EXECUTIVE INSIGHTS: Episode 1 ft. Omar El Sahy, GM of Amazon Egypt
In the first episode of 'Executive Insights', GM of Amazon Egypt, Omar El Sahy, gets grilled about the historic acqusition of Souq by Amazon, and the future of e-commerce in Egypt and the Middle East.
In 2017, 12 years after it launched, the Middle East’s biggest e-commerce platform, Souq, was acquired by global heavyweight, Amazon, in a historic $580 million transaction. It was a watershed moment for MENA-born companies, a signal that the region can innovate, that the region can be part of a global stage, that it can have a say in the global conversation and offer its own solutions.
Right in the thick of it was Omar El Sahy, who moved from General Manager of Souq, to General Manager of Amazon Egypt. That transition in itself spoke volumes of Souq's impact and solidity as a company unto its own - he was trusted by Amazon to continue the good work he had contributed.
El Sahy boasts a long history in the e-commerce sector, one that existed well before joining Souq in 2012. He’d seen the best and the worst of the commerce sector at large, he’d seen it evolve and develop, and played his part in pushing the sector in Egypt to where it is now.
In the debut episode of StartupScene’s Executive Insights series, El Sahy recalls the arrival of Amazon, the changes that eventually came with the acquisition and his and Amazon’s role in an e-commerce sector that is booming not only in Egypt but the MENA region.
Shot at EEA Talks
Set Design: Esorus
Fashion Sponsor: Concrete
