluded on a strong note.

With over 1,500 VIP attendees, expert speakers, young entrepreneurs, policy-makers, celebrities, and business leaders in attendance, the summit explored building the leaders of tomorrow, investing in innovation, the art of design thinking and storytelling, building sustainable startups for a better world, the technologies supercharging product development, and nurturing mental health, diversity, and inclusion.

Khuloud Al Omian, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Middle East, emphasized the values at the heart of the summit. “It has been an incredible couple of days celebrating the young professionals and entrepreneurs developing ideas to change the world for the better. It is so inspiring to see so many people come together and create such impactful bonds,” she added. “El Gouna has been a wonderful host, and I’m so proud of our Under 30 community. I look forward to witnessing their future successes.”

The summit’s packed agenda featured panel discussions, interviews, and presentations. These included insights from: Anas Bukhash, Emirati entrepreneur and interviewer; Rascha Ragheb, Executive Director of the National Training Academy of Egypt; Leila Serhan, Senior Vice President & Group Country Manager for North Africa, the Levant, and Pakistan at Visa; Al Walid Hallani, singer; Menna ElKiey, lyricist, writer, and Creative Director; Aladdin ElAfifi, CEO of EFG Finance; Ramy Radwan, TV presenter; Ahmed Tarek, Co-CEO and Partner at the Tarek Nour Group; Kareem Hassan, Executive Director at the UN-ESCWA Technology Center for Development; and Mohamed Shelbaya, CEO of PepsiCo Egypt & North Africa.

Mohamed Amer, CEO of El Gouna, commented: “We are proud of the success that the second edition of the Forbes Middle East Under 30 Summit has achieved. This year saw special workshops and discussions that contributed to creating a collaborative environment and providing inspiring models. Continuing to organize such events is a testament to our commitment to providing the opportunity and platform for innovative young minds in the region to exchange experiences.”

As the summit came to a close, attendees gathered to network and enjoy live entertainment, as well as a stunning recognition ceremony that celebrated the innovators from Forbes Middle East’s 30 Under 30 list 2023.

Forbes Middle East worked with a number of esteemed partners to bring this event to life: host partner El Gouna Red Sea by Orascom Development; support partners EFG Holding and Meta; event partners Vi Markets, She’s Next by Visa, Prypco, and Zouni Beach Mangroovy El Gouna; official transportation partner Abou Ghaly Motors; communication & PR partners Influence Communications and NABD; connectivity partner Orange; gift partner Parkville Pharmaceuticals; and official beverage partner PepsiCo.

Marina El Khawand, Founder and President, Medonations told Gulf Today that being featured on Forbes 30 Under 30 as a guest speaker not only opens doors to exciting opportunities, partnerships, and speaking engagements but also amplifies our mission in Medonations.

“It highlights the impactful strides we’re making in the health industry through digitization, reinforcing our commitment to positive change.” El Khawand added.

Forbes Middle East is a licensed edition of Forbes for the Arab world, championing inspiring business journalism and entrepreneurial capitalism. Its online and social platforms break news covering billionaires, business, investment, technology, economy, entrepreneurship, leadership, and luxury lifestyles. The monthly magazine, featuring in-depth interviews with the Middle East’s most influential and innovative leaders, is published in print in English and Arabic, with digital versions available to both regional and global audiences online. Forbes Middle East extends the Forbes brand of journalism across the Arab world, conducting its own comprehensive research to publish original lists that adhere to strict methodologies. Its content attracts business leaders, investors, active and potential entrepreneurs, and a wide audience of ambitious and influential executives.

El Gouna, one of Orascom Development’s fully integrated towns, has been the most prominent destination nestled on the Red Sea in an area of 36.9 million square meters for more than 30 years. The town encompasses 9,200 delivered residential units, 18 hotels providing 2,800 rooms, schools offering various international curricula, including Swiss and British certifications, an international hospital, a startup workspace facility, four marinas, two world-class golf courses, an Egyptian Premier League football club, a culture and conference center, and an array of services.