Contact Financial appoints new CEO; total portfolio exceeds EGP 21B in 2024

Updated 6/10/2025 11:36:00 AM

Arab Finance: Said Zater has handed over executive leadership to John Saad, who assumed the role of Managing Director and CEO of Contact Financial Holding, according to an emailed press release.

This leadership shift coincides with Zater’s appointment as Vice Chairman of the group, which ended 2024 with a total financing portfolio exceeding EGP 21 billion.

Saad brings more than 20 years of diverse experience in commercial and marketing within the technology sector across various markets.

He began his career at one of Egypt’s largest telecom companies, where he advanced through several marketing roles before ascending to prominent C-level positions.

The new official served as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at key companies across Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. He also held the position of CEO at a leading digital entertainment platform in the MENA region and is the Co-Founder and CEO of one of the region’s leading AI-focused companies.

Saad commented on his new role: “It is an honor to be part of this Group, which has achieved a total lending of nearly EGP 75 billion since inception. I look forward to driving excellence by building upon these achievements, prioritizing customer-centricity, and developing innovative financing solutions, while preserving the Group’s strong foundation and deeply rooted values."

In capital markets, Contact maintained its position as a key player through Sarwa Securitization, as the group successfully closed its 45th bond issuance in 2024, valued at EGP 1.2 billion.

Accordingly, the total value of bonds issued in the Egyptian market and backed by portfolios generated by Contact hit around EGP 30 billion through 29 bonds.

Contact’s insurance division also registered a significant performance, with Sarwa Insurance, Sarwa Life Insurance, and Contact Insurance Brokerage collectively recording Gross Written Premiums (GWP) nearing EGP 7 billion by the end of 2024.