The Afro-Asian Union (AFASU) honored Ibrahim El Shayeb, Chairman of Master Company Group, with its International Golden Award for Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Strategic Expansion in the hospitality and restaurant sector during a ceremony at Dusit Thani Cairo in New Cairo’s Fifth Settlement.
The award recognised El Shayeb’s professional record and the growth of Master Company Group, which manages and operates global hospitality brands across strategic locations and international airports. According to AFASU, the Golden Award is granted free of charge and only after a detailed evaluation by an independent international jury made up of experts, academics, and specialists.
Ambassador Alain St. Ange of Seychelles, a member of the AFASU Board of Directors and Head of the Awards Sector, played a central role in the recognition. A former Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, St. Ange explained how the nomination was assessed and why El Shayeb’s record stood out to the jury.
The ceremony drew senior officials, business leaders, and media from Egypt and several Arab, African, and Asian countries. Attendees included Major General Dr. Khaled Fouda, Advisor to the President of Egypt for Local Development and Cultural Heritage and Honorary President of AFASU; Dr. Hossam Darwish, President of AFASU; Major General Ashraf Abu Eish, Secretary-General; and Major General Dr. Ahmed Abdallah, former Governor of the Red Sea Governorate.
Ambassador St. Ange described the AFASU Awards as a growing international benchmark for institutional and leadership excellence. “The Golden Award is granted only after a meticulous evaluation process based on performance indicators and strict professional criteria,” he said. “The nomination of Mr. Ibrahim El Shayeb and Master Company Group received widespread acclaim from the international jury for its tangible achievements in management, innovation, and sustainable expansion.”
St. Ange also commended Egypt for its accelerated infrastructure development, which he said reflected real successes being felt by Egyptians. He urged the wider continent to take note. “Africa needs to appreciate and record its own successes if it wants the world to appreciate the seriousness of the continent,” he said.
Turning to his own country, St. Ange offered a reflection on what success can mean beyond economics. “Success is also a different thing to different countries. Political maturity is also a success,” he said, pointing to a decision by Seychelles’ current President, Dr. Patrick Herminie. “When he appointed me — someone who stood as a candidate for the island’s presidency against him only in September last year — to be his Ambassador at Large, this shows political maturity.”
Major General Dr. Khaled Fouda said honouring achievers sends a strong message about how a society values genuine accomplishment, describing El Shayeb as a national model who combines economic excellence with social responsibility.
Accepting the award, El Shayeb said the recognition belonged to his entire team. “This award honours every member of the Master Company Group team and all those who contributed to its journey,” he said, reaffirming the Group’s commitment to continued development and expansion in line with global quality standards.
The event opened with the National Anthem of the Arab Republic of Egypt, followed by remarks from Major General Ashraf Abu Eish. A documentary film traced the growth of Master Company Group. At the ceremony’s highlight, Dr. Hossam Darwish, Major General Dr. Khaled Fouda, and Ambassador Alain St. Ange jointly presented the award to El Shayeb. The evening also recognised several Arab social media influencers and content creators with Certificates of Excellence for their contributions to cultural and media communication.
