In addition to taking the helm of his father’s growing company and guiding it into the conglomerate it is today, he was the founder and president of the American Chamber of Commerce, Egypt; the chairman of the Arab Business Council; and chairman of the Council of Advisers, MENA Region, at the World Bank. And this is not even close to the complete list. He also a member of the Initiative for Peace and Cooperation in Middle East, and he partnered with Emaar in its US$4bn project in Egypt (that has dissolved, but remains a testament to Gabr’s ability to attract investors and partners from around the globe).

The company Gabr was born into was founded by his father, a significant networker in his own right, and a former diplomat. ARTOC evolved from its initial focus on Egypt and established businesses all over the world. The group has interests in steel, art advisory, petroleum, electronics, real estate, flight services, construction, consumer products, and publications, and it conducts these activities in Africa, Europe, the US, and more recently in Asia.