Name: Rehab Sallam
Job title: General Manager, Head of International Relations
Organisation: The Egyptian Exchange
1. Brief description of nominee’s role and job.
I head International Relations at the Egyptian Exchange (EGX), leading engagement with benchmark providers, investors, exchanges, federations and market infrastructure partners. I work closely with regulators and internal stakeholders on market development and reform initiatives aligned with international standards, reinforcing EGX’s credibility and global accessibility.
Since joining EGX in 2007, I have progressed through more than six roles spanning FinTech project management, operations, corporate governance, investor relations and international relations. This breadth provides me with a holistic, institution-wide perspective in my current role.
2. Short bio (career highlights, education, interests/hobbies).
I have more than 20 years' experience across capital markets, banking, investor relations, corporate governance and FinTech project management. I played a key role in modernising EGX’s infrastructure and became the first woman to lead FinTech transformation initiatives at the Exchange, including the Electronic Membership System and the Online Disclosure System.
Delivered end-to-end in collaboration with EGX’s IT team, these projects covered business analysis, project management, training more than 400 stakeholders and drafting system manuals. They strengthened regulatory oversight, transparency and investor confidence.
Previously, I managed EGX’s representative office at the Egyptian General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), supporting local and foreign investors, and worked with ABN AMRO Bank’s Risk Advisory Services on EU-funded advisory projects for Egypt’s banking sector.
I serve on the World Federation of Exchanges’ Emerging Markets Committee and ASEA’s Capacity Building Committee, and oversee ASEA’s Sustainability Committee. I have also been selected to serve as a Board member of the Egyptian Exchange’s Sustainability Foundation.
I hold an MBA in Banking and Finance, a bachelor’s degree in Language and Translation, and certifications in financial analysis, trading, project management and legal translation. I am fluent in English and Arabic, with strong command of French. I am an international speaker and advocate for gender diversity. Outside work, I enjoy writing, reading and mentoring young women.
3. What were your professional highlights and challenges of 2025?
My key highlight in 2025 was activating the insiders’ data module within EGX’s Online Disclosure System. I initiated the project from scratch, defining its scope, architecture and objectives, and led its full implementation with the IT team.
The module allows listed companies to manage insider lists electronically in real time, strengthening insider trading monitoring, regulatory compliance and market transparency. Its continued expansion reflects alignment with international best practices.
A major challenge in 2025 was maintaining delivery amid leadership transitions, reporting to a third new management team as Head of International Relations. I acted as a continuity anchor, aligning evolving priorities with long-term institutional objectives to sustain progress and external partnerships.
4. Tell us about a few of your key achievements throughout your career?
At EGX, I became the first woman project manager to lead two major FinTech initiatives that transformed how the Exchange interacts with brokers and listed companies.
As Project Manager of the Electronic Membership System (MS-EGX), I led the design and implementation of a secure digital platform replacing manual processes with automated workflows. It enabled real-time broker monitoring, early risk identification and more evidence-based regulatory decisions.
I also led the implementation of the Online Disclosure System (ODS), creating a centralised platform for more than 240 listed companies to submit financial statements and material disclosures in real time. This reduced information asymmetry and strengthened transparency and investor confidence.
Beyond technology, these initiatives drove cultural change, promoting cross-department collaboration, data-driven decision-making and an innovation-focused mindset.
In 2024, I was recognised as one of EGX’s top employees, and in 2025 I was selected among 50 Egyptian women to participate in a CMI-Pearson certified women’s empowerment programme in partnership with the UN Global Compact Network Egypt.
5. What and who inspires, and has inspired, you to achieve your professional success?
I am inspired by the journey itself. Over nearly two decades at EGX, I have moved across multiple roles, each bringing uncertainty and self-doubt. Growth came from staying when stepping back would have been easier.
Each time I shifted roles – from membership and compliance to FinTech, corporate governance, investor relations and international relations – I believed I had reached my limit. Experience proved otherwise.
In 2023, I was entrusted with leading International Relations at one of the region’s largest exchanges. The transition was demanding, and at times overwhelming. What sustained me was commitment rather than confidence – the decision to keep learning and adapting despite uncertainty.
I am also inspired by women who lead with quiet strength, especially working mothers whose resilience often goes unseen. Experiencing different leadership styles taught me to lead with empathy, collaboration and support. Remembering what once felt impossible continues to shape the leader I strive to be.
6. How have you overcome setbacks, and what advice would you give to others dealing with setbacks?
Setbacks are part of leadership. The distance between who I was and who I am was shaped more by challenges than comfort.
I learned to treat setbacks as data – pausing, reassessing assumptions and recalibrating direction without losing momentum. Separating performance from self-worth was critical. In a VUCA environment, not having all the answers is not weakness; pretending to have them is.
My advice: do not personalise setbacks or allow them to define you. Progress is rarely linear, but persistence compounds. Every setback can be a barrier or a problem to solve. Choose the latter.
7. What advice do you have for other women who aspire to be in leadership positions? What is the biggest takeaway you want to leave with the reader?
Lead as yourself and do not let others’ perceived superiority make you doubt your ability. Every barrier you break becomes a bridge for another woman.
Personal roles such as motherhood or caregiving are not limitations – they deepen judgement and resilience. Empathy and life experience are leadership assets when combined with clarity and discipline.
Leadership is not a solo endeavour. Seek mentorship, build alliances and step forward even when you do not feel fully ready.
Titles follow results. Build credibility through consistent performance. Own your achievements. The first person you must convince of your capabilities is yourself.