Naguib Sawiris Biography: Business Empire, Age, Net Worth, Telecom, Wife, Children

Naguib Onsi Sawiris, is a prominent Egyptian billionaire and business magnate, is best known for his transformative leadership in telecommunications, real estate, and gold mining, primarily through his roles at Orascom Telecom Holding and La Mancha Resources.

Born into the influential Sawiris family, he expanded the family’s Orascom conglomerate, founded by his father, Onsi Sawiris, into a global powerhouse, notably by launching Egypt’s first private mobile network, Mobinil, in 1997.

His strategic vision led to the $6.4 billion merger of Orascom Telecom with VimpelCom in 2011, cementing his reputation as a shrewd dealmaker.

Profile

• Full Name: Naguib Onsi Sawiris
• Stage Name: Naguib Sawiris
• Born: 15 June, 1954
• Age: 71 years old
• Birthplace: Cairo, Egypt
• Nationality: Egyptian
• Occupation: Businessman, Investor, Chairman of Ora Developers and La Mancha Resources
• Height: Unknown
• Parents: Onsi Sawiris, Yousriya Loza Sawiris
• Siblings: Nassef Sawiris, Samih Sawiris
• Spouse: Ghada Gamil Sawiris
• Children: 4
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $5 billion

Early Life and Education

Naguib Onsi Sawiris was born on June 15, 1954, in Cairo, Egypt, to Onsi Sawiris, founder of the Orascom Group, and Yousriya Loza Sawiris.

The eldest of three brothers, Nassef and Samih, he grew up in a Coptic Christian family that valued hard work and faith. His father’s construction business faced nationalization in 1961, shaping Naguib’s resilience.

He attended the German Evangelical School in Giza, later earning a diploma in mechanical engineering and a master’s in technical administration from ETH Zurich, Switzerland. He is of Egyptian ethnicity and practices Christianity as his religion.

Career

Naguib Sawiris joined the family’s Orascom Group in 1979, initially focusing on construction before pivoting to technology and telecommunications.

In the 1990s, he launched Orascom Technology Systems, securing distribution rights for Hewlett-Packard and AT&T. In 1994, he founded InTuch, Egypt’s first internet service provider, and in 1997, he established Mobinil, the country’s first private mobile network, partnering with Orange and Motorola.

His bold entry into telecoms culminated in the 2005 acquisition of Italy’s Wind Telecomunicazioni for $15 billion via Weather Investments. By 2011, he orchestrated a $6.4 billion merger with VimpelCom, creating the world’s sixth-largest mobile operator, serving 181 million customers across 20 countries.

Sawiris diversified his portfolio beyond telecoms, entering media and mining. In 2004, he invested in Al-Masry Al-Youm, an influential Egyptian newspaper, and owned OTV and ONTV until selling the latter in 2016.

In 2012, he became Chairman of La Mancha Resources, a Luxembourg-based mining firm, acquiring stakes in gold producers like Endeavour Mining and Evolution Mining. In 2015, he purchased a 53% stake in Euronews for $40 million, serving as Chairman until 2021.

His real estate venture, Ora Developers, launched in 2016, manages a $2.5 billion portfolio, including Silver Sands in Grenada and Eighteen in Pakistan. Awards like France’s Legion d’Honneur and Pakistan’s Sitara-e-Quaid-e-Azam reflect his global impact.

Currently, Naguib Sawiris remains a dynamic force, chairing Orascom TMT Investments and La Mancha Resources while leading Ora Developers.

In 2023, he expressed interest in Barrick Gold’s $7 billion Reko Diq copper-gold project in Pakistan. His 2024 investments include a 30% stake in Egypt’s Sarwa Capital and plans for a private bank in Europe.

A vocal philanthropist, he supports the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, funding education and employment in Egypt.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @naguibsawiris1
• Twitter Handle: @NaguibSawiris

Personal Life

Naguib Sawiris is married to Ghada Gamil Sawiris, and they have four children, residing primarily in Cairo.

Known for his wit and multilingual fluency in Arabic, English, German, and French, Sawiris is a licensed pilot, avid golfer, and patron of the arts, supporting cultural initiatives like the El Gouna Film Festival.

Net Worth

Naguib Sawiris’s net worth is estimated to be around $5 billion USD.

His wealth primarily stems from the 2011 VimpelCom deal, which netted over $4 billion, and his stakes in La Mancha Resources, with investments in gold mining firms like Endeavour and Evolution Mining. Also earns from Ora Developers’ $2.5 billion real estate portfolio and Orascom TMT Investments’ stakes in Egypt’s financial sector and Italiaonline.