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Mohamed Mansour receives honorary doctorate from North Carolina State University

By Profiley

 

Mr Mohamed Mansour, the internationally renowned Egyptian business leader and philanthropist, has been awarded an honorary doctorate by North Carolina State University (“NC State”), his alma mater
In recognition of his decades of life-changing philanthropy in Egypt and internationally, Mr Mansour was made an ‘Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters’, the highest honour the university can bestow, at a ceremony in Raleigh, North Carolina
In addition to receiving an honorary doctorate, Mr Mansour was invited to deliver the keynote address at the University’s commencement ceremony. He addressed an audience of over 15,000 people including the graduating Class of 2022 and the students’ family and friends, as well as faculty members, academics and other university staff, at Raleigh’s landmark PNC Arena.

Mr Mansour used his speech to share an important message about seizing opportunities and making the most of ‘second chances’ in life, drawing on his personal experiences at NC State and how he recovered from early mistakes and setbacks.

It is believed Mr Mansour is among the first Egyptians to be given an honorary doctorate by a US university. He studied at NC State from 1964-68, graduating in textile technology aged 20. He later studied for an MBA at Auburn University in Alabama before returning to Egypt in 1973.

Mr Mansour went on to be Co-Founder and Chair of the Mansour Group, the global conglomerate. Among the businesses in the group are Mansour Automotive Company, a leading Egyptian and regional automotive distributor; Mantrac Group, one of the world’s largest distributors of Caterpillar machines; and ManCapital LLP, the Mansour family’s private investment firm.

Raleigh, North Carolina was Mr Mansour’s first home outside of Egypt after moving from Alexandria aged 15 and the university still holds a special place in his affections. Mr Mansour’s father, the late Mr Loutfy Mansour, a successful cotton exporter, had wanted him and his brothers to go to NC State University because it was then – and still is – renowned for its textiles programme.

Mr Mansour is a committed philanthropist in Egypt and internationally. Among the many programmes that he has created over many years, he is the founder and Chairman of the Lead Foundation, a ground-breaking non-profit organisation established almost 20 years ago that empowers and provides funding to small enterprises owned by women in Egypt.

 

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