Our Team
Meet the minds shaping sustainability
Our team blends expertise, innovation, and passion to create lasting environmental impact
Ayman Afifi
Managing Director of Mawael
Mr. Afifi, an environmental and conservation expert with 30 years of experience, specializes in marine and coastal ecosystems. Holding a master’s in Oceanography, he began his career in 1995 as a researcher and park ranger in Southern Sinai, later becoming the first ranger and park manager in the Red Sea and Acting General Manager of the Red Sea Protectorates.
His expertise includes marine biodiversity conservation, coastal zone management, environmental impact assessment, and marine protected area (MPA) management. With strong GIS and remote sensing skills, he holds PADI certifications in advanced diving and underwater photography. He played a key role in establishing three protected areas in Egypt and has managed major donor-funded projects, including multimillion-dollar marine conservation initiatives in Qatar.
mahmoud Fouad
Co- Managing Director of Mawael
Mr. Fouad, a Marine Biologist with over 20 years of experience in environmental and conservation management, holds an M.Sc. in Marine Ecology. He started as an Environmental Researcher in Southern Sinai before advancing to Acting Assistant Director of the Nature Conservation Sector.
Transitioning to the private sector in 2012, he became a Senior Consultant at Environics, contributing to major coastal management, tourism, and offshore/onshore oil and gas projects across Egypt’s Mediterranean and Red Sea regions. His expertise includes marine surveys, ESIA, and IESIA studies.
He played a key role in cetacean conservation, mentoring Egypt in the MedPAN South – WWF Mediterranean project, joining MedPAN’s Board in 2013, and developing Egypt’s national cetacean action plan. His conservation efforts span evaluating medicinal plant projects, leading national cetacean monitoring, and promoting public awareness in migratory bird conservation.
Mostafa M. Fouda
Prof. Fouda, an expert in biodiversity and marine conservation, currently serves as the Minister of Environment Advisor on Biodiversity. He is a member of IPBES’s Multidisciplinary Panel and the CITES Animal Committee, as well as chairman of Egypt’s IUCN National Committee. He has chaired numerous international marine workshops and was Director of the Nature Conservation Sector at EEAA, overseeing over $30 million in conservation projects.
He is Egypt’s focal point for global environmental conventions and has extensive experience in wildlife conservation, marine biodiversity, and protected area economics. Previously, he held academic and advisory roles at Sultan Qaboos University, UNEP, and NOAA. Since earning his Ph.D. in 1980, he has supervised over 120 theses and published around 200 papers on marine policy, biodiversity, and environmental impact assessment.
Sameh A. Sakr
Prof. Sakr, a seasoned expert in water resources planning and management, has over 30 years of experience at Egypt’s Research Institute for Groundwater. His research spans hydrogeology, groundwater hydraulics, contaminant transport modeling, seawater intrusion, aquifer remediation, watershed management, integrated water resources management, and environmental impact assessment (EIA).
He has contributed to projects on water harvesting, flood protection, water demand forecasting, and agricultural drainage reuse. His expertise extends to project management, stakeholder participation, and monitoring and evaluation. Prof. Sakr’s work has had a broad geographic scope, covering Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Sudan, Libya, Syria, and the USA.
Samir abo-Hadima
Prof. Abohadima, an expert in mathematical modeling, numerical simulation, and fluid mechanics, has 25 years of experience. After earning his B.Sc. in Aeronautical Engineering from Cairo University in 1991, he completed a Diploma in Physics in 1992 and later developed a nonlinear numerical model of wave transformation during his Ph.D. at Tokyo University.
He served as General Manager of ASI’s Egypt branch for over 14 years and was promoted to Associate Professor at Cairo University in 2006. His expertise spans hydrodynamic modeling, tidal analysis, water quality studies, sediment transport, oil spill modeling, and environmental impact assessments. He has contributed to global projects in Japan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Morocco, UAE, the Philippines, Bulgaria, Mozambique, and Egypt, and provided consultancy at Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research.
Amir Gohar
Dr. Gohar, an expert in urbanism, tourism planning, and sustainable development, has nearly 20 years of experience working across diverse environments, from open landscapes to dense urban centers and historic neighborhoods. He is committed to balancing urban growth with environmental protection.
Holding a doctorate, a master’s in Urban Design from Oxford Brookes University, and a diploma in Land Management from Erasmus University, he has collaborated with major international agencies such as USAID, UNDP, UN-Habitat, and AKTC. His project portfolio includes work with renowned architectural and urban development firms across various sectors, contributing to sustainable urban planning and design initiatives.
Nihal Al-Sabbagh
Dr. Nihal Al Sabbagh, a leading Sustainability Architect, holds a Ph.D. from the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London, where she researched walkability and thermal comfort in Dubai. She also earned an M.Sc. in Sustainable Design from the British University in Dubai and CardiQ School of Architecture.
As Founder and Design Director of Environas, she drives projects that prioritize user comfort and sustainable building practices. She serves as Adjunct Faculty at multiple universities and actively contributes to international conferences, publications, and green initiatives. Her work integrates microclimatic analysis and energy simulation to enhance comfort in hot urban environments.
Usama El-Faramawy
Eng. Faramawy, a seasoned expert in meteorology, has over 35 years of experience in numerical weather prediction, air quality modeling, and emission inventory projects. Holding a master’s degree and a diploma in Meteorology, he has contributed numerous research publications in international journals.
Since his appointment to the Egyptian Meteorological Authority in 1988, he has led scientific investigations using advanced air quality and meteorological models, developed new modeling tools, analyzed environmental data and policies, and communicated findings through reports and consultations.
Hammam Naguib
Eng. Hammam, a seasoned GIS team lead with a BSc in Urban Planning, brings nearly 20 years of expertise in engineering and environmental consultancy. He excels in geospatial data analysis for environmental impact assessments, strategic planning, and infrastructure projects.
His specialization includes spatial data collection, geospatial database management, environmental mapping, land use analysis, habitat mapping, visual impact assessment, site suitability analysis, linear reference analysis, 3D modeling, and automated geoprocessing.
