Board of Trustees

Founder of Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development

In 1977, Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish envisioned a project for sustainable development that would allow him to contribute to community-building, humanity, and healing the earth. He founded SEKEM in the desert to embody itself as a community in which people from all walks of life could work together, learn from one another, and help each other to sound as one in a symphony of harmony and peace.

SEKEM developed since 1977 providing services and thousands opportunities of employment. Schools, vocational training centers, and health services followed through rigorous effort and perseverance. In 2009, Heliopolis University completed the full circle of this series of developments as the first university for Sustainable Development in Egypt.

In 2003, Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish was awarded the Right Livelihood Award in Stockholm “for a 21st century business model which combines commercial success with social and cultural development”.

In 2004, the World Economic Forum designated Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish as an “Outstanding Social Entrepreneur” establishing the blueprint for the healthy corporation of the 21st century. In 2006, Dr Abouleish was one of the fifty people from all around the world instituting the World Future Council.

In 2005 and in 2010 respectively, The Medical University and the Technical University in Graz (Austria) awarded Dr Abouleish an honorary doctorate. In addition, he received various honors from several universities and syndicates in Egypt. He also received the First Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. In 2012, Dr Abouleish received the “Business for Peace Award” in Oslo, the highest distinction given to a businessperson for outstanding business accomplishments.

Board of Trustees

• • Mr. Helmy Abouleish – Chairman of the Board
  • Dr. Mamdouh Abouleish – Deputy CEO of SEKEM Holding
  • Mrs. Gudrun Abouleish – Member of SEKEM Holding
  • Mrs. Konstanze Abouleish – Member of SEKEM Development Foundation
  • Mrs. Mona Abouleish – Member of Abouleish Foundation
  • Dr. Kadria Abdelmotaal – Former Research Director at Heliopolis University
  • Prof. Dr. Hermann Becke – Ret. Vice President at University for Music, Graz
  • Mr. Rembert Biemond, MSc. – Independent Consultant
  • Prof. Dr. Marcelo Da Veiga – Founding President of Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences and Professor of Philosophy and Social Innovation
  • Mr. Amr El Seginy – Chairman of the Egyptian Junior Businessmen Association (EJB)
  • Prof. Dr. Gamil El Sagheir – Dean of the Faculty of Law, Ain Shams University
  • Prof. Dr. Abdel Hamid El Zoheiry – President at Euro-Mediterranean University (EMUNI)
  • Dr. Monika Griefahn – Institute for Media Environment Culture
  • Prof. Dr. Mohamed Yousri Hashem– President of Heliopolis University
  • Dr. Ragnhild Nielsen – Founder of Global Fair Trade, Norway
  • Prof. Dr. Hani Sewilam – Academic Director at the Technical University Aachen (RWTH)
  • Prof. Dr. Hans Suenkel – Former President of Graz University of Technology

Advisory Board

• Mr. Ulrich Walter – Founder and Chair of Lebensbaum
• Mr. Volkert Engelsman – Founder and Chair of Eosta
• Dr. Yasser Elshayeb – Professor of Engineering, Cairo University