Sameh Fahmy

Position: Petroleum Minister

Biography: After 24 years' service with the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC), Sameh Fahmy was appointed Petroleum Minister in 1999. During his career, Fahmy has served on the boards of several major companies, including roles as chief executive officer of Middle East Oil Tankage & Pipelines (Midtap) and vice-chairman of Middle East Oil Refinery (Midor). As Petroleum Minister, Fahmy is a member of the Supreme Council of Energy. Fahmi has played a key role in formulating Egypt's government's gas strategy to 2017 and was a major contributor to the 2000-2020 strategy focusing on natural gas and related businesses. Fahmy graduated in chemical engineering at Cairo University in 1973 and completed a master's degree in national strategies and national planning at the National Defence College of Nasser Higher Military Academy in 1988.

Contact Tel: (+202) 2670 6401

Hany Elsharkawi

Position: President, Dana Gas Egypt

Biography: Listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), Dana Gas is the sixth largest gas producer in Egypt. It is the Middle East's first and largest private sector gas company. Hany Elsharkawi is responsible for managing all aspects of operations, exploration, business development and government relations in Egypt. Beginning his career in 1975 with the UK/Dutch Shell Group, Elsharkawi has been active in the oil and gas industry for more than 34 years working with companies including the US' ExxonMobil Corporation and Canada's Occidental Petroleum Corporation. Elsharkawi is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists, and Geophysicists of Alberta, and sits on the board of the Canada Egypt Business Council. He graduated in 1967 from Egypt's Alexandria University and completed a master's degree and a doctorate at the University of Manitoba, Canada, in 1975.

Contact Tel: (+202) 2754 5499

Sherif Ismail

Position: Chairman, Ganoub El-Wadi (Ganope)

Biography: Sherif Ismail was appointed chairman of Ganope by the Petroleum Minister Sameh Fahmy in 2008, replacing the retired Hassan Akl. Ismail is a former deputy chairman of Egyptian Petrochemicals Holding Company (Echem). Ganope, formerly the South Valley Development Company, was established in January 2003 to promote oil and gas exploration and development activities specifically in Upper Egypt. Ganope has awarded more than 10 exploration agreements to international companies since its establishment in 2003, accounting for 35 per cent of the company's operational area, in addition to 46 established exploratory wells. The appointment of Ismail was aimed at channeling his expertise in the natural gas sector to Ganoub's expansion projects. In addition to the development of old fields in Upper Egypt, the new development schemes will extend to Aswan by the end of 2009.

Contact Tel: (+202) 2268 6657

Mamdouh Mahfouz

Position: President, Sahara Petroleum Services Company (Sapesco)

Biography: A graduate of petroleum engineering from Cairo University in 1972, Mamdouh Mahfouz has more than 33 years' experience in the oil and gas sector. Mahfouz began his career with major international oil companies, including Italy's Agip, the UK/Dutch Shell Group and Spain's Repsol before joining Sapesco as president in 1995. Mahfouz is also vice-chairman of the International Association of Drilling Contractors. Sapesco began operations in Egypt in 1985, under a freezone authority licence, providing mine clearance services to support exploration and drilling companies in the Western Desert. It began international operations in 1994 when Sapesco won its first contract in Syria. In March last year, Mahfouz announced plans to begin operations in the semi-autonomous Kurdish northern region of Iraq, using its mine clearance expertise.

Contact Tel: (+202) 2516 2548

Abdel Alim Taha

Position: Chairman, Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC)

Biography: Abdel Alim Taha became chairman of EGPC in the autumn of 2006, having previously served as deputy chairman. Taha is also chairman of the Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute, which was established by presidential decree in 1974. He has played a key role in strengthening Egypt's oil and gas ties with China. In February 2008, the first Egyptian-made oil rig was manufactured by an Egyptian-Chinese joint venture. A memorandum of understanding was signed between the two governments in 2007 to build oil refineries, prospect for oil and develop wells. EGPC was established by the government in 1962 with full responsibility for all sectors of the Egyptian petroleum industry and holds the sole right to import and export crude oil and other petroleum products. It controls all or part of the capital of all Egyptian companies in the oil sector.

Contact Tel: (+202) 2706 5956

Mahmoud Latif

Position: Chairman, Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (Egas)

Biography: Mahmoud Latif became chairman of Egas in 2007, having previously been chairman of Shell Egypt (Badr El-Din). Prior to this, Latif worked for General Petroleum Company, a subsidiary of EGPC. Recognising the increasing importance of natural gas, both for domestic power generation and export, the Egyptian government created Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (Egas) in 2001 to manage foreign investment in exploration, production and infrastructure. Since its establishment, Egas has signed 23 agreements with 26 international oil companies from 18 countries. In March 2009, Latif called for an increase in Egypt's gas production to 10 billion cubic feet a day (cf/d) by 2011, from about 6 billion cf/d today. In an effort to reach this goal and to boost exports, in June 2009 Egas launched a new exploration bid round for acreage in the Mediterranean.

Contact Tel: (+202) 2405 5845