In September 2020, Omar El Hamamsy took on the role of CEO of Orascom Development, a real-estate-development and hospitality multinational based in Zurich, Switzerland, just six months after COVID-19 had been declared a global pandemic. It was also only seven months after the sudden passing of the company’s previous CEO. Orascom Development’s portfolio includes hotels, residential communities, and leisure facilities in North Africa and the Middle East as well as three countries in Europe.
The COVID-19 health and economic crisis has delivered a significant blow to the travel industry worldwide, resulting in an 84 percent drop in the number of international tourist arrivals.