Amr El-Samra
عمرو السمرة Amr El-Samra (‘Amrū al-Samra) | |
|---|---|
File:Amr El Samra portrait.jpg CEM.Concern Insignia | |
| Chairman of the Board of CEM.Concern | |
| In office September 20, 2007 – present | |
| Board Member of Egyptian Sri Lankan Business Council | |
| In office March 14, 2004 – June 30, 2006 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Amr Ibrahim El-Samra December 30, 1966  Egypt |
| Nationality | Egyptian |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse(s) | Rihab Moussa (m. 2008–present) |
| Children | Seif El-Din El-Samra Haya El-Samra |
| Parents | Ibrahim El-Samra Affaf Koura |
| Residence | Egypt |
| Alma mater | The American University in Cairo (B.A.) The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) |
| Profession | Businessman (Cement, FMCG) Business Developer Marketing Professional |
| Awards | Honor Award from the Collège de la Sainte Famille Scientific excellence Reward from the Ministry of Education (Egypt) Arts Award from the American University in Cairo |
| Signature |  |
| Website | https://www.facebook.com/amro.elsamra |
Amr Ibrahim El-Samra ([undefined] error: {{lang-xx}}: no text (help), pronounced [ˈʕɑmɾe ʔibraːˈhiːm esˈsamra]); (born December 30, 1966) is an Egyptian collector and businessman who served as the Chairman of the Board of CEM.Concern from 2007 to present. He was the youngest Egyptian Fan to collect antiques. His hobby focused on collecting silver antiques through his intimate knowledge of Atef Wassef Silversmiths, a family business for 3 generations dedicated to the trading of silver antiques in Egypt. Professionally an Egyptian marketer and business developer, he served as Director of Marketing and Operations of Delta Group from 1998 to 2006. He is a very internationally minded and business astute person and at the same time extremely hospitable and communicative.
Amr El-Samra was educated in foreign private schools and universities; he was later granted a scholarship from Beleidy Group to prepare for an Accreditation degree in Marketing in the United Kingdom. Samra was a Participant of Seminar Camp at CISV International in 1983 and 1984, and a Board Member of Egyptian Sri Lankan Business Council. He became Chairman of the Board of CEM.Concern in 2007.
A number of his family members are leading men. He is the grandson of Egyptian Industrialist Hassan El-Samra one of the early pioneers of textile industry in Egypt where major changes came to the textile industry during the 20th century, and he is the nephew of Lt Gen Ibrahim El-Orabi Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces at the beginning of the era of former President Hosni Mubarak, and the relative of Dr. Mohamed Fayad, one of the most famous doctors who were born in Egypt in the modern era in the field of obstetrics and gynecology surgery.
Early life[edit]
Childhood: 1966-1984[edit]
Amr El-Samra was born on 30 December 1966 at Magdi Pasha Hospital in Giza Governorate, in the district of Dokki, the first son of Affaf and Ibrahim El-Samra. Samra's father was a textile engineer born in El-Mahalla El-Kubra Gharbia Governorate and raised in Cairo. His mother's family came from Zagazig Sharqia. His parents married in 1964, and later had two children, Amr and Farah. Samra's father, Ibrahim El-Samra, was General Manager of Misr Spinning and Weaving Company. ElSamra's mother, Affaf Koura, was the Secretary Editor of Egyptian Radio and television magazine and he was raised in Mohandessin Giza. Amr descent from Ashraf.
Of his early childhood, Samra recalled, "One of the most enjoyable moments of my life when I was spending the summer vacation at the home of my mother's family at Alsoerirh countryside, one of the villages of Sharqia Governorate and the house was located in the central of a Mango Garden which is the second oldest park of its kind in the governorate where I knew a lot of values, customs and traditions of rural. In this regard, there began with a group of native children in Sharqia and this strengthen my bond of the countryside and the land of Egypt and the Egyptian people, and never forget this period because it is the foundational period in the human personality, the foundation has been to still relied upon in my thoughts, my beliefs and my behavior."
In his youth, Samra was known as "Borry" among his family and friends, but asked to be addressed with his given name during his college years. Besides his native Arabic, Samra speaks French at the communication level which enables him during the twelve school years he spent at the Collège de la Sainte Famille, he speaks English as well at the communication level which enables him during the four years he spent at the American University in Cairo. He plays basketball, a sport he participated in as a member of his high school's basketball team.
Education[edit]
Amr El-Samra attended St. Joseph schools in Zamalek Cairo, and then joined the Collège de la Sainte Famille a private Jesuit French school for boys in Faggala Cairo in 1972. He was an honors student during elementary school, and every year was recognized for his academic achievement on lists published periodically throughout the school year. When he was in the eleventh grade, he enrolled in Art Section, and earned Thanaweya Amma (General Secondary Education Certificate (GSEC) and Scientific excellence Reward from the Egyptian Ministry of Education in 1984.
Following the completion of high school in 1984 he joined the American University in Cairo, where he completed the general requirements established by the University, and having satisfied the requirements of the Department of Economics-Political Science majoring in Economics and minoring in Business Administration was granted the degree of Bachelor of Arts on 11 June 1989.
Then attended a UK-based Chartered Institute of Marketing, offering professional development to marketing practitioners and obtained Accreditation degree in Marketing in 1991.
Internships[edit]
In his sophomore year, Samra applied for a summer training in 1987 (July / August), in the investment promotion unit at Misr Iran Development Bank (MIDB) and because of the growing business of the unit in that period and the small number of employees in the unit, and given for his remarkable performance of the work commissioned during the period of training, he has been applied for approval to extend the period of his training in the unit. The experience was successful by all standards.
CISV International:1983-1984[edit]
In mid-1983, he traveled for the first time to the United States (US) for three weeks in Jacksonville, and then for a week in Orlando where he participated in a camp-based program for 17-18 year olds, lasting 21 days that belongs to CISV International (formerly Children's International Summer Villages), a UNESCO partner Non Governmental Organization (NGO).
The 3-week seminar camp was preceded by 5 days stay at an American family in Jacksonville, the cultural center of the world and followed by one week camping at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, the most visited attraction in the world.
Samra returned to repeat the same experience in July 1984, where he traveled to the Netherlands for three weeks in Goirle and then for a week in Amsterdam, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe.
Samra exchanged letters with his friends and visited a participant named Yves Gonnet in Diekirch, Luxembourg after the end of the camp who in turn visited Samra in Cairo Egypt next year as well as the case for a participant named Anu Rikkinen from Mäntsälä, Finland who visited him. He stopped receiving messages at the end of September 1993 until the advent of Facebook and meet old friends again.
It has been pointed out that the opportunity created by him in the United States and the Netherlands to live with a variety of cultures in a climate of mutual respect became an integral part of his vision of the world, mainly to the values cherished by.
Marriage, family, and personal life[edit]
Samra was a private person, however, he never concealed his emotions and confided in almost all people. Privately, he lived a luxury life, refusing to drink alcohol or smoke. He was known for being both stubborn and loyal, and at times exhibited a quick temper. He was typically friendly and welcoming, and appeared relaxed in conversation with everyone. Constantly polite and courteous, he was attentive to everyone, irrespective of their age or status, and often talked to servants. He was highly image conscious, and throughout his life always sought out branded clothes and accessories.
Samra was married twice, fathered two children, had 2 stepchildren. He could be sometimes stern of his children, although he was affectionate with them. His first marriage was in September 1995; they divorced after 12 years in 2007. The couple had one son, Seif El-Din, was born on 1 June 1997, followed by a second daughter, Haya ("Jutta"), on 20 July 1999. The Samra children attended Lycée Français du Caire that belongs to the Embassy of France in Egypt.
ElSamra's second wife, Rihab Moussa-El-Samra, also came from Glim District Alexandria Governorate, although they, too, met in Cairo, where she was the Art Teacher and Coordinator at the International School of Choueifat. They married on his 42nd birthday in 2008.
His life and his hobbies[edit]
Amr El-Samra made several trips to explore the outside world, first in 1983 and was able to discover the United States (US) and at that time was a student at the school and in the year 1984 Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg and in 1991 the United Kingdom (UK) and in 1993 Denmark and Germany and in 1994 Switzerland and in 1995 Bahamas and in 1998 Sri Lanka and UAE and in 2000 Hong Kong and China and in 2002 India. Amr El-Samra was an artist and a painter in the art of portrait.
His hobby of collecting includes seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying, storing, and maintaining whatever items are of interest to him. He is sometimes generalists, accumulating merchandise, or stamps from all countries of the world. Other times, he focus on a subtopic within his area of interest, mostly antique silver.
He began collection in childhood while he continues to do so throughout his lives and usually modifies his aims later in life. He believes that the scope of collecting is unlimited: "If something exists, somebody somewhere collects them.
He is also fond of Greenery and became known for his beautiful eyes that see beautiful things.
Amr El-Samra was highly intelligent and urbanized, and cared for the famous brands.
Work career[edit]
Employment:1989-1998[edit]
Amr El-Samra began his career as an employee at Americana Egypt in the operation sector 1989, where he worked as Assistant Manager at KFC from December 1989 to March 1991. Samra resigned from Americana Egypt for a career change after working out at Americana for about a year and a half. He joined Beleidy Group (BG) in year 1991 and was appointed Brand Manager Old Spice - 4711 - Air Wick - Pond's and three months later he traveled to United Kingdom in a training mission at the Chartered Institute of Marketing and then was appointed Brand Manager Schwarzkopf & Henkel, one of the largest cosmetic companies in the market in year 1992.
Gained through his work as an employee at Americana Egypt work experience in management of regional companies, especially in the field of the fast food industry.
After two years in the Beleidy Group he jumped to Egitrade, where he was appointed Marketing Manager Kellogg - Rio-Mare, the most beloved canned tuna in Italy - Tulip, a leading food producer in Europe - Pillsbury - Eagle Snacks then was promoted to assume the position of Marketing Manager of the company, a local food importation and distribution company of international brands. In late 1993 he traveled on a working visit to Vejle, Denmark to agree on the executive steps for launching process for Tulip Food Company and still remembers the moment he saw the Flag of Egypt flutters on the corporate headquarters for welcoming his visit to the company followed by a visit to Bremen, Germany to participate at the Kellogg Mediterranean Area Sales Convention to share with Kellogg Company their 1994 marketing program, which was as expected .... the strongest ever! He finally concluded his mission by a visit to UHU GmbH & Co. based in Bühl (Baden), Germany to discuss business potential.
Samra joined Seti Grain a division of André & Cie Lausanne and one of the five largest grain traders in the world, where he was appointed Marketing Manager and three months later he traveled to Lausanne, Switzerland to practice the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT). It was planned that he moves to one of the divisions of the company spread all over the world, but he requested the administration to return to work again in the company's branch in Egypt that he certainly has regreted having taken such a decision.
After a year and a half he returned to Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector, where he was appointed Marketing Manager at Right Group, a local food trading & distribution company of international brands. He was appointed Sales and Marketing Manager for the Arabian Danish Food Industries Company (ADFI), a regional food and beverage manufacturing and distributing company of international brands and then was appointed Marketing and Operations Manager of the United Food & Consumer Goods (UFC), a regional food manufacturing and distribution company headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon.
Self-employment: 1998-present[edit]
For eight years he served as Director of Marketing and Operations of Delta Group from the year 1998 until 2006, a local importation and distribution company. In mid-1998 he traveled on a working visit to Colombo, Sri Lanka to sign sole agency agreement with Dilmah tea under which Delta Group became the sole distributor for Dilmah tea in Egypt and the preferred distributor in Iraq, Jordan and North Africa.
In 2004 he was elected a member of the first Egyptian Sri Lankan Business Council to increase the trade exchange between the two countries.
Achievements[edit]
- Amr El-Samra launched staple-free tea bag for the 1st time in Egypt.
- Amr El-Samra made Dilmah tea the official tea served in all EgyptAir domestic and international flights, to more than 75 destinations in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas and in all domestic and international airports in Egypt.
- Amr El-Samra made Dilmah tea the official tea served in all Accor hotels in Egypt.
- Amr El-Samra was the sole producer for N1 tea in all Carrefour stores in Egypt.
In late 2007 he had become Co-founder and Chairman of United Supplies and Agencies Corporation (CEM.Concern), a supply start-up joint-stock company founded by a group of young business executives & entrepreneurs and was registered one month later specialized in process equipment, production lines and plant facilities on a “turnkey basis” for major industrial players, mainly cement.
Vision, Hope and Enthusiasm to achieve sustainable business environment was the basic ignition for CEM.Concern to stand today as one of Egypt’s most efficient and competent Equipment Suppliers & Turnkey Contractors.
CEM.Concern is based in Cairo with an expanded reach in the MENA region.
The period in which Amr El-Samra took the presidency of CEM.Concern, was a critical period where the company faced stiff competition for the major players in the machinery industry.
Although Samra determined the broad lines, which was originally identified through an ambitious agenda for action during his presidency, priority has been changed significantly in the wake of the introduction of new licenses for cement factories in 2007.
Amr El-Samra received a great warmly during his visit to Shenyang, China, because the company in his era facilitated the promotion of cement machinery.
Egyptian politics[edit]
Egyptian revolution: 2011[edit]
Samra was present at the Tahrir square protests during the 2011 Revolution, first time was on February 1, 2011, a day before the Battle of the Camel and the second time was on February 4, 2011, to join thousands of other protesters against the Mubarak regime and overthrew President Hosni Mubarak in eighteen days that made it by far the most significant of the Arab revolutions for the fact that Egypt is not only the most populous of the Arab countries, it also has the largest, most militant and experienced working class in the region.
He is with the opinion that the fate of the ongoing Egyptian revolution will play a major role in determining the future not only of the wider Arab revolution but also the ability or inability of great powers imperialism and world capitalism to contain this unprecedented challenge.
Attended conferences and exhibitions[edit]
Kellogg Mediterranean Area Sales Convention[edit]
Amr El-Samra participated on 2 December 1993 at the Kellogg Mediterranean Area Sales Convention in Bremen, Germany to share with Kellogg Company their 1994 marketing program, which was as expected .... the strongest ever!
China International Food Industry Trade Fair[edit]
Amr El-Samra attended on Sunday, 6 December 2002 in Beijing, China the opening ceremony of the China International Fair for Food Industries allocated for food products and services.
Hotel Hospitality & Food Sri Lanka Exhibition[edit]
Amr El-Samra traveled on Monday, 20 March 2004 to Colombo, Sri Lanka to attend the exhibition for hotels, food and hospitality, the exhibition of professional trade forum for those working in the business for hotels, catering and tourism.
Scientific degrees[edit]
- General Secondary Education Certificate from the Collège de la Sainte Famille (Jesuit) 1984
- Bachelor of Economics and Business Administration from the American University in Cairo 1989
- Accreditation degree in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing in U.K 1991
Honours and awards[edit]
- Public
- Scientific excellence Reward from the Egyptian Ministry of Education 1984
- Private
- Honor Award from the Collège de la Sainte Famille (Jesuit), four times (1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976)
- Arts Award from the American University in Cairo 1988
References[edit]
External links[edit]
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