{"id":64443,"date":"2025-12-05T23:55:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-05T20:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arabmediaagency.com\/?p=64443"},"modified":"2025-12-05T23:55:01","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T20:55:01","slug":"hatem-hesham-tawfik-we-are-betting-on-the-future-of-solar-energy-and-suspending-the-circular-letter-puts-168-companies-at-risk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arabmediaagency.com\/?p=64443","title":{"rendered":"\u201cHatem Hesham Tawfik: We Are Betting on the Future of Solar Energy\u2026 And Suspending the Circular Letter Puts 168 Companies at Risk\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Cairo \u2013 Maii Abdo:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his calm, understated office at Cairo Solar\u2014one of the most prominent players in Egypt\u2019s solar energy market\u2014we sat down with Managing Director Hatem Hesham Tawfik, a man who chose the road less traveled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite holding Canadian residency and promising prospects abroad, he returned to Egypt determined to build something meaningful at home.His journey blends international education, entrepreneurial ambition, and a strong belief in the transformative potential of renewable energy. In this interview, Hatem shares\u2014for the first time\u2014the founding story of Cairo Solar, the company\u2019s financing strategies, insights into major projects, and the challenges facing the sector today, particularly the government decision to halt the circular letter regulating net-metering as of 31 December 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From Banking to Business Leadership<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hatem begins:\u201cI graduated from Cairo American college and then earned a degree in Economics from McMaster University in Canada. When I returned to Egypt, I joined CIB. My goal was to work in private equity, but hiring was frozen after the financial crisis, while banks were still taking people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was hired by Mr. Amr El-Ganainy, and I\u2019ll always be grateful for that opportunity.\u201dAfter two to three years in banking, he realized it wasn\u2019t his calling:\u201cI inherited the entrepreneurial mindset from my family. I wanted to create something of real value. I even considered charity work, but decided that I must first succeed in a tangible project\u2014then give back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning Home\u2014and Declining Canadian Citizenship<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2013, Hatem went back to Canada to complete his MBA. He became eligible for Canadian citizenship:\u201cI was offered permanent residency, but I felt a strong urge to live in my own country, in an environment that shaped me. So I chose to return to Egypt and build my future here.\u201d—The First Startup: A Sports App Before Cairo Solar<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During his MBA, Hatem launched his first entrepreneurial project:\u201cI developed an app\u2014through an Egyptian company\u2014that connects people who want to exercise together. It was accepted on Canada\u2019s Shark Tank and received excellent feedback. I began signing partnership agreements with major universities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n