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Forbes Middle East featured Nour Elzeny among “Most Influential CMOs 2026” list.

Forbes Middle East featured Nour Elzeny among “Most Influential CMOs 2026” list.

Forbes Middle East featured Nour Elzeny, Head of Financial Inclusion, Corporate Communications, and CSR at Suez Canal Bank, among its Most Influential CMOs 2026 list, a list that recognizes outstanding executives leading marketing strategies, corporate communications, and brand building across the region’s leading organizations.

The list was compiled by Forbes Middle East in partnership with Salesforce. Egyptians ranked first this year with 21 leaders featured on the list, including 12 Egyptian women. The selection was based on several criteria, including the candidate’s overall professional experience, the impact and scale of the campaigns and initiatives they lead, their memberships and contributions to professional organizations and associations, participation in industry events and conferences, and their ability to leverage modern technologies and artificial intelligence tools in developing corporate communications strategies.

This recognition reflects Suez Canal Bank’s strategic approach to corporate communications as a key driver of corporate reputation, business growth, and the Bank’s competitive position in the market.

As for the external communications, the Bank strengthened its media presence by building strong relationships with media outlets and managing press releases, media interviews, executive appearances, and digital media campaigns. These efforts significantly increased the Bank’s earned media value, which reached an estimated (PR Value) EGP 122 million, while the advertising value equivalent (AVE) reached approximately EGP 35 million. This demonstrates the Bank’s success in combining earned media with paid media to maximize visibility while maintaining institutional credibility and consistently communicating the Bank’s strategic vision and messages.

The Bank also participated in nearly 50 conferences and events, strengthened relationships with business communities and business associations, and built strategic partnerships that reinforced its position as an active partner in Egypt’s economic ecosystem.

In addition, the Bank participated in local, regional, and international awards and rankings, reflecting the growing external recognition of its performance. During 2025, Suez Canal Bank received approximately 41 awards and recognitions, including Forbes, the Financial Times, Euromoney, and other prestigious institutions.

The Bank also integrated products handcrafted by Egyptian women and young entrepreneurs into its corporate gifts presented to employees and clients, supporting local craftsmanship while reinforcing the Bank’s institutional identity and its new brand launch.

The Corporate Communications Sector also led the organization of Suez Canal Bank’s new brand identity launch at the Giza Pyramids. The event welcomed senior government officials, business partners, clients, and influencers, and featured global superstar Katy Perry in her first-ever appearance in Egypt.

The event successfully promoted Egypt internationally while significantly enhancing the Bank’s media presence. It generated 198 million social media views, achieved an 80% advertisement recall rate, increased customer engagement by 1,017% across social media platforms, reached an 89% positive brand perception, and improved the Bank’s overall brand image by 81%.

The Corporate Communications Sector also organized the Bank’s Town Hall meeting for the second consecutive year, bringing together more than 1,500 employees, further strengthening internal communication, and reinforcing employees’ connection to the Bank’s vision and new brand identity.

On the internal communications, the Bank launched and organized a wide range of initiatives and events throughout the year to strengthen employee engagement and foster a culture of appreciation. These included regular meetings with the executive management, recognition of employees’ professional achievements and their children’s academic excellence, honoring exemplary mothers, as well as a variety of women empowerment initiatives.

These efforts also included organizing internal exhibitions and bazaars across the Bank’s premises, making it easier for employees to purchase seasonal products at competitive prices while promoting locally made handicrafts produced by women entrepreneurs and young talents.

For the first time in the Egyptian banking sector, the Bank organized a SPA Day for its female employees, allowing them to select their preferred wellness sessions and appointment times through an internal online registration platform. Nearly 300 employees benefited from the initiative. In addition, all female employees of the Bank, totaling around 450 employees, received a commemorative gift, a leather handbag handcrafted in Egypt by a promising local brand.

To celebrate Father’s Day, the Bank organized a local products exhibition supporting young entrepreneurs, in addition to providing recreational activities such as PlayStation and football games. Every father working at the Bank, totaling more than 1,430 employees, also received a personalized mug featuring his name.

The Bank also encouraged employees to participate in external conferences and exhibitions to enhance learning opportunities and expand their professional networks. Other initiatives included the monthly employee newsletter, which highlights the Bank’s latest news, achievements, and employees’ social milestones, organizing a marathon and Ramadan football tournament to promote a healthy lifestyle, and launching the internal talent competition “Fe Bankena Negm”, with the participation of 30 employees, where the top five talents were recognized.

As part of its commitment to promoting volunteerism and community engagement among employees, the Bank launched the CSR Ambassadors initiative, through which employees participate in a variety of volunteer activities, including decorating hospitals during Ramadan, distributing gifts to patients, and supporting initiatives led by the Central Bank of Egypt’s Central CSR Department, such as “Eid Farha” and “Ketaby Hadyaty”, encouraging both employees and customers to donate in support of underprivileged communities.

In the field of Corporate Social Responsibility, Suez Canal Bank has moved beyond the traditional concept of charitable donations by adopting a sustainable impact approach focused on empowering vulnerable groups, in line with Egypt Vision 2030 and the Central Bank of Egypt’s directions. During 2025, the Bank implemented around 11 CSR initiatives and projects covering economic empowerment, healthcare, and social solidarity.

Among its flagship initiatives in economic empowerment was supporting the release of 26 indebted women in cooperation with El Masry Foundation for Development and Education as the first phase of the program, followed by a second phase that empowered 10 beneficiaries to establish small income-generating businesses by providing sewing machines, equipment, raw materials, and specialized vocational training. A third phase is planned to support the sustainability of these businesses through product marketing and literacy programs.

The Bank also launched the Sekket Rizk initiative in partnership with Sanaa El Kheir Foundation and Talabat Egypt. The initiative aims to integrate 55 young men and women from orphanages into the labor market by donating motorcycles, opening personal bank accounts to help them manage their income independently, and creating employment opportunities through Talabat Egypt.

The Bank further supported the Marakeb El Rizk initiative in cooperation with Sanaa El Kheir Foundation by providing 50 fully equipped fishing boats benefiting 100 fishermen from underprivileged families in Suez Governorate. It also partnered with Omneya Misr Foundation for Development by donating seven production machines for leather, textile, and wooden products to create sustainable employment opportunities for people with hearing impairments and women breadwinners in Giza and Fayoum Governorates.

The Bank’s CSR efforts also extended to the healthcare sector by contributing to the establishment of a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation and supporting the development of the cardiology department at Old Cairo Mabara Hospital, designed to receive approximately 300 patients per month from all governorates.

In the area of social solidarity, the Bank donated Ramadan food boxes benefiting 2,000 underprivileged families across Egypt in cooperation with the Egyptian Food Bank and participated in the Adahi Sukuk initiative with the Egyptian Ministry of Awqaf to provide meat to families in need nationwide.

These efforts were recognized through 6 local and international CSR awards during 2025, including awards from the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), Gazet International Global Magazine, Women’s Tabloid, and World Business Outlook.

In the field of Financial Inclusion, the Bank continued to actively participate in initiatives and campaigns launched under the sponsorship of the Central Bank of Egypt as part of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy, with the aim of promoting financial literacy and expanding access to financial services across different segments of society. More than 2,500 beneficiaries participated in the Bank’s financial awareness sessions and activities during the year. The Bank also implemented internal awareness programs and interactive competitions for newly hired employees to strengthen their knowledge of financial inclusion products and services.

As part of the Financial Inclusion for Youth events, the Bank organized awareness activities across several of its branches, including financial literacy sessions and interactive competitions. Employees’ children, relatives, and friends were invited to participate, while customers were encouraged through promotional campaigns to open “Bedaya” Financial Inclusion Accounts, available for youth starting from the age of 15, helping them become part of the banking sector.

The Bank also participated in several high-traffic exhibitions and events, including Cosmo Gate on the North Coast and Torathna Exhibition, where it engaged directly with entrepreneurs and small business owners through awareness sessions introducing the Bank’s financial products and services and explaining how they can support business growth and financial management, contributing to greater economic empowerment and financial inclusion.

In addition, the Bank participated in a variety of events targeting different segments of society, including the ICT Exhibition, the EVs Electric Vehicles Exhibition, and the Egypt International Professional Golf Championship, as well as Farmers’ Day activities in cooperation with Ezraa Shagara Foundation. These initiatives aimed to raise financial awareness among youth, entrepreneurs, women, farmers, people with disabilities, and underprivileged communities.

The Bank also placed special emphasis on university students and young leaders by delivering specialized awareness sessions on Financial Inclusion and Corporate Social Responsibility during the fifth edition of the Nasser International Leadership Fellowship, attended by 150 young leaders from 80 countries. Similar awareness sessions were delivered to students at Galala University, graduates of the She Can Scholarship at the American University in Cairo (AUC), and participants at the Careerha Summit, where the Bank contributed to a panel discussion highlighting the role of financial inclusion in supporting working women and women entrepreneurs. Financial awareness sessions were also organized for members of El Seid Club, accompanied by commemorative gifts distributed in celebration of International Women’s Day.

Furthermore, the Bank participated in the fourth edition of the Top 50 Women Egypt Summit, introducing visitors to its wide range of banking products and services while delivering awareness sessions on the importance of financial inclusion. The summit also hosted the STEM & AI Challenge, which attracted more than 160 student projects from 28 Egyptian universities. Representatives from Suez Canal Bank’s Digital Transformation Sector served on the judging panel, and the Bank supported 3 winning projects by awarding financial prizes and opening “Bedaya” Financial Inclusion Accounts for the winners.