24–26 JUNE 2025 / MARRIOTT MENA HOUSE, CAIRO
CAIRO, EGYPT
EVENT HOST | ORGANIZED BY |
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EVENT SPONSORS
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MENA Steel Forum
SCHEDULE
| Tuesday, 24 June 2025 | |
| 08:00–09:00 | Registration and Coffee |
| 09:00–09:30 | Welcome and Introduction AIST MENA Member Chapter Chair Karim Badr |
| 09:30–10:00 | Keynote Presentation "Building the Future: Advancements in Steel Rebar for Egypt's Infrastructure" Gamil Iskander, Head of Projects Division – Board Member, Ezz Steel |
| 10:00–12:00 | Industry Leader Panel Steel demand in the MENA region continues to navigate significant challenges, including global overcapacity, geopolitical uncertainty, inflationary pressures, and fluctuating energy costs. Despite these hurdles, regional producers are advancing strategic investments to enhance sustainability and align with global climate objectives. In this session, industry leaders from the MENA region and the U.S. will share insights on the evolving landscape, exploring both the challenges and opportunities that will shape the future of the steel sector. Moderator: Ronald Ashburn, Executive Director, Association for Iron & Steel Technology Panelists: Rafic Daou, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Suez Steel Co SAE Barry Schneider, President and Chief Operating Officer, Steel Dynamics Inc. Harssha Shetty, Chief Executive Officer, Jindal Steel, Oman Tom Toner, Senior Advisor and Vice President Operations, SSAB Americas |
| 12:00–13:00 | Lunch |
| 13:00–15:00 | Technological Advancements and Innovation in Steel Manufacturing This session will highlight cutting-edge technologies and innovations shaping the future of steel manufacturing. Leading original equipment manufacturers will present advancements in automation, process optimization, energy efficiency, digitalization, and emissions reduction, offering insights into how these solutions are driving performance, sustainability, and competitiveness across steel industry. Moderator: Ashraf Hanna, Vice President of Steelmaking Solutions & Services, MeltTech Solutions Inc. Panelists: Biswadeep Bhattacharjee, Senior Vice President and Head of Green Steel, Primetals Technologies Dogan Ertas, General Manager, GEMKOM MAKINA Mostafa Khamis, Vice President – Key Account Management, Danieli Group Enea Paquali, Key Account Manager Egypt, SMS group Paolo Stagnoli, Director, Marketing and Sales, EAF & LF, Tenova S.p.A. |
| 15:00–15:30 | Coffee Break |
| 15:30–17:30 | Insights from Technology Providers, Users, and Analysts in Green Steel As the MENA region prioritizes sustainable industrial development, green steel production plays a crucial role in reducing carbon emissions and meeting global climate commitments. This panel will explore cutting-edge technologies, including hydrogen-based direct reduction (HDR), electric arc furnaces (EAFs), and carbon capture solutions, that are transforming the steel industry. Experts will also examine strategies for aligning with COP28 goals and advancing sustainability in steel manufacturing. Moderator: Karim Badr, Technical Director – Ironmaking, RHI Magnesita Panelists: Manal Al Badawi, ESG and Sustainability Manager, EMSTEEL Group Soroush Basirat, Energy Finance Analyst, Institute for Energy and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) Australia Robert Montgomery, Senior Manager, Plant Sales – Middle East, Midrex Technologies Fabio Muscolino, Sales Manager Ironmaking, SMS group Leonardo Tamez, Technical Sales Manager, Tenova HYL |
| Wednesday, 25 June 2025 | |
| 09:00–10:00 | Registration and Coffee |
| 10:00–12:00 | Sustainability Endeavors in Steelmaking, Refractory and Graphite Electrodes This session will explore the vital role of sustainability in the metallurgical industry. It will examine innovative strategies and best practices focused on reducing environmental impact and improving resource efficiency in the production of iron ore, refractory materials, and graphite electrodes. By highlighting technological advancements, the session aims to offer valuable insights into building a more sustainable future in the steelmaking sector. It will also provide a unique opportunity for steel suppliers to showcase process improvements and demonstrate how they can support steel producers in reducing CO₂ emissions. Moderator: Mauro Bianchi Ferri, Managing Director, Acciarium Alliance Panelists: Said Alameddine, Chairman, ALTech Group Javier Castiñeira, Global Head of HSE, Resonac Moataz El Kelany, Environmental Engineer, Ezz Steel Alexander Laugier-Werth, Vice President of HSE and Quality, Vesuvius Miriam Schnalzger, OEM Steel Linings Expert – Global, RHI Magnesita |
| 12:00–13:00 | Lunch |
| 13:00–15:00 | Academia and Industry Shaping the Future of the Steel Industry This session unites academia, industry experts and young engineers to explore data-driven problem-solving in the steel industry. Through case studies and discussions, panelists will highlight sustainability initiatives, material performance, and advanced steel manufacturing. The session aims to equip professionals with critical thinking skills to drive innovation and industry growth. Moderator: Iman El-Mahallawi, Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, Founding Director of Centre for Renewable Energy, Academic Leader of Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Group; The British University in Egypt Presentations:
Moderator: Taher Salah El-din, Corporate Technical Affairs – Technical Development Director, Ezz Steel Panelists: Mohamed Fouad Emam, Corporate Chief Technical Officer, Ezz Steel Amr Eltawil, Dean, School of Innovative Design Engineering and Professor, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department, Egypt Japan University of Science and Technology Hadia Hamdy, Vice President of Academic Services, Universities of Canada in Egypt Wael Omar, Senior Executive Vice President - Digital Services, Siemens Company |
| 15:00–15:30 | Coffee Break |
| 15:30–17:30 | Stepping Into the Future: Case Studies and Success Stories in Technology Adoption This session will showcase real-world case studies and success stories from steel producers who have adopted new technologies to enhance operations. Speakers will share practical experiences in implementing automation, digitalization, process innovations, and emissions reduction initiatives, highlighting the challenges faced, lessons learned, and the tangible benefits achieved. Moderator: Karim Alshurafa, President, Vollmer America, Inc. Panelists: Osama Azab, Plant General Manager, Egyptian Steel Oussama Bellah, Process Head of Department in the Direct Reduction Plant, Algerian Qatari Steel Ali El-Keshawy, Technical Sales Manager, UNICAT Catalyst Technologies Mostafa Rashad, Director of Engineering Division, El Marakby Steel Co. Robert Sorger, Senior OEM & Technological Cooperation Manager for Continuous Casting, RHI Magnesita |
| Thursday, 26 June 2025 | |
| 08:00-14:00 | Plant Tour: Ezz Steel, Sadat City |
| *All times are local to Cairo (GMT +2). All presentations will be in English. Schedule is subject to change and will be updated as additional details are confirmed. | |
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