Nationality Egyptian Name Basil El-Baz | Employer Carbon Holdings Education Government | |
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Occupation Industrial Entrepreneur |
Roundtable with Basil el Baz
Basil El-Baz is an Egyptian industrialist, entrepreneur and business executive serving as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Carbon Holdings, a mid-to-downstream oil and gas development company.
Contents
- Roundtable with Basil el Baz
- CNBC Arabia interview with Basil El Baz Chairman of Carbon Holdings during GE Customers Day Event
- Background
- Awards
- Appointments and Memberships
- References

CNBC Arabia interview with Basil El Baz, Chairman of Carbon Holdings during GE Customer's Day Event
Background

While studying government and economics at Harvard University, El-Baz developed the concept for building an ammonia plant in Egypt, which ultimately became Egypt Basic Industries Corporation (EBIC). He submitted a feasibility study on this concept and was awarded a grant by the United States Trade and Development Agency to conduct further studies.

El-Baz has developed and financed two major industrial greenfield projects in Egypt, Egypt Basic Industries Corporation (EBIC) and Egypt Hydrocarbon Corporation (EHC). EBIC represents and still is the only project to receive a comprehensive loan guarantee from the Export – Import Bank of the United States. Furthermore, EBIC is one of a select number of projects in Egypt to be financed entirely by consortium of international banks. The project had an approximate value of US$650 million at closing. EBIC proved to be successful and today is the 6th largest global exporter of ammonia. EBIC was eventually sold to Orascom Construction Industries.

Carbon Holdings’ second project, Egypt Hydrocarbon Corporation (EHC), with a transaction value of approximately US$550 million is considered as the first major industrial project to close in post-revolution Egypt. Construction of the second project commenced in August 2011 with commercial operation scheduled to commence during the first quarter of 2017.

In December 2012, Carbon Holdings concluded its US$114 million acquisition of the Egyptian polypropylene producer, Oriental Petrochemicals Company (OPC), which had been shut down since 2011. After a technical and commercial restructuring, OPC re-commenced commercial operations in the fourth quarter of 2015.
Carbon Holdings is developing the approximate of US$10 billion Naphtha Cracker and Polyethylene Complex project named Tahrir Petrochemicals Corporation (TPC). It is anticipated that the project will be financed entirely by the Export – Import Bank of the United States (US EXIM), the UK Export Finance (UKEF)and Overseas Private Investment Corporation of the United States (OPIC).
Awards
Appointments and Memberships
Presidential Appointments by the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt:
Appointed as a member by the Minister of Investment of the Arab Republic of Egypt to:
Appointed as a member by the Minister of Trade and Industry of the Arab Republic of Egypt of the following business councils:
- US - Egypt Business Council: 2009 - 2011 / 2012–present
- Italian - Egyptian Business Council: 2012–present
- Egypt - UAE Business Council: 2015-present
- Egypt - Korea Business Council: 2015-present
- Egypt - Saudi Arabia Business Council: 2012 - 2013
Other appointments & chairmanships: