Dr Ahmed Mohamed Shalaby Ph.D is the Managing Director of Tatweer Misr and a member of its board of directors, a position he has held since mid-2014 when the company was established. In addition to his work with Tatweer Misr, Dr Shalaby is also a Professor of Architecture and Urban Development at the Department of Architectural Engineering at Cairo University, Egypt, and a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Department of City and Regional Planning at Cornell University, USA.
Education
Dr Shalaby holds a degree in architectural engineering, which he received in 1993 as well as a Ph.D in urban planning, which he received in 2003 through a joint program between Cairo University, Egypt, and Cornell University, USA.
Experience
Prior to joining Tatweer Misr, Dr Shalaby spent a year working at El Mostakbal for Urban Development, where he held the position of Advisor to the Chairman. During his time with El Mostakbal, Dr Shalaby played an integral role in the development of Mostakbal City—the largest planned mixed-use development in the New Cairo area.
An established engineer in the field of architecture, urban development and a real estate expert in his own right, Dr Shalaby’s professional career began in 1993, starting out as a faculty member at Cairo University and a prominent architectural engineer.
Dr Shalaby has over a decade of experience in the development and management of major real estate portfolios in Egypt, working with Al Fawares Holding, where he was responsible for the real estate investments, in addition to his work for the Egyptian Ministry of Housing, Infrastructure, and Urban Communities as a Technical Advisor to the Minister.
Areas of Expertise
In addition to his academic experience as a professor in Egypt and the USA, Dr Shalaby’s areas of expertise include extensive planning and business management, urban planning and architecture, and real estate development.
What have been the main lessons you have learned in your career and how do you implement them in your management?
The main and most important lesson that I have learned in my career is “innovation”. You should be innovative in everything you do. Think out of the box and amazing ideas will come your way. Success is mainly built on teamwork, creativity and innovation. Through this, implemented in our management style by the team, Tatweer Misr has become a leader in its field in only two years.
Mentors
My mentor was and still is Professor David B. Lewis, my advisor at Cornell University. Besides his academic support, he taught me the importance of innovation, teamwork and networking. Innovation makes a difference in all aspects of life, teamwork is the key word for urban planning and development, and networking helps the person understand more about life through meeting different types of people.
Quotes
“The world will not evolve past its current state of crisis by using the same thinking that created the situation” – Albert Einstein.
Website
Dr Shalaby on YouTube
