One of three brothers in Egypt’s richest family, Nassef Sawiris is in charge of construction company OCI, which at the beginning of last year received a $1 billion investment from a group of US investors led by Bill Gates. His family was strongly opposed to the Islamist government led by Mohamed Morsi and Nassef, along with his father Onsi, was issued a travel ban last year following a tax dispute. Throughout his tenure Sawiris has led investment strategies and international expansion, spearheading projects including a $1.4 billion fertiliser plant in Iowa US. In 2013 he was Forbes’ fifth richest Arab, with an estimated net worth of $6.5 billion.