Ghada Hamouda...carrying the banner of sustainability for the Qalaa Group

Ghada Hamouda...carrying the banner of sustainability for the Qalaa Group

On this day - the eighth of March - we celebrate every year “International Women’s Day”, as the United Nations and UNICEF celebrate it, in addition to a large number of institutions and countries around the world. This is to highlight the effective role of women in sustainable development, support the empowerment of women, enhance their rights, and protect them in a way that ensures the fulfillment of the aspirations and hopes of half of society.

In this year’s celebration, “Earth Guards” participates by highlighting a group of the most prominent Egyptian female models, who were able to exceed the limits of societal expectations, to achieve many achievements on the scientific and practical levels; So we celebrate “International Women’s Day” with you. To identify these honorable role models, as the magazine seeks to inspire all women, support their empowerment, and highlight their role in achieving sustainable development. The heroine of this article is “Ghada Hamouda”.

Ghada Hamouda holds a Bachelor’s degree with honors in Business Administration and Media from the American University in Cairo, in the year 1984 AD, and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Cairo University, in the year 2009 AD. She currently works as head ofSustainability and Marketingsector atQalaa Group.

One of the highlights of her career is her selection amongthe 50 most influential women in Egypt, and she is an independent member of the Sustainability Committee of the Egyptian Stock Exchange, and a member of the “Forbeslist.” Among the 50 most influential leaders in the field of marketing and communication in the Middle East. She is a founding member of the Egyptian Network of the United Nations Global Compact Initiative, a member of the jury of the “Takreem” initiative, and she is a guidance advisor to the Egyptian Banking Institute and the Endeavor Foundation.

She is also an expert in the fields of strategic planning, marketing, sustainability, corporate reputation management, and mobilizing interest and support for issues occupying the public sphere. Hamouda is considered the most prominent advocate and speaker on issues of responsible investment, crisis management, sustainability, gender equality, youth empowerment, and education.

Ghada Hamouda began her successful career through her work - for a short period - in the National Council for Motherhood and Childhood and the Industrial Modernization Center in Egypt. Then, in 2008, “Hammouda” joined the Qalaa Group, a leader in energy and infrastructure investments in Egypt and Africa. Its role was pivotal in implementing the public offering of the company’s shares, and in implementing the strategic transformation plan into an investment company, in addition to expanding the company’s operations in African markets in a group of promising sectors, such as waste recycling and river transport projects, as well as developing the company’s social development programs.

Hammouda was the first to assume the position of leading sustainability activities at the Qalaa Group, through which she implemented the sustainability strategy at the level of Qalaa Holdings and its subsidiaries. To contribute to achieving the company’s goals, and to develop strategies of an institutional nature for sustainability activities, through the general framework of the company’s governance and its daily practices, while adopting global standards and guidelines related to environmental impact and social responsibility.

Before Ghada Hamouda joined the Qalaa Group, her career was filled with illustrious positions - both executive and advisory - where she had the greatest impact over a period of 20 years in a number of prominent companies in New York and Europe, such as: IBM, AT&T International, Mars, Philip Morris, Procterand Gamble, Reciprocal Inc, WPP’s, and others. They are companies operating in the fields of consumer goods, information technology, and direct investment, in addition to their extensive experience in developed and emerging markets.