Meuble El Chark: A 78
Years Legacy of Chairs manufacturing

With a start up production of 1 chair per day and a capacity of 6 workers, Meuble El Chark was founded in 1944 by the brothers Zaki and Helmy Abdel Hady as an artisan enterprise to manufacture wooden products in Gezirett Badran in Shoubra, Cairo. Today, the family-owned firm has become a pioneer in the manufacturing of over 300 variable designs of seating solutions, fulfilling the continuous demand for public seating from cinemas, theaters and restaurants to schools, universities and conference halls. While preserving its artisanal, rich background, Meuble El Chark offers its clients cutting edge service through a diverse portfolio of armchairs, stools, sofas and beyond. Ahmed Helmy, who is the 3rd generation of the family enterprise and acts as its CEO since 2007, will share intimate stories about the history of the establishment and how it has now become Egypt’s leading chairs manufacturer.

Speaker: Ahmed Helmy graduated from Jesuites French School and studied mechanical engineering at the American University in Cairo and Penn State University in the USA, with a minor in business administration and art. Helmy is the CEO of Meuble El Chark, Cinec, Karassi karassi + and Designocracy. He was the chairman of the Egyptian Furniture Export Council from 2005 to 2012, of which he is currently a board member as well as the Egyptian-Italian and Egyptian-UAE Business Council. He was also a board member of the Industrial Modernization Centre (IMC) during different rounds, 2011 & 2018-2020. Helmy has been the chairman of the Chamber of Wood & Furniture Industries (CWWFI) since 2016. Furthermore, he manages different furniture exhibitions and design related activities like FURNEX & +20 Egypt Design. 

Moderator: Sawsan Morad has been the editor-in-chief of El Beit magazine since 2017. Previously, Morad was the executive editor of the magazine from 2014. With more than 20 years of experience in arts journalism, she led an overhaul of the magazine and its role, launching a number of initiatives and projects. In 2018, Morad founded “Cairo 18” initiative, which aims to preserve the identity and heritage of Cairo and restore its status as a regional hub for creativity and arts. Taking the magazine to an international front, she partnered with the Italian platform “Fuorisalone” in 2021 to establish “Cairo Milano Design” media platform, which gives Egyptian designers access to the European markets and provides an international stage for the Egyptian products. Morad is also the founder of the Cultural Dialogue Series, an initiative launched in late 2018 and aimed at bringing together creative minds from Egypt and around the world in an open dialogue.