Learn About the Biography of Dr. Manal Hussein Abdel Razek, the New Chairperson of Contact Financial Holding
Dr. Manal Hussein Abdel Razek: International Expertise Leading the Future of Non-Banking Financial Services at Contact
Learn About the Biography of Dr. Manal Hussein Abdel Razek, the New Chairperson of Contact Financial Holding
Dr. Manal Hussein Abdel Razek: International Expertise Leading the Future of Non-Banking Financial Services at Contact
Written by Mostafa Fekry
Contact Financial Holding (CNFN.CA), a leading company in the non-banking financial services sector, announced the appointment of Dr. Manal Hussein Abdel Razek—an eminent Arab and international figure with extensive global expertise—as Chairperson of its Board of Directors, effective Tuesday, April 28, 2026.
Dr. Manal Hussein Abdel Razek previously served as Chairperson of eFinance from 2005 to 2010, where she contributed to the company’s establishment and played a prominent leadership role in transforming it into a leading electronic payments platform in Egypt and the digital arm of the Egyptian government.
Dr. Abdel Razek boasts a distinguished professional career, broad expertise, and a proud national track record filled with achievements across economic, financial, and administrative fields.
She has held numerous leadership, executive, and advisory positions, most notably serving as Executive Chairperson of New City Housing & Development (formerly Orascom Housing Communities) since 2018, and Senior Advisor to TCI Sanmar Chemicals since 2019.
She also served as Chairperson of Orascom Hotels and Development Egypt (a subsidiary of Orascom Development Holding) from 2014 to 2020, Chairperson of Tamweel, Senior Advisor to Omnia Strategy LLP (led by Cherie Blair) in 2017, and Senior Advisor to Lazard Frères from 2014 to 2018. In addition, she chaired the Women in Business Committee at the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt for five consecutive terms.
In academia, Dr. Abdel Razek served as a Visiting Professor at the Faculty of Business Administration at Misr University for Science and Technology from June 2013 to September 2014.
On the governmental level, she served as First Assistant to the Minister of Finance from 2004 to 2013, and First Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Trade from 2003 to 2004. She also headed the Central Administration for Commodity Councils and SMEs and supervised the implementation of the SME Policy Development Project (SMEPOL) at the Ministry of Foreign Trade from 2002 to 2003.
She also supervised the Office of the Minister of Foreign Trade and foreign aid projects between 2001 and 2002, served as Advisor to the Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade for SME affairs, and acted as Project Manager for the Ministry’s Economic Management Capacity Building Project under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Dr. Abdel Razek also held multiple roles within economic reform and structural adjustment programs, serving as coordinator and supervisor for several UNDP programs at the Cabinet and the Ministry of International Cooperation, in addition to her role as Executive Assistant to the Chairman of Caltex Petroleum.
She completed her secondary education at one of Egypt’s most prestigious institutions, the English School in Heliopolis (formerly Al-Nasr College), then earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from the Faculty of Mass Communication at Cairo University. She later obtained a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the American University in Cairo, with a thesis titled: “Facilitating Regulatory Procedures for SMEs: The One-Stop Shop Model.”
She also earned a PhD in Public Administration from the Faculty of Economics and Political Science at Cairo University, with a thesis titled: “Managing the Transformation of the Informal Sector into the Formal Sector in the Arab Republic of Egypt,” which was recommended for publication and international circulation.
Dr. Abdel Razek reached the pinnacle of legislative work in Egypt, where she gained the confidence of the President of the Republic and was appointed as a member of the Shura Council, with her membership later renewed by presidential decree.
During her tenure, she served as a member of the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee of the Shura Council and was also a member of the Egyptian Businesswomen Council.
She completed the Executive Development Program for Leaders at Harvard University in the United States.
Dr. Abdel Razek authored a book titled: “The Regulatory and Legal Framework for Transforming the Informal Sector into the Formal Sector in the Arab Republic of Egypt,” published by Dar Al-Nahda Al-Arabiya.
She has held numerous high-level positions, including: Board Member of the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, Board Member of EgyptAir Holding Company, Board Member of the Fajr Egyptian-Jordanian Company for Natural Gas Transmission and Supply, Board Member of Misr Iran Development Bank, Board Member of Egyptian Banks Company for Technological Advancement, Board Member of eFinance, Board Member of Cleopatra Hospitals Group (CHG), Board Member of El Dawlia Real Estate Development, and Board Member of Premium Card Holding.
Dr. Abdel Razek has made extensive research contributions in the field of SME development, participating in the preparation of numerous studies, research papers, and working papers, as well as supervising research teams at the Ministries of Finance and Foreign Trade.
Her published research includes: “The Regulatory Framework for Formalizing the Informal Sector: International Experience and Its Application to Egypt” (Human Sciences Journal, Netherlands), “The Global Financial Crisis and Its Impact on the Egyptian Economy” (Al-Nahda Journal, Faculty of Economics and Political Science), and “The Transition from the Informal to the Formal Sector in the Egyptian Economy.”
She has also presented numerous specialized studies, including: simplifying SME-related laws and regulations, enhancing competitiveness, venture capital applications, export support, credit risk guarantees, financial leasing, enterprise classification, comparative government policies, policy formulation guides, and initiatives to attract local investment—among many others that have contributed to improving the business environment in Egypt.
This rich professional and academic journey confirms that the appointment of Dr. Manal Hussein Abdel Razek as Chairperson of Contact Financial Holding represents a strong addition that will enhance the company’s ability to continue growing and expanding in the non-banking financial services sector.
This appointment also reflects a clear direction toward leveraging nationally rooted expertise with a global dimension, strengthening the company’s competitiveness and supporting Egypt’s financial and economic transformation.
