Seif El-Ashhab brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role, and has been tasked with driving the growth of Strategic Gears in the Egyptian market. On his arrival, we asked Seif four questions about his background and plans at the management consultancy firm.
You bring a proven track record in consulting to Strategic Gears. What areas of expertise do you focus on and what kind of projects have you’ve worked on?
I have over a decade of experience in strategy consulting and commercial advisory services. I specialize in strategy development and implementation, commercial due diligence, PMOs, change management, and corporate governance.
I have worked extensively as a strategy and business consultant across multiple consultancies, delivering impactful results for public and private sector projects in various industries including banking, maritime, healthcare, and fast-moving consumer goods, across many countries in the GCC and Africa.
During my tenure as a central banker, I played a pivotal role in establishing and overseeing the Executive PMO that operates under the Governor’s Office at the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE), successfully implementing numerous national initiatives that have had a lasting positive impact and contributing to the achievement of the CBE’s strategy and the overall Egyptian economy.
What are the key ambitions and strategic goals you’ve set for expanding and strengthening Strategic Gears in the Egyptian market?
My primary goal is to establish a solid foundation for Strategic Gears in Egypt, making it a hub of consulting expertise that can serve both local and regional markets. We aim to support our clients in navigating Egypt’s dynamic market environment.
One of my ambitions is to strengthen the firm’s presence by expanding into key sectors such as financial services, public sector reform, and digital transformation. We’re also focused on fostering an innovative culture that leverages both global best practices and local market insights.
What are the key segments of Egypt’s consulting market that Strategic Gears serves?
Strategic Gears serves a wide range of industries in Egypt, with particular focus on public sector reform and supporting the private sector in transforming their businesses to stay competitive in such an evolving market.
We support organizations in scaling and transformation by offering services such as strategy development and implementation, operational and organizational excellence, marketing strategies, and digital transformation support. Our expertise helps organizations optimize their performance and stay competitive in the market.
Additionally, with the growing push towards sustainability and ESG, we’re helping clients integrate these frameworks into their business strategies. The government sector, especially, is a key area of focus as Egypt continues to implement reforms and mega projects.
On what aspects do you feel that Strategic Gears differentiates itself?
What stands out about Strategic Gears is its deep understanding of local markets combined with its ability to bring in global expertise. While I’ve had the opportunity to work with multinational consulting firms, where the focus is often on global frameworks, and regional consultancies, which excel in market-specific insights, Strategic Gears blends both.
The firm’s agility and client-centric approach allow us to deliver tailored solutions quickly, which I find to be a key differentiator in the market. Additionally, Strategic Gears has a strong focus on long-term partnerships, prioritizing tangible impact and sustainable results for its clients.
Seif El-Ashhab holds a bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Engineering from London South Bank University, an MBA in International Business, and a DBA in Strategic Project Management. He also has completed the executive leadership program at UC Berkeley and holds a Six Sigma black belt.