{{short description|Egyptian businessman (born 1961)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}} {{Infobox person | name = Nassef Sawiris | image = | image_size = | caption = | native_name = ناصف ساويرس | native_name_lang = ar | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|1|19|df=y}} | birth_place = Aswan, Egypt<ref>{{Cite news|title=Bloomberg Billionaires Index|language=en|work=Bloomberg.com|url=https://www.bloomberg.com//billionaires/|access-date=2021-02-25}}</ref> | death_date = | death_place = | education = Deutsche Evangelische Oberschule | alma_mater = University of Chicago | occupation = Businessman | title = Executive Chairman, OCI Global<br> Chairman, Aston Villa F.C. | spouse = Sherine Sawiris | parents = Onsi Sawiris | children = 4 | relatives = Naguib Sawiris and Samih Sawiris (brothers) | website = }}
'''Nassef Onsi Sawiris''' ({{langx|ar|ناصف أنسي ساويرس}}; born 19 January 1961) is an Egyptian businessman, and the youngest of Onsi Sawiris' three sons (his brothers are Naguib and Samih). As of January 2026, his net worth was estimated at US$8.5 billion,<ref name=Forbes>{{cite web|title=Forbes profile: Nassef Sawiris |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/nassef-sawiris/ |website=Forbes |accessdate=24 October 2021}}</ref> making him the richest Egyptian.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/lists/meet-2021s-arab-billionaires/ |title=Meet 2021's Arab Billionaires|magazine=Forbes|access-date=2021-06-07|year=2021}}</ref>
==Early life== Sawiris was born on 19 January 1961, in Aswan, Egypt, into a Coptic Christian family. He received his secondary education from the Deutsche Evangelische Oberschule Kairo.{{cn|date=August 2024}} He then continued at University of Chicago where he received a bachelor's degree in economics in 1982.<ref name=Forbes/>
==Career== Sawiris joined the Orascom group in 1982 and oversaw the construction activities of Orascom Construction following the transfer of management control from his father Onsi Sawiris in 1995. He became CEO of Orascom Construction Industries following the company's incorporation in 1998.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.orascom.com/about-us/our-history/ |title=Our History |website=orascom.com |accessdate=28 July 2018 |archive-date=23 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423080010/https://www.orascom.com/about-us/our-history/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> He served on the board of Besix, following OCI SAE acquiring a 50% stake in the company in 2004, and a member of the remuneration and nominations committee until 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.besix.com/en/about/-/media/Files/BESIX%20Group/Activity%20Reports/EN/BESIX-Group-Activity-Report-2017.pdf |title=Group Activity Report 2107 |website=besix.com |accessdate=28 July 2018 |archive-date=27 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727085026/https://www.besix.com/en/about/-/media/Files/BESIX%20Group/Activity%20Reports/EN/BESIX-Group-Activity-Report-2017.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
He was on the board of directors of the Cairo and Alexandria Stock Exchanges from 2004 to 2007, and was also a board director at the Dubai International Financial Exchange DIFX from July 2008<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nasdaqdubai.com/press/difx-appoints-nassef-sawiris-as-director |title=DIFX appoints Nassef Sawiris as Director |website=Nasdaqdubai.com |date=13 July 2008 |access-date=6 May 2016 |archive-date=24 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024091015/https://www.nasdaqdubai.com/press/difx-appoints-nassef-sawiris-as-director |url-status=dead }}</ref> to June 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nasdaqdubai.com/Default.aspx?PageID=9721128&A=SearchResult&SearchID=2107502&ObjectID=9721128&ObjectType=1 |title=Corporate Governance |website=Nasdaqdubai.com |date=13 July 2010 |access-date=28 July 2018 |archive-date=28 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180728191158/http://www.nasdaqdubai.com/Default.aspx?PageID=9721128&A=SearchResult&SearchID=2107502&ObjectID=9721128&ObjectType=1 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In January 2013, he became CEO of OCI NV<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oci.nl/about-ocinv/our-leadership/board-biographies/ |title=Board of Directors |website=oci.nl |accessdate=28 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124093253/http://www.oci.nl/about-ocinv/our-leadership/board-biographies/ |archive-date=24 November 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> when they acquired the former parent company OCI SAE.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oci.nl/about-ocinv/ourhistory/ |title=Our History |website=oci.nl |accessdate=28 July 2018 |archive-date=22 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122162718/http://www.oci.nl/about-ocinv/ourhistory/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2015, he was elected a board member of LafargeHolcim,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lafargeholcim.com/nassef-sawiris-board-directors |title=Board of Directors |website=LafargeHolcim |date=13 July 2008 |access-date=28 July 2018 |archive-date=29 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729051542/https://www.lafargeholcim.com/nassef-sawiris-board-directors |url-status=dead }}</ref> having served on Lafarge SA's board since 2008.
In October 2015, it was reported that Sawiris had acquired a stake in Adidas AG<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=The wealth of Egyptian billionaire "Nassef Sawiris" has increased more than 70% in less than a year|url=https://newsarea-me.com/article.php?id=10|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-28|website=NewsArea Middle East|language=en}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> via his investment company NNS Holding Sàrl Luxembourg.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.adidas-group.com/en/group/supervisory-board/ |title=Egyptian Billionaire Sawiris Discloses 6% Stake in Adidas |website=Wall Street Journal |date=30 October 2015}}</ref> In 2016 he was appointed supervisory director of Adidas AG, Herzogenaurach, Germany.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.adidas-group.com/en/group/supervisory-board/ |title=Supervisory Board |website=Adidas AG |date=31 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.adidas-group.com/media/filer_public/24/9c/249ce734-5921-43c5-9205-1e5f8b738155/cv_sawiris_en.pdf |title=Supervisory Board CV |website=Adidas AG |date=31 January 2016 |access-date=28 July 2018 |archive-date=29 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729013129/https://www.adidas-group.com/media/filer_public/24/9c/249ce734-5921-43c5-9205-1e5f8b738155/cv_sawiris_en.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In October 2020, Sawiris founded Avanti Acquisition Corp, a special-purpose acquisition company.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-10-01|title=Billionaire Nassef Sawiris and GBL-Backed SPAC Seek European Deals|language=en|work=Bloomberg.com|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-01/sawiris-and-gbl-backed-spac-bets-on-european-focus-to-stand-out|access-date=2021-02-25}}</ref> However, after failing to acquire another company, Avanti Acquisition was wound up in October 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Corp |first=Avanti Acquisition |title=Avanti Acquisition Corp. Announces Redemption of Class A Ordinary Shares |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avanti-acquisition-corp-announces-redemption-of-class-a-ordinary-shares-301642459.html |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=www.prnewswire.com |language=en}}</ref>
== Sports ownership == {{See also|V Sports}} Sawiris has invested heavily in the ownership of sports teams, particularly within association football. Alongside billionaire Wes Edens, Sawiris owns the football club holding company V Sports: who own Premier League team Aston Villa and a 29% stake in Primeira Liga team Vitória S.C.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=15 February 2023 |title=Club Statement |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2023/february/14/club-statement/ |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=Aston Villa Football Club}}</ref>
As of March 2021, Sawiris also owns a 6.3% stake in American company MSG Sports: whose assets include the NBA team New York Knicks and NHL team New York Rangers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=East |first=Forbes Middle |title=Egyptian Billionaire Nassef Sawiris Buys 6.3% Stake In Madison Square Garden Sports |url=http://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/billionaires/arab-billionaires/egyptian-billionaire-nassef-sawiris-buys-63-stake-in-knicks-madison-square-garden-sports |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=Forbes ME |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Aston Villa === In July 2018, a consortium consisting of Sawiris and fellow billionaire Wes Edens, referring to themselves as NSWE, purchased a 55% controlling stake worth £30m in English Championship club Aston Villa.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-07-20 |title=Egypt billionaire and Fortress founder take control of Aston Villa |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/4ee64a54-8c1f-11e8-b18d-0181731a0340 |access-date=2022-10-01}}</ref> The club had faced significant cash flow issues under previous owner Tony Xia, and faced a potential winding-up order by HMRC, following an unpaid £4m tax bill.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-06-05 |title=Aston Villa miss £4m tax bill deadline as chief executive is suspended |url=http://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jun/05/aston-villa-tax-bill-unpaid-wyness-suspended-tony-xia |access-date=2022-10-01 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref> Following the takeover, NSWE invested significant funds into addressing said issues.
Following a significant turnover of management and playing staff: including the appointment of former Liverpool executive Christian Purslow as CEO and the appointment of Dean Smith as manager, the club would be subsequently be promoted back to the Premier League. This included a period of Villa's longest ever winning streak of 10 games.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rudge |first=Dean |date=June 17, 2019 |title=This is how Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens transformed Aston Villa |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-sawiris-edens-avfc-16418422 |website=BirminghamLive}}</ref> Following promotion, NSWE bought out the remainder of Xia's shares to become sole owners in August 2019. This was done by taking on an unpaid £30m debt owed by Xia to former owner Randy Lerner.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-08-12 |title=Aston Villa owners buy out Tony Xia in debt financing play |url=https://www.sportspromedia.com/categories/finance-investment/investment/aston-villa-tony-xia-edens-sawiris-takeover/ |access-date=2022-10-01 |website=SportsPro |language=en-GB}}</ref>
Sawiris and Eden's ownership of Aston Villa has marked a period of heavy investment, with approximately £360m of debt-free share capital injected into the as of August 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Townley |first=John |date=2022-08-17 |title=Expert reveals what Villa cash injection means as NSWE make fresh pledge |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfer-news-nswe-24781391 |access-date=2022-10-01 |website=BirminghamLive |language=en}}</ref> Plans to expand Villa Park from 42,682 seats to over 50,000, including the demolition of the North Stand and the creation of a major retail venue, are at an advanced stage. The project is set to cost over £100m, and will be entirely funded by V Sports.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Townley |first=John |date=2022-08-17 |title=Villa face £400m transfer reality after Gerrard hands NSWE signings plea |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-face-400m-transfer-24775338 |access-date=2022-10-01 |website=BirminghamLive |language=en}}</ref>
In 2021, the NSWE holding company rebranded to V Sports, with a view of investing into other clubs around the world via a multi-club model.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Multi-club ownership groups take centre field across global football |url=https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en-pl/news/4b630140/multi-club-ownership-groups-take-centre-field-across-global-football |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=nortonrosefulbright |language=en-PL}}</ref>
=== Vitória de Guimarães === In February 2023, V Sports entered into an agreement to purchase a 46% stake worth €5m in Portuguese Primeira Liga team Vitória S.C. As part of the agreement, V Sports would invest an additional €2m into sporting infrastructure within the next 2 years, and provide a credit line of up to €20m.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-14 |title=Parceria da V Sports com o Vitória Sport Clube - Vitória Sport Clube |url=https://vitoriasc.pt/en/2023/02/14/parceria-da-v-sports-com-o-vitoria-sport-clube/ |access-date=2023-02-15 |language=en-GB}}</ref> The agreement was ratified by Vitória's members on 4 March 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Townley |first=John |date=2023-03-04 |title=Vitória members approve investment from V Sports |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/vitria-members-make-decision-v-26387913 |access-date=2023-03-04 |website=BirminghamLive |language=en}}</ref>
==Other activities== * University of Chicago, Member of the Board of Trustees (since 2013)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://trustees.uchicago.edu/page/university-trustees |title= Board of Trustees |website=University of Chicago |accessdate=28 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/university-of-chicago-receives-20-million-for-egyptian-students/ |title= University of Chicago Receives $20 Million for Egyptian Students |website= Philanthropy News Digest |date=29 March 2015}}</ref> * Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), Member of the Global Board of Advisors<ref>[https://www.cfr.org/global-board-advisors Global Board of Advisors] Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).</ref> * Cleveland Clinic, Member of the International Leadership Board<ref>{{cite web|url=https://giving.clevelandclinic.org/recognition-societies/international-leadership-board |title= International Leadership Board |website=Cleveland Clinic Giving |accessdate=28 July 2018}}</ref>
==Personal life== Sawiris is married to Sherine, has four children, lives in Cairo, and maintains a residence in New York City.<ref name=Forbes/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://urbanwomanmag.com/meet-sherine-magar-sawiris-the-wife-of-egyptian-billionnaire-nassef-sawiris/|title=Meet Sherine Magar Sawiris, The Wife Of Egyptian Billionnaire Nassef Sawiris|first=|last=|date=27 April 2020|accessdate=27 April 2020|website=urbanwomanmag.com }}</ref> He is a Coptic Christian.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Naguib Sawiris: 'If God wanted women to be veiled, he would have created them with a veil' |url=https://www.arabianbusiness.com/culture-society/432946-naguib-sawiris-if-god-wanted-women-to-be-veiled-he-would-have-created-them-with-veil |access-date=2021-08-18}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}} {{Portal bar|Biography|Business|education|Egypt}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Sawiris, Nassef}} Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:Businesspeople from Cairo Category:Egyptian billionaires Category:Egyptian businesspeople Category:Egyptian nationalists Category:Egyptian people of Coptic descent Nassef Category:Coptic businesspeople Category:Coptic Christians Category:Coptic Orthodox Christians from Egypt Category:University of Chicago alumni Category:Aston Villa F.C. directors and chairmen Category:University of Chicago trustees