Nassef Sawiris Biography: Age, Wife, Net Worth, Children, Height, Parents, Business, Investments
Nassef Onsi Sawiris is an Egyptian billionaire businessman, recognized as Egypt’s wealthiest individual with a net worth of $9.6 billion in 2025.
He is the youngest son of Onsi Sawiris, founder of the Orascom conglomerate.
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As CEO of OCI N.V., Nassef has built a global empire in construction, chemicals, and fertilizers, with OCI becoming one of the world’s largest nitrogen fertilizer producers.
His investments include a 6% stake in Adidas, a 5% stake in Madison Square Garden Sports (New York Knicks and Rangers), and co-ownership of Aston Villa Football Club with Wes Edens through V Sports.
Profile
- Full Name: Nassef Onsi Sawiris
- Stage Name: None
- Born: 19 January, 1961
- Age: 64 years old
- Birthplace: Aswan, Egypt
- Nationality: Egyptian
- Occupation: Businessman, CEO of OCI N.V., Investor
- Height: Unknown
- Parents: Onsi Sawiris, Yousriya Loza Sawiris
- Siblings: Naguib Sawiris, Samih Sawiris
- Spouse: Sherine Magar Sawiris
- Children: 4
- Relationship: Married
- Net Worth: $9.6 billion
Early Life and Education
Nassef Onsi Sawiris was born on January 19, 1961, in Aswan, Egypt, to Onsi Sawiris, a construction magnate who founded Orascom in 1950, and Yousriya Loza Sawiris.
The youngest of three brothers—Naguib and Samih, both billionaires—Nassef grew up in a Coptic Christian family that valued entrepreneurship and education.
His father’s business was nationalized in 1961 under President Gamal Abdel Nasser, prompting a move to Libya before Onsi rebuilt Orascom in Egypt.
Nassef attended the Deutsche Evangelische Oberschule in Cairo and later earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Chicago in 1982.
He is of Egyptian ethnicity, though his religious beliefs are not publicly known.
Career
Nassef Sawiris joined Orascom in 1982, taking over construction activities in 1995 and becoming CEO of Orascom Construction Industries (OCI) in 1998.
Under his leadership, OCI expanded into cement and fertilizers, selling its cement division to Lafarge for $12.8 billion in 2008, though a Syrian subsidiary later faced scrutiny for payments to armed groups, including Islamic State.
OCI became a global leader in nitrogen fertilizers, with plants in Texas and Iowa, and trades on Euronext Amsterdam.
Orascom Construction, a separate entity, trades on the Cairo Exchange and Nasdaq Dubai.
In 2013, a Bill Gates-led consortium invested $1 billion to move OCI’s listing to Amsterdam.
In 2024, Nassef considered transforming OCI into a cash shell for new acquisitions after selling $7 billion in assets.
His investment portfolio includes a 6% stake in Adidas (acquired 2015 via NNS Holding Sàrl), a 5% stake in Madison Square Garden Sports (2020), and a 5% stake in Arkema.
In 2018, with Wes Edens, he formed NSWE (now V Sports) to buy a 55% stake in Aston Villa Football Club for £30 million, later becoming sole owners in 2019.
V Sports invested £360 million in Villa, funding a Premier League return and a planned £100 million Villa Park expansion.
In 2023, V Sports acquired a 46% stake in Vitória S.C. in Portugal.
Nassef’s Avanti Acquisition Corp, a SPAC launched in 2020, was wound up in 2022 after failing to secure a target.
His investments reflect a multi-sector strategy, with posts on X praising his role in Aston Villa’s resurgence.
Nassef’s business ties to Egypt’s government, particularly during Hosni Mubarak’s regime, led to a 2012 tax evasion case with his father over the Lafarge sale, which some viewed as politically motivated.
The case was resolved, but his alliances have drawn criticism for alleged ties to authoritarian regimes.
Through the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, he supports education, healthcare, and job creation in Egypt, including $24 million donated to the University of Chicago for the Onsi Sawiris Scholars Program and an executive education program in El Gouna.
Social Media
Nassef Sawiris does not have any active social media accounts.
Personal Life
Nassef Sawiris is married to Sherine Magar Sawiris, with whom he has four children.
They primarily reside in Cairo, Egypt, with a secondary residence in New York City.
Nassef maintains a private lifestyle, avoiding media attention to focus on family and business.
Nassef’s philanthropy, including support for the Clinton Foundation and sustainable agriculture in Sudan, reflects his commitment to social impact.
Net Worth
Nassef Sawiris has a net worth of $9.6 billion USD, per Forbes 2025, making him Egypt’s richest person and the fourth-richest in Africa.
His wealth stems from a 38.8% stake in OCI N.V., a leading fertilizer producer, and Orascom Construction.
Additional sources include his 6% stake in Adidas, 5% in Madison Square Garden Sports, and V Sports’ ownership of Aston Villa and Vitória S.C.
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