Egypt seeks sovereign wealth fund boss

A general view of banks, hotels, office and residential buildings in the center of Cairo. (Reuters)

• Government announced formation of fund earlier this year
• Gas proceeds from Zohr field boosts government coffers

LONDON: Egypt is looking to hire a chief executive for its new sovereign wealth fund as it seeks to attract more foreign investment.
The government said in July it planned to create a fund with capital of 200 billion Egyptian pounds ($11 billion) to help maximize the value of state assets and boost investment from overseas.
The government this week placed adverts in the international press seeking a CEO to lead a “sophisticated, state of the art, institution that will work with the Government of Egypt to promote investment.”
Egypt’s financial position has improved following the introduction of structural reforms while at the same time benefitting from increased revenues generated by recently discovered gas reserves.
“The substantial progress made by the government in implementing reforms agreed with the IMF has imparted a degree of financial stability not present earlier in the decade,” Moodys said in a note last month.
“Primary deficits have shrunk and the debt burden has begun to fall. Foreign exchange buffers have been rebuilt. The government is in the midst of an ambitious structural economic reform program. And a degree of political stability has been achieved and seems likely to be sustained, increasing the likelihood that the general policy direction will be maintained.”
Vast gas discoveries in the vast offshore field known as Zohr has had a dramatic impact on government finances with some $10 billion in energy sector investment commitments annually over the next four years.