Samih Sawiris received his Engineering Diploma in Engineering management from the Technical University of Berlin in 1980. He founded National Marine Boat Factory, followed by Orascom Projects for Touristic Development in 1996 and Orascom Hotels and Development in 1998; the latter two companies later merged to form Orascom Development Holding AG. He has served as CEO and chairman of Orascom Development Holding AG since its incorporation.