GC Influencers
Most Influential GCs - Egypt
Ayman Essam of Vodafone Egypt Telcommunications S.A.E.
Ayman Essam is a highly regarded lawyer who is a long-standing fixture of Egypt’s legal landscape; having occupied key roles both in-house and in private practice, he has been at the forefront of some of the country’s largest M&A and capital markets deals. He is widely acknowledged for his influence and contributions to the telecommunications sector in the country.
The company has remained busy in Egypt despite a challenging business climate. Although Vodafone abandoned its deal with the Saudi Telecom Company (STC) for the USD2.4 billion sale of its stake in Vodafone Egypt in late 2020, it is currently set to acquire a 20% stake in fintech players Bee and Masary, both subsidiaries of non-banking financial services provider Ebtikar, as part of its plans to support digital transformation and achieve financial inclusion in Egypt.
The company is also working with the Bank of Alexandria, one of the largest banks in Egypt, to launch a pilot nano lending service to consumers.
Essam initially joined Vodafone as senior legal manager in 2010, spending ten years with the company before joining Zaki Hashem & Partners, where he was responsible for overseeing the firm’s regional expansion. He joined Orange Egypt in 2012 as legal and corporate affairs director before returning to Vodafone Egypt in 2017 to take up the role of external affairs and legal director.