Mohamed El Kalla is the CEO of Cairo Investment and Real Estate Development (CIRA). He leads CIRA Education, a company listed on the EGX30 index of the Egyptian Stock Exchange, which won the award for the best initial public offering in Africa in 2018. Founded in 1993, the company has grown to become the largest provider of a comprehensive range of educational services in Egypt. CIRA owns more than 17 subsidiaries and brands, including the Futures Educational Systems school chain, Rising Stars, Mavericks, the British Columbia Canadian International School (BCCIS), and Badr University in Cairo.
The company’s investments include 26 campuses, serving more than 40,000 students across Egypt, with regional expansion plans. El Kalla also founded Ahead of the Curve after working for 10 years at the United Nations, focusing on development and corporate sustainability. This institution provides technical support to private sector companies in the area of corporate social responsibility (CSR). In 2011, Ahead of the Curve was restructured into a leading research center focusing on sustainable management and inclusive economies. El Kalla believes that the region urgently needs to develop local research centers to encourage the adoption of sustainable business models in the Middle East and North Africa.
El Kalla has extensive experience in sustainable development in private sector companies, educational investments, bottom-of-the-pyramid businesses, corporate governance, and CSR. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science, public law, and international law from the American University in Cairo. He began his career with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and later joined the UN Volunteers Program, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the UN Development Programme. He also contributed to enhancing support for the UN Global Compact in Egypt and other countries in the MENA region.
Additionally, El Kalla is responsible for establishing and managing over 100 development projects and fostering partnerships with the private sector. His initiatives include founding the Egyptian Corporate Responsibility Center and the Transparency Center at the Ministry of Investment.
