Spain’s Konecta Group officially launched its regional headquarters in Cairo in the presence of Eng. Raafat Hindy, Minister of Communications and Information Technology. The landmark inauguration, attended by ITIDA CEO Eng. Ahmed El-Zaher and Vice CEO Eng. Mahmoud Safrata, marks Konecta as the first Spanish corporation to establish its Middle East and Africa (MEA) operational hub in Egypt.
Ahmed El-Harrani, Konecta’s Vice President for the MEA region, revealed that Egypt was selected to transition the group from a traditional multinational framework to full regional management led by Egyptian talent. Citing the nation’s advanced telecommunications and electrical infrastructure, El-Harrani highlighted Cairo as Konecta’s fastest-growing center in MEA—joining its network in Morocco, Madagascar, South Africa, and Saudi Arabia.
To back its expansion, Konecta signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ITIDA to inject $100 million into Egypt’s tech ecosystem over the next five years. The strategy aims to position Egypt as a global outsourcing and AI hub, expanding the company’s workforce from 800 to 1,000 employees by the end of this year, and ultimately scaling to 3,000 workforce opportunities by 2028, while maintaining a diverse gender ratio (currently 40% female to 60% male).
Pioneering Artificial Intelligence and Offshore Services
During the event, Konecta Egypt unveiled the establishment of its first-ever Global AI Center of Excellence—one of only two worldwide. The Cairo facility will serve as a core unit for software development and advanced digital solutions for international clients, including Silicon Valley tech giants. Egyptian developers already account for 40% of the global team driving the company’s proprietary “Agentic AI” platform.
Adopting a direct-contracting operational model, Konecta Egypt directly signs agreements from Cairo with European and American clients, exporting over 90% of its services. This approach secures direct foreign currency inflows into domestic bank accounts, framing Egypt as a primary, competitive alternative to traditional offshore markets like India. Today, 600 Egyptian specialists deliver multilingual services across 30 languages, managing accounts for global brands such as Lenovo, Hertz, and Beko, alongside operating the “Digital Factory” for Konecta Italy.
Investing in Local Talent and Upskilling
Underpinning its operational vision, Konecta emphasized its strategy to harness local human capital. El-Harrani explained that the company’s recruitment criteria for fresh graduates prioritize personal attributes—such as passion, agility, and learning aptitude—over strictly specialized technical degrees. He pointed to successful reskilling initiatives that have transitioned graduates from diverse fields, including medicine, into IT and AI roles.
Youth engagement in Konecta’s training programs has surged significantly. Applicants for the professional qualification and summer training programs jumped from 3,000 last year to over 8,000 this year, while the practical internship program drew over 30,000 applications, selecting 350 candidates to work on live enterprise projects. Konecta reiterated that continuous investment in human capital remains the cornerstone of its long-term growth across Egypt and the wider regional market.