Search
Search
Supporting Egytrans in delivering smarter and cleaner transport solutions
With support from the EBRD’s Women in Business programme and its donors, one of the leading logistics providers in Egypt is charting a bold new course. Egytrans, a company with more than five decades of experience, has expanded its footprint, diversified its services and embraced sustainability under its new leadership. Its success has seen CEO Abir Leheta recognised as one of the Forbes Middle East 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen 2025.
Founded as a family business, Egytrans has long been regarded as a centre of excellence, training generations of logistics professionals. Today, it has grown into a one-stop shop for integrated transport solutions, offering services from freight forwarding to project logistics. Its recent milestones include the acquisition of NOSCO Egypt and the opening of its first Egytrans Arabia branch in Saudi Arabia, bringing the company’s overall headcount from 350 to 1,000.Abir joined the company in 1996 as Head of Software Development and steadily advanced through a series of managerial and executive roles. In 2015, following the sudden passing of her brother, she stepped up to assume his former role as CEO. Steering the company through such a transformation was, without doubt, both a challenge and an opportunity. “When I first became CEO, I wasn’t necessarily ready or equipped for that role,” she recalls. “It was a sharp learning curve, but one that pushed me to grow, adapt and focus on transformation.”
Leading with collaboration and resilience
Abir describes her leadership style as collaborative and diplomatic, rooted in listening and teamwork, but has also learned to balance this with assertiveness. “It’s important to ask for help and support, and to build a network around you,” she says. “So many women think they need to be superwomen and do everything perfectly. But real success comes from working with smart people who can help drive things forward.”
Her advice to other women entrepreneurs in male-dominated industries is clear: do not shy away from seeking support. “That’s not weakness, it’s strength.”
Sustainability and innovation at the core
Egytrans is also positioning itself at the forefront of sustainability in logistics. With advisory support through the EBRD’s green advisory programme, the company developed its first carbon footprint report; a pioneering step in Egypt’s logistics sector. “As transport and logistics companies, we contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions,” Abir explains. “Measuring, monitoring and reporting are the first steps. The bigger challenge is how to transition in a way that is economically viable, and that’s where planning and partnerships are essential.”
The company is also investing heavily in digital transformation. A new fully integrated IT system is being developed to streamline operations from customer management to transport logistics. At the same time, Egytrans strives to foster innovation and improve efficiency across the sector by launching initiatives including Logivators – an accelerator supporting logistics start-ups – and a joint venture with Nafith International, Jordan, to digitise freight flows in and out of Egyptian ports.
EBRD support for long-term growth
The EBRD has supported Egytrans with several projects via the Women in Business programme. These have included developing a diversification strategy, strengthening its investor relations function as a listed company on the Egyptian Stock Exchange, and building capacity for sustainability reporting. “The support has helped us build transparency, structure and long-term planning into our business,” says Abir. “It has put us on a path of transformation.”
None of this would have been possible without the backing of the EBRD donors: Finland through the High-Impact Partnership on Climate Action (HIPCA) (with Austria, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, TaiwanICDF (International Cooperation and Development Fund), the United Kingdom and the United States of America), as well as the European Union.
Shaping the future
As Egytrans continues to expand regionally and diversify its services, the company is determined to remain a leader not only in logistics but also in sustainability and innovation. For its CEO, the journey is about more than just business. “Our role as companies goes beyond profit,” she reflects. “It’s about contributing to the economy, to society, and to shaping the future of our industry.”