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Mark Twain: A Life
Ron Powers (Goodreads Author)
4.06 · Rating details · 1,491 ratings · 144 reviews
Mark Twain founded the American voice. His works are a living national treasury: taught, quoted, and reprinted more than those of any writer except Shakespeare. His awestruck contemporaries saw him as the representative figure of his times, and his influence has deeply flavoured the 20th and 21st centuries. Yet somehow, beneath the vast flowing river of literature that he Mark Twain founded the American voice. His works are a living national treasury: taught, quoted, and reprinted more than those of any writer except Shakespeare. His awestruck contemporaries saw him as the representative figure of his times, and his influence has deeply flavoured the 20th and 21st centuries. Yet somehow, beneath the vast flowing river of literature that he left behind -- books, sketches, speeches, not to mention the thousands of letters to his friends and his remarkable entries in private journals -- the man who became Mark Twain, Samuel Langhorne Clemens, has receded from view.It is hard to imagine a life that encompassed more of its times. Sam Clemens left his frontier boyhood in Missouri for a life on the Mississippi during the golden age of steamboats. He skirted the western theater of the Civil War before taking off for an uproariously drunken newspaper career in the Nevada of the Wild West. As his fame as a humorist and lecturer spread, witnessing the extremes of wealth and poverty of New York City and the Gilded Age (which he named). He travelled to Europe on the first American pleasure cruise and revitalized the prim genre of travel writing. He wooed and won his lifelong devoted wife, yet quietly pined for the girl who was his first crush and whom he would re-encounter many decades later. He invented and invested in get-rich-quick schemes. He became the toast of Europe and a celebrity who toured the globe. His comments on everything he saw, many published here for the first time, are priceless.
The man who emerges in Powers' brilliant telling is both the magnetic, acerbic, and hilarious Mark Twain of myth and a devoted friend, husband, and father; awhirlwind of optimism and restless energy; and above all, a wide-eared and wide-eyed observer who absorbed every sight and sound, and poured it into his characters, plots, jokes, businesses, and life. "Mark Twain" offers an unrivalled insight into the life of one of America's greatest writers whose culteral influence was seminal in the creation of modern America. ...more
Kindle Store $16.99
Published September 13th 2005 by Free Press (first published 2005)
National Book Critics Circle Award Nominee for Biography (2005)
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Jan 03, 2016 Christine Boyer rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Recommends it for: Twain enthusiasts, would-be writers, publishers, American history buffs
Wow, this is a huge book and it took me two months to finish! So right off the bat, if you're not into biographies, put this book back on the shelf and check out something else. Secondly, if you're not into Twain or have never read one of his books, or you're not into the writing process and publishing, again, put it back on the shelf. This thing is a commitment!
Mark Twain is my favorite author. I've read most of his books and some of his essays and sketches. I was familiar with his writing and Wow, this is a huge book and it took me two months to finish! So right off the bat, if you're not into biographies, put this book back on the shelf and check out something else. Secondly, if you're not into Twain or have never read one of his books, or you're not into the writing process and publishing, again, put it back on the shelf. This thing is a commitment!
Mark Twain is my favorite author. I've read most of his books and some of his essays and sketches. I was familiar with his writing and his personal life before reading this book. So from that perspective, what has Ron Powers done with the subject? Well, a lot.
The first part of Twain's youth in Hannibal is pretty short and Powers takes the reader right into the beginnings of Twain becoming "a writer". One thing that made this biography unique is how Powers doesn't just tell you what Twain did or how he did it, but he includes history from the time period (specifically the 1870s-1880's) so I felt transported back to post-Civil war American culture. I had forgotten what a unique time ("The Gilded Age") that was with regard to industrialism, all the new inventions, and new ways of thinking in medicine, science, and politics. Powers does a great job of reminding us that Twain was an author who was famous in his own time.
The only reason I gave it 4 stars rather than 5 is because I did feel like it dragged in a few sections. Powers included a lot of the details of how publishing houses worked at that time, more than I wanted to know. All in all, if you like Twain and want to know more - and you have a couple months to spare - enjoy! ...more
Dec 15, 2008 Doug rated it really liked it · review of another edition
For someone like me who has never studied the life of Mark Twain, nor 19th century history, at least not my attempts to not learn history in high school, this tome is quite an education. Thoroughly covers Mark Twain's life, including commentary on past writings by other authors about him. Why is it that most creative geniuses seem to be dysfunctional in everyday life? Maybe genius is part of a mental and/or emotional pathology. Anyway, not having read very many biographies, I can't say whether For someone like me who has never studied the life of Mark Twain, nor 19th century history, at least not my attempts to not learn history in high school, this tome is quite an education. Thoroughly covers Mark Twain's life, including commentary on past writings by other authors about him. Why is it that most creative geniuses seem to be dysfunctional in everyday life? Maybe genius is part of a mental and/or emotional pathology. Anyway, not having read very many biographies, I can't say whether this one is exceptional or not, but it held my interest. The book provides plenty of information along with insight about its primary subject as well as how his life affected and was affected by the times. Well written and highly recommended. ...more
Oct 04, 2017 Sherry Sharpnack rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Mark Twain has long been my favorite American literary personality, and this excellent, often witty and wry, biography delineates why. We learn in this biography about Clemens' boyhood in Hannibal, Missouri; his introduction to the written word in a printing shop, and his lifelong obsession w/ typesetting; his life on the Mississippi River, both as a boy and as a riverboat pilot; his aborted participation in a "secesh" unit that led to him "lighting out for the territory"—Nevada; where he became Mark Twain has long been my favorite American literary personality, and this excellent, often witty and wry, biography delineates why. We learn in this biography about Clemens' boyhood in Hannibal, Missouri; his introduction to the written word in a printing shop, and his lifelong obsession w/ typesetting; his life on the Mississippi River, both as a boy and as a riverboat pilot; his aborted participation in a "secesh" unit that led to him "lighting out for the territory"—Nevada; where he became a typesetter for a Virginia City newspaper, a miner, a newspaper writer, a lecturer, and finally, the inventor of "Mark Twain," the first American rock star.
We also see him pissing off nearly everyone he ever meets, even close friends and family, at one time or another, w/ his intolerance for fools and hypocrites, and his pathetic need for eastern "approval," which leads to his ruinous investments in inventions that never pan out and his marriage to the daughter of a wealthy, New York businessman. However, he and Livy lead a happy life and have four children, only one of which dies in childhood.
The author devotes entire chapters to certain books, mostly the early, career-making ones. I esp enjoyed the chapter about "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," which is my favorite Twain book.
Many people don't realize that Twain's turn to dark themes in his writing in the last quarter of his life were actually inside him all along. He long doubted God's existence, but upon the death of his eldest daughter in 1896, while the rest of the family was in Europe, he finally started giving vent to the darkness. The death of his wife fully 10 years before he died sent him over the edge in his writing. The death of his youngest daughter in her bathtub after an epileptic seizure in 1909 completed his own denouement. He developed heart problems and died five months after her.
I'm from Mizzou so feel a kinship w/ Twain b/c I could recognize his rural boyhood. I could also relate to his struggle w/ racism, and really appreciate Huck's dawning understanding of Jim as a man, not just a "nigger." I also understand his ambivalence and avoidance of the Civil War, as that is still a loaded subject in Mizzou. And I definitely understand Twain's giving in to despair after the loss of his daughters and his wife. I, too, have lost a daughter after she had an epileptic seizure.
This biography of Mark Twain brought him to life, insecurities, faults, and all. Thank you for the gift, Mr. Powers. I wish I could give you more than five stars. Sorry, not sorry, for the long review. ...more
Jul 10, 2009 Arminius marked it as to-read · review of another edition
I did not finish this book so here is my impression. One striking thing about Mark Twain is the way events in his life made an indelible impression. It something like when a child sees a rather ordinary event as an extraordinary event while an adult will view the same event as commonplace. The child will always remember the event while the adult may forget it. Twain had the gift of remembering in detail the events of his life. He recreated these impressions into print and turned into a prolific I did not finish this book so here is my impression. One striking thing about Mark Twain is the way events in his life made an indelible impression. It something like when a child sees a rather ordinary event as an extraordinary event while an adult will view the same event as commonplace. The child will always remember the event while the adult may forget it. Twain had the gift of remembering in detail the events of his life. He recreated these impressions into print and turned into a prolific writer. ...more
Aug 27, 2017 Edward rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Ron Powers has written a powerful, masterful biography of a towering figure in American literature. He tells not only the story of Twain's life, but delves into the innumerable facets of his character that made him the man he was - husband, father, riverboat pilot, entrepreneur, internationally recognized celebrity and terrible money manager. When I finally put the book down, I felt like I had met the man. Truly a five star story!
Jul 28, 2019 Chrissie marked it as wishlist-b · review of another edition
Shelves: usa, arts, history, long, bio
*The Diaries of Adam and Eve 4 stars
*The Adventures of Tom Sawyer 4 stars
*Joan of Arc 3 stars
*The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 3 stars
*The Innocents Abroad 3 stars
*Mark Twain by Ron Powers TBR
I think I might read these instead:
*Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 1: The Complete and Authoritative Edition
Dec 06, 2019 Illiterate rated it liked it
Powers shows Twain using a prodigious imagination to fuse reality and myth. He also points to contexts that inspired the content of this imagination.
Jan 07, 2015 Dorothy rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: biography
This is a truly magnificent biography. I give it four rather than five stars only because there were so many bits of trivia about other people who merely crossed Twain's path that they occasionally bogged down an otherwise fascinating and well-executed biography of this man and his myth. Powers is a gifted and eloquent writer and his prose flows beautifully.
For those who have not read all Twain's works or have dim memories of grade-school readings the author does a marvelous job of This is a truly magnificent biography. I give it four rather than five stars only because there were so many bits of trivia about other people who merely crossed Twain's path that they occasionally bogged down an otherwise fascinating and well-executed biography of this man and his myth. Powers is a gifted and eloquent writer and his prose flows beautifully.
For those who have not read all Twain's works or have dim memories of grade-school readings the author does a marvelous job of contextualizing characters, plot, and places so the reader is not lost amid the many references and stories about Twain's enormous body of work.
I had no idea that he was a man of such volatility and guilts nor that he was a terrible speculator who risked financial ruin repeatedly. His moral progression from a southern son of slave-holding parents to a hectoring anti-imperialist is detailed here with clear eyes and without fawning praise. Clemens was cranky and cantankerous while funny, acerbic and tempestuous. Powers is meticulous in uncovering and demonstrating Twain's uncanny ear for dialect and meaning as well as his struggles with toning down his love for slang, swearing and drinking hard.
The sheer energy Twain deployed with his travels and writing of tens of thousand of words (by pen and paper of course) are preternatural. His adoration of his wife who could alone tame him was endearing. His many losses of brothers and children tragic. A steadfast and loyal friend he was quick to merciless revenge on those who he believed betrayed him and he was notoriously thin-skinned while happy to poke others. He was a humorist who was frequently very angry. He was a humorist who shattered literary conventions with seriousness of purpose.
He had wished to be a clergyman but he wasn't sure about God and was less sure about any religion. "If Christ were here now there is one thing he would not be--a Christian." He was indifferent to the boundary between fact and fiction and his recollections and his stories were entwined messily.
Nuggets:
He slipped bats and snakes into his mother's sewing basket and she told him tales of brutal and sadistic Indian attacks on her mother's people.
He castigated the Bible as "blood-drenched history; and some good morals; and a wealth of obscenity; and upwards of a thousand lies."
"Next I am privileged to infer that is far more goodness than ungoodness in man, for if it were not so man would have exterminated himself before this...I detest Man, but nevertheless this is true of him."
"There are many humorous,things in the world; among them the white man's notion that he is less savage than other savages."
"Wrinkles should merely show where the smiles have been."
Written by his friend, editor, confidant and fellow writer William Howells about Twain, "...the paradoxical charm of Mr. Clemens's best humor. It's wildest extravagance [springs from ] a deep feeling, a wrath with some folly which disquiets him worse than other men, a personal hatred for some humbug or pretension that embitters him beyond anything but laughter...At the bottom of his heart he has often the grimness of a reformer; his wit is turned...upon things that are out of joint, that are unfair or ...ignoble and cry out to his love of justice or discipline." ...more
Feb 21, 2017 Terry Cornell rated it liked it · review of another edition
The book deserves a three and a half star rating. A long read, but very detailed. The only thing that kept me from giving the book a four star rating, is the author seemed to have a 'word of the day' requirement. Thankfully, I read the Kindle version, so the built in dictionary was quite useful. I enjoyed how the author described advancements and happenings in the world in conjunction with the events in Twain's life. A couple of the most interesting things I learned, was that Twain owned a The book deserves a three and a half star rating. A long read, but very detailed. The only thing that kept me from giving the book a four star rating, is the author seemed to have a 'word of the day' requirement. Thankfully, I read the Kindle version, so the built in dictionary was quite useful. I enjoyed how the author described advancements and happenings in the world in conjunction with the events in Twain's life. A couple of the most interesting things I learned, was that Twain owned a publishing company, and that company published President Grant's autobiography. Twain was bankrupt for a time, but managed to work his way back to prosperity through his writings and lecture circuit. There were many tragedies in his life, and he met many personalities of the day. If you're interested in the man, his writings, or the time period a highly recommended read. ...more
Jul 12, 2012 Constantine rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Thought it was one of the best biographies I've read. Good window into American mindset, history, nuances of 19th Century. Here is an excerpt from an email I sent to a friend right after finishing the bio(subjective and a little self aggrandizing, I know...but it reveals how the bio affected me...):
Just finished the Twain bio. The trouble with biographies...they bring me way down.WAY DOWN! They immerse you in the arc of life, so there is always the verve and whoosh of the ascending curve as you Thought it was one of the best biographies I've read. Good window into American mindset, history, nuances of 19th Century. Here is an excerpt from an email I sent to a friend right after finishing the bio(subjective and a little self aggrandizing, I know...but it reveals how the bio affected me...):
Just finished the Twain bio. The trouble with biographies...they bring me way down.WAY DOWN! They immerse you in the arc of life, so there is always the verve and whoosh of the ascending curve as you vicariously relive the great man's rise to a pinnacle of sunlit accomplishment. Savor it for what it is, because the inevitable descent towards the grave awaits, the curve of decline,
old age, bitter disappointment and final dissolution. There is usually some foreshadowing wherin the biographer lets the reader know that the subject's best notes have been sung and the last chords are being strummed...if you're lucky, there will be a bit of saving grace and beauty in the swan song. Still, the slippery downslope is never fun to read about, especially now that I am sliding rapidly within my own arc...but what ads so much weight and thrust to the net effect of despair that biography, without fail, evokes in me... is the fact that my own arc is so ...looking for the right word(s) here......hmmmm, can't find it....some word that would reveal my accomplishments as nil, my song banal, my time as frittered away in the dubious persuit of the trivial, my soul as niggardly, my vision as blurred, my mind as shallow and chaotic......what is the sum of me in a word? ...more
Oct 07, 2008 Nina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Recommends it for: Any one intrested in History.
Recommended to Nina by: My book club members
I am currently reading this book for my book critique group. I doubt I get it finished in time for our meeting but not because it isn't interesting. Whenever I snatch a few minutes I'm into Twain. Great writing and didn't I think I knew most everything I needed to know about him? Yes, but I was wrong; even after the excellent PBS segment on Twain and visiting his home in Hartford, CT I am amazed at all I have learned in a few short sections of the book. I recommend it even though I am not I am currently reading this book for my book critique group. I doubt I get it finished in time for our meeting but not because it isn't interesting. Whenever I snatch a few minutes I'm into Twain. Great writing and didn't I think I knew most everything I needed to know about him? Yes, but I was wrong; even after the excellent PBS segment on Twain and visiting his home in Hartford, CT I am amazed at all I have learned in a few short sections of the book. I recommend it even though I am not finished. I have been a fan since I got my first copy of "Tom Sawyer," as a young child. At seven years of age I stood in awe of the fence at Hannibal. And much later stood where the exact spot of the Calaveras Jumping Frog episode took place. He remains my hero. Oh, yes one more mention; I read the book, "Mark and Libby," many years ago and it too was excellent. Especially when they were in Rome. ...more
Feb 09, 2009 Terry Clague rated it really liked it · review of another edition
"A dog is der Hund the dog; a women is die Frau the wom[an]; a horse is das Pferd, the horse; now you put that dog in the Genitive case, & is he the same dog he was before? No sir; he is das Hundes; put him in the Dative case & what is he? Why, he is dem Hund. Now you snatch him into the accusative case & how is it with him? Why he is den Hunden? ... Read moreBut suppose he happens to be twins & you have to pluralize him – what then? Why sir they'll swap that twin dog around thro "A dog is der Hund the dog; a women is die Frau the wom[an]; a horse is das Pferd, the horse; now you put that dog in the Genitive case, & is he the same dog he was before? No sir; he is das Hundes; put him in the Dative case & what is he? Why, he is dem Hund. Now you snatch him into the accusative case & how is it with him? Why he is den Hunden? ... Read moreBut suppose he happens to be twins & you have to pluralize him – what then? Why sir they'll swap that twin dog around thro' the four cases till he'll think he's an entire International Dog Show all in his own person. I don't like dogs, but I wouldn't treat a dog like that. I wouldn't even treat a borrowed dog that way." ...more
Jul 05, 2013 Colleen Semanek rated it liked it · review of another edition
I did enjoy this book even though it took months and months to read it. It was really funny throughout, but it was a struggle to get through it at times. It was certainly written at a higher level than I am used to. I haven't read a book with so many unfamiliar words in years; that explains part of the struggle, but it was neat to learn new words.
Apparently I had no real understanding of all of the struggles he encountered during his fascinating life. Plus, i love learning of all the I did enjoy this book even though it took months and months to read it. It was really funny throughout, but it was a struggle to get through it at times. It was certainly written at a higher level than I am used to. I haven't read a book with so many unfamiliar words in years; that explains part of the struggle, but it was neat to learn new words.
Apparently I had no real understanding of all of the struggles he encountered during his fascinating life. Plus, i love learning of all the intersections of historical figures - who knew he was friends with US Grant? And that's just one example.
I'm definitely glad to have spent the time reading this. ...more
Mar 31, 2008 John rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Shelves: literary-biography
Another of those extraordinary biographies that gifted writers have given us lately, one that focuses on personality, affect and responses to the subject's world. A more insightful (and engaging) biography of Mark Twain is hard to imagine. Either Powers adopted Train's sense of humor or he wrote of Twain because he responded to a personality like his own. In either case, Powers gives us more that a goodly share of laughing matter. Again one of those books that I only allow myself to read slowly, Another of those extraordinary biographies that gifted writers have given us lately, one that focuses on personality, affect and responses to the subject's world. A more insightful (and engaging) biography of Mark Twain is hard to imagine. Either Powers adopted Train's sense of humor or he wrote of Twain because he responded to a personality like his own. In either case, Powers gives us more that a goodly share of laughing matter. Again one of those books that I only allow myself to read slowly, no more than 50 pages a day. ...more
Aug 22, 2016 Michael Baranowski rated it really liked it · review of another edition
I knew Mark Twain was always hustling for money, and I knew he was more than a little bit bitter and angry toward the end of his life, but until I read Powers' biography, I had no idea how deep Twain's (largely self-imposed) financial woes went, and how incredibly bitter and angry he became.
Jun 09, 2007 Mary-Ellen rated it liked it · review of another edition
This book is more interesting if the index is used to find topics of interest. I find that I pick up the book every now and then and will do this. Whatever I read is interesting. But when I read the book from the beginning, it seemed tedious. Twain is an interesting life, no doubt.
Sep 16, 2014 Hudson rated it did not like it · review of another edition
Shelves: non-fiction-other
Just could not get in to this, dropped it at 20% or so.
Dec 28, 2015 C.K. rated it really liked it · review of another edition
An adventurous life filled with tragic losses and much success.
Dec 15, 2019 Andrew rated it really liked it · review of another edition
History can sometimes be appreciated best by following one individual's journey through it. Earlier this year, I began by reading about Lincoln, which then led me to Grant. Twain--who ultimately published Grant's definitive autobiography at the end of his life--seemed like the natural next choice. Together, the lives of these three men cover almost the entirety of the 19th century and embody so much of the nascent American identity. Incredible fortitude, genius, resilience, and sheer creativity: History can sometimes be appreciated best by following one individual's journey through it. Earlier this year, I began by reading about Lincoln, which then led me to Grant. Twain--who ultimately published Grant's definitive autobiography at the end of his life--seemed like the natural next choice. Together, the lives of these three men cover almost the entirety of the 19th century and embody so much of the nascent American identity. Incredible fortitude, genius, resilience, and sheer creativity: all three capture so much of our ethos and our self-image as a nation. The statesman, the warrior, the humorist: it is hard for me to imagine three better figures to serve as guides through America's middle century.
Ron Powers is an excellent historian, and this substantive book covers far more than a simple narrative of a great American author. With historical context, concise literary critical analysis, and empathetic prose, Powers remains engaging throughout this voluminous book. Twain emerges as a volcanic force, a prophet in the wilderness speaking truth to power while wrestling with his own demons. He is pure creativity, channeling and directing and imagining uncharted worlds and concepts. Twain gives voice to a country emerging from its divided, uncertain experiment into a global power with its own contradictions. Both grow and learn together and leave equally ambiguous legacies for the modern era.
Read more at https://znovels.blogspot.com/2019/12/... ...more
Mar 01, 2018 Cory rated it liked it · review of another edition
Power's exhaustive Twain biography well researched and well cited. Much of the material was gleaned and quoted from correspondence among Clemons, his friends, and family members. The first half of the book is fast moving and entertaining, especially his steam boat days and early newspaperman feuds in Carson City, Nevada. Somewhere around two-thirds of the way through the book, the pace becomes tedious and oppressive. Perhaps this is not the fault of Powers, as the time period covered in this Power's exhaustive Twain biography well researched and well cited. Much of the material was gleaned and quoted from correspondence among Clemons, his friends, and family members. The first half of the book is fast moving and entertaining, especially his steam boat days and early newspaperman feuds in Carson City, Nevada. Somewhere around two-thirds of the way through the book, the pace becomes tedious and oppressive. Perhaps this is not the fault of Powers, as the time period covered in this portion of the book runs parallel to Clemons depressingly unending business misadventures followed by the necessary scrapping and tramping to stave off bankruptcy. This was a period of time in which Twain's writing quality mostly suffered. I enjoyed the last few chapters, particularly with respect to Twain's anti-imperialist writings which were unpublished at the time, such as "The War Prayer." I felt that the book would have benefited from quotes and excerpts from Twain's anti-imperialist writings, as well in some other sections of the book where less well-known articles or books were mentioned. ...more
Jul 12, 2017 Mike rated it really liked it
Heavy as a full loaded barge and as slow as one navigating down the Mississippi River that Samuel Clemens so famously wrote about, Ron Powers' Mark Twain is just that. Heavy and a slow read. However, much like the valuable resources barges tote, Powers' lengthy biography of a man who helped Ulysses S Grant write his memoirs, is THE resource for everything Twain(outside of Twain's own autobiography).
Distractions perhaps caused the reading to be so lengthy, as it took two months to finish 722 Heavy as a full loaded barge and as slow as one navigating down the Mississippi River that Samuel Clemens so famously wrote about, Ron Powers' Mark Twain is just that. Heavy and a slow read. However, much like the valuable resources barges tote, Powers' lengthy biography of a man who helped Ulysses S Grant write his memoirs, is THE resource for everything Twain(outside of Twain's own autobiography).
Distractions perhaps caused the reading to be so lengthy, as it took two months to finish 722 pages of material, putting one way behind on their reading goal, but it was well worth the journey.
From the beginning in 1835 to the end in 1910, Powers' chronicles and examines Twain's life both at home and abroad.
Through bad investments, friendships, family, travels and of course the books, Powers tells how Twain piloted himself up and down the literary river, heavy with satirical humor leaving us with a barge-full of stories and classic novels. ...more
Aug 29, 2019 Greg Harper rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
What an incredible book! So much detailed information about this American icon. If you consider yourself a student of History, be sure to read this instant classic biography. The details Ron Powers shares with us cause us to (almost) see and hear Mark Twain on stage and with his family. He was truly a man of his time, and we read about his faults, shortcomings, mistakes, as well as understand the love he had for his wife and daughters (in other words, he had a big heart and a lot of good What an incredible book! So much detailed information about this American icon. If you consider yourself a student of History, be sure to read this instant classic biography. The details Ron Powers shares with us cause us to (almost) see and hear Mark Twain on stage and with his family. He was truly a man of his time, and we read about his faults, shortcomings, mistakes, as well as understand the love he had for his wife and daughters (in other words, he had a big heart and a lot of good qualities inside of that rough exterior). Some might say this book has too much information, but then most of us who love learning about the past will say it is just enough. ...more
Jan 27, 2019 Nick Ertz rated it liked it · review of another edition
This is a comprehensive biography that paints a picture of a man who is iconic and yet remains aloof. Powers goes deep into the story of Samuel Clemmons and his growth and development throughout his life. The story is compelling if a bit slow at times. This is the longest I've stayed with a book that wasn't a page turner because the man was so interesting. Twain grew from his youthful take on the world to the old sage who was cantankerous but wise. His ideas on race changed over time that alone This is a comprehensive biography that paints a picture of a man who is iconic and yet remains aloof. Powers goes deep into the story of Samuel Clemmons and his growth and development throughout his life. The story is compelling if a bit slow at times. This is the longest I've stayed with a book that wasn't a page turner because the man was so interesting. Twain grew from his youthful take on the world to the old sage who was cantankerous but wise. His ideas on race changed over time that alone makes the book worth of study on how to change a mind. ...more
Nov 17, 2019 Alex rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Fantastic bio/research on the Best of Best of Mark Twain's influences, life stories, and his transition from news journalist to creative storyteller, business man, and international icon making him the ultimate American Writer. Created two of the all time best fiction characters (Tom Sawyer/Huckleberry Finn) and arguably the most famous opening line in literary history. . .It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.
After reading this, this reader is inspired to dust off a couple of his Fantastic bio/research on the Best of Best of Mark Twain's influences, life stories, and his transition from news journalist to creative storyteller, business man, and international icon making him the ultimate American Writer. Created two of the all time best fiction characters (Tom Sawyer/Huckleberry Finn) and arguably the most famous opening line in literary history. . .It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.
After reading this, this reader is inspired to dust off a couple of his classics and revisit them again. ...more
Feb 03, 2019 John Scaife rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Not only a fine biography but a worthwhile overview of America's transition from fragmented civil war casualty to budding economic and cultural superpower status in the late 19th/early 20th century. Mr Clemens is a fascinating, brilliant but flawed subject and Mr Powers does him proud, warts and all.
Jun 02, 2019 David Engel rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Not being a Mark Twain scholar, I conclude this book is all one needs in order to know Samuel Clemens as completely as necessary. Powers reveals Clemens in his glory as well as his humanity as an imperfect being...just like the rest of us. I truly enjoyed getting to better know this gifted author whose work had entertained me so thoroughly!
Mar 13, 2019 Demetrius rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
A while ago I read that George Orwell called Clemens the freest man who ever lived. I never get bored learning more about this guy, and this book touches on areas that others might have skipped, often with a more personal focus. There's also a closer analysis of Innocents Abroad and Huck Finn. (Btw, check out Hal Holbrook in M.T. Tonight)
Mar 03, 2018 Rick rated it really liked it · review of another edition
This was the most comprehensive book about Mark Twain's life that I could find. And it is a rather complex book to read by my standards. It's quite thick and filled with long involved sentences. Ron Powers is quite the writer and Mark Twain is a complicated subject to write about.
Aug 25, 2018 Megan rated it it was ok · review of another edition
I finished it. It was a monster. The use of primary sources was wonderful and it was fun to learn things about the man behind one of my favorite books. The author goes on tangents and his points seemed convoluted in his wordy explanations. Learn a lot, but it was incredibly hard to get through.
Jun 10, 2018 Ricky Kimsey rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Fairly Good Biography
This is a fairly good biography of the writer we know as Mark Twain. There are some aspects of his later years that are not touched on,like his frienndship with inventor Nikola Tesla, but still there's enough here to like.
North American Hi... > American History
About Ron Powers
Ron Powers (born 1941) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, novelist, and non-fiction writer. His face include White Town Drowsing: Journeys to Hannibal, Dangerous Water: A Biography of the Boy Who Became Mark Twain, and Mark Twain: A Life. With James Bradley, he co-wrote the 2000 #1 New York Times Bestseller Flags of Our Fathers.
Powers won the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism in 1973 for his Ron Powers (born 1941) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, novelist, and non-fiction writer. His face include White Town Drowsing: Journeys to Hannibal, Dangerous Water: A Biography of the Boy Who Became Mark Twain, and Mark Twain: A Life. With James Bradley, he co-wrote the 2000 #1 New York Times Bestseller Flags of Our Fathers.
Powers won the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism in 1973 for his critical writing as TV-radio-columnist for Chicago Sun-Times about television during 1972. He was the first television critic to win the Pulitzer Prize.
In 1985, Powers won an Emmy Award for his work on CBS News Sunday Morning.
Powers was born in 1941 in Hannibal, Missouri — Mark Twain's hometown. Hannibal was influential in much of Powers' writing — as the subject of his book White Town Drowsing, as the location of the two true-life murders that are the subject of Tom and Huck Don't Live Here Anymore, and as the home of Mark Twain. Powers has said that his fascination with Twain — the subject of two of his books — began in childhood:
"When I was a little boy in Hannibal, he was a mystic figure to me. His pictures and books and images were all over (my friend) Dulany Winkler's house, and I spent a lot of time there. I just wanted to reach out and touch him. Eventually I was able to."
In addition to writing, Powers has taught for the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, the Salzburg Seminar in Salzburg, Austria, and at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont.
Powers is married and has two sons. He currently resides in Castleton, Vermont. ...more
Books by Ron Powers
Trivia About Mark Twain
Quotes from Mark Twain
"Mark Twain was virtually alone among journalists in his reportage of Jewish Europeans as caught in the pincers of rising nationalist antagonisms." — 2 likes
"The Senate is now composed of a different material from what it once was. Its glory hath departed. Its halls no longer echo the words of a Clay, or Webster, or Calhoun . . . the void is felt." — 1 likes


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Dr. Manal Mustafa
Consultant Pediatric Endocrinologist
Dr. Manal Mustafa is a consultant pediatric endocrinologist working at Al Jalila children's hospital, Dubai. She is an adjunct assistant clinical professor at College of Medicine, Sharjah University. Dr. Manal was working at Latifa women & children hospital since 2005, until she moved to Al Jalila hospital in 2021. She obtained the Membership of Royal College of pediatric and child health (MRCPCH) and Arab Board of Pediatrics in 2010. She has Fellowship in pediatric endocrinology and diabetes with Honor degree at King Abdul Aziz medical city for National Guard and King Faisal specialist hospital & research center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. She is a member of Residency Research Scientific Committee at Dubai health Authority and a member of Endocrine society and ISPAD. She has many published scientific papers in well-known medical journals. She is actively participating in international and national endocrine conferences as a speaker or poster/oral presenter. Dr. Manal is an investigator in several collaborative multicenter research studies, in diabetes and endocrinology. She is also a PALS instructor (Pediatric Advanced Life Support).
Collage of Medicine, University of Aleppo, Syrian Arab Republic
Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE
Fellowship in pediatric endocrinology and diabetes with Honor degree, Saudi Commission of Health Specialties, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Pediatric Specialist, Latifa Women & Children's Hospital, Dubai, UAE
Fellow in Pediatric Endocrinology & Diabetes, Saudi Commission of Health specialties hospitals
Consultant Pediatric Endocrinologist, Latifa Women & Children's Hospital, Dubai, UAE
2021 - To Date
Consultant Pediatric Endocrinologist, Al Jalila Children's Hospital
Achievements Career Highlights
Arab Board of Pediatrics (2010)
MRCPCH- Member of Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health (2010)
Fellowship in pediatric endocrinology and diabetes with Honor degree at Saudi Commission of Health Specialties, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Investigator in several collaborative multicenter research studies, in diabetes and endocrinology
Several publications in pediatric diabetes & endocrinology. - Member of Residency Research Scientific Committee at Dubai Health Authority and a member of Endocrine society and ISPAD
Adjunct assistant clinical professor at College of Medicine, Sharjah University - PALS instructor (Pediatric Advanced Life Support).
https://www.orcid.org/0000-0002-8821-0066
Al Jalila Children's Specialty Hospital
Al Jaddaf - Dubai United Arab Emirates
School Engagement

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Home > Insights > Who Must be Included in a Transparency Report Under the Land Owner Transparency Act?
Who Must be Included in a Transparency Report Under the Land Owner Transparency Act?
The Land Owner Transparency Act, SBC 2019, c 23 (the "Act") came into force on November 30, 2020. Since then, on an application to register interest in land, every transferee must file with the Land Title Office a transparency declaration that states whether the transferee is a reporting body (s. 10 of the Act). A reporting body with an interest in land that is not the subject of a transfer must file a transparency report by November 30, 2021.
What is a reporting body?
Under the Act, reporting body means (s. 1 of the Act):
a) a relevant corporation, which means a corporation or limited liability company that has not been exempted under Schedule 1 of the Act or by regulation;
b) a trustee of a relevant trust, which means an express trust, including a bare trust, a prescribed trust, or a similar extra-jurisdictional legal relationship that has not been exempted under Schedule 2 of the Act or by regulation; or
c) a partner of a relevant partnership, which means a general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, professional partnership, or foreign partnership within the meaning of the Partnership Act, RSBC 1996, c 348; a prescribed partnership; or a similar extra-jurisdictional legal relationship that has not been exempted under the regulations.
A transferee that is a reporting body must identify the type of reporting body it is and file a transparency report that sets out certain information about the transferee and individual interest holders as required under the Act (ss. 12(1), 15(1), 15(4) of the Act).
Who is an interest holder?
A transparency report must disclose all interest holders of the reporting body. Under the Act, interest holder means:
a) in relation to an interest in land registered or to be registered in the name of a trustee of a relevant trust, a beneficial owner (ss. 1, 2 of the LOTA). An individual is a beneficial owner if any of the following apply:
the individual has, in respect of the interest in land, a beneficial interest, other than an interest that is contingent on the death of another individual;
the individual has the power to revoke the relevant trust and receive the interest in land;
the individual is a corporate interest holder in respect of a relevant corporation and the relevant corporation has a beneficial interest in respect of the interest in land, or the power to revoke the relevant trust and receive the interest in land;
the individual has a prescribed interest, right or ability in relation to the interest in land, or a prescribed criterion or circumstance applies to the individual.
b) in relation to a relevant corporation, a corporate interest holder ( 1, 3 of the LOTA). An individual is a corporate interest holder in respect of a relevant corporation if, alone or jointly with one or more other individuals, any of the following apply:
the individual has any of the following interests or rights, or any combination of them, in of 10% or more of the issued shares or rights to vote at general meetings of the relevant corporation:
the individual has an interest as a registered owner or beneficial owner of one or more of the corporation's shares;
indirect control of one or more of the corporation's shares;
the individual has any of the following rights or abilities, or any combination of them, that, if exercised, would result in the election, appointment, or removal of the majority of the directors of the relevant corporation:
the right, or indirect control of the right, to elect, appoint, or remove one or more of the corporation's directors;
the ability to exercise direct and significant influence over an individual who has the right or indirect control described above;
the individual has a prescribed interest, right or ability in relation to the relevant corporation, or a prescribed criterion or circumstance applies to the individual in relation to the relevant corporation.
If two or more individuals have interests, rights, or abilities that, when combined, meet a criterion described above and are subject to an agreement or arrangement that they are to be exercised jointly or in concert by those individuals, or each individual is an associate of the other individuals as defined in section 192(1) of the Business Corporations Act, SBC 2002, c 57, each individual is a corporate interest holder.
c) in relation to an interest in land registered or to be registered in the name of a partner of a relevant partnership, a partnership interest holder (ss. 1, 4 of the LOTA). An individual is presumed to be a partnership interest holder in respect of an interest in land registered or to be registered in the name of a partner of a relevant partnership if the interest in land is partnership property and any of the following apply:
the individual is a partner in the relevant partnership;
the individual is a corporate interest holder in respect of a relevant corporation and the relevant corporation is a partner in the relevant partnership;
the individual has a prescribed interest, right, or ability in relation to the interest in land, or a prescribed criterion, circumstance or presumption applies to the individual.
The presumption does not apply if the partner in whose name the interest in land is registered or to be registered can demonstrate that,
in the case of an individual who is a partner in the relevant partnership, the individual has no interest, right, or ability, as a partner, in respect of the interest in land, or
in the case of the individual is a corporate interest holder in respect of a relevant corporation and the relevant corporation is a partner in the relevant partnership, the relevant corporation has no interest, right, or ability, as a partner, in respect of the interest in land.
If an individual or relevant corporation is a partner in a relevant partnership who is a partner in another relevant partnership, that individual or relevant corporation is deemed to be a partner in the other relevant partnership (s. 4(1) of the LOTA).
The meaning of indirect control is addressed in Part 2 of the Land Owner Transparency Regulation, BC Reg 282/2020. Generally, indirect control refers to situations where there is at least one relevant intermediary between the reporting body and the interest holders. If there is more than one relevant intermediary in the chain of relevant intermediaries, we must follow the chain of relevant intermediaries until we find the natural person at the top of the chain.
What happens if a reporting body fails to file a transparency report as required?
Under the Act, a reporting body; a director, officer, manager, or agent of a corporation or limited liability company; an interest holder; or a settlor may be subject to an administrative penalty or a fine for failing to disclose an interest in land under the Act.
It is essential that landowners are aware of these deadlines and comply with the requirements for filing transparency declarations and reports as set out in the Act. To avoid penalties and ensure that your reports are filed correctly and on time, contact the experienced team of Real Estate lawyers at McQuarrie.
Written by Anna Schlagintweit


Here we have another example of the Duvoisin bass, this one being the Standard.
Ash body , 8lbs, 12oz.
Standard preamp = volume, blend , bass and treble cut / boost.
Duvoisin is a small Swiss shop run by the father and son team of Jacques and GIlles Duvoisin. The secret sauce electronics are by electronics guru Gerald Huegenin – herein lies part of what make this a truly new jazz bass.
To the pickups and preamp , both proprietary designs made in collaboration with the aforementioned Gerald Huegenin , are intended to enhance the tone of the wood.
So, what we have here is a familiar and comfortable body shape with 21st century electronics, all for a fraction of the cost of many of the boutique JBs out there.


The managing director of training company Finance Talking says it often has to run courses in basic maths for its students. With financial PR booming and communicators in demand, this reflects a serious skills vacuum.
How can Sainsbury's pension deficit can be £500m one minute and £3bn the next? Helping junior financial PRs make – 'Eureka!' – sense of such issues is what makes training so rewarding.
But as deals and decision-making turn more complex, the current lack of skills begins to bite – this despite the fact that both financial PR and investor relations are thriving.
PR people used to have it easier. The finance director looked after financials and press coverage would duly appear in the financial press to be read by private investors and a small specialist audience of fund managers.
As markets became more sophisticated, financial PR came to rely on other sectors to supply the necessary skills. A well-trodden path was from financial journalism, with many City hacks making the transition to in-house and agency roles.
Others would have joined investment banks or stockbrokers on graduation, lured by the glamour of the City, then deciding after two years of 80-hour weeks that it was not for them.
But the leap from banking or journalism straight into financial and corporate PR is no longer so straightforward.
Investor relations particularly has become far more complex since the tightening of regulatory controls on both sides of the Atlantic.
Both agencies and companies find that premium is now on properly-trained and experienced individuals, to the extent that many companies now prefer that their financial PROs hold a CFA (see below).
Heather McGregor, MD of specialist communications headhunter – and our sister company – Taylor Bennett, says her recruiters could place three times the number of candidates than they do now. "We have seen salary levels becoming inflated by increased capital market activity since 2004, along with a shortage of trained and experienced people," says McGregor.
Taylor Bennett will publish research into salaries in corporate and financial PR agencies later this year.The problem isn't just a need for more training. The dearth of recruits goes back to the recession triggered by the dotcom bubble burst of 2000.
Both PR agencies and investment banks stopped hiring – especially at entry level – and the main training grounds for fledgling financial PR people disappeared. Some firms even started to shed staff.
Times were tough for those left behind, but crucially, the new talent wasn't being hired or trained and the fallout is being felt acutely today.
Where are senior financial PR people coming from today? Agencies like Brunswick and Finsbury have looked to broadcasting, politics and general PR. Andrew Hood and Simon Moyse, partners at Brunswick and Finsbury respectively, both started life in the political arena, while Brunswick partner David Yelland used to edit The Sun.
But it's tough to go into financial PR without a relevant background. Most of your audience will be steeped in all things financial. Conversations will be about strategy, valuation, what the accounts are saying and how analysts arrive at profit expectations.
Then there is the ever-changing regulatory scene – what you can and cannot say and to whom, the impact of hedge funds and the growing trend towards shareholder activism. Conversations will generally be held at board level. It is a real challenge for overstretched senior staff to give newcomers the traditional on-the-job training that they so badly need – or time off for formal training.
There is no question that financial literacy is necessary. In communications, credibility is crucial. Clients will accept what you're telling them; journalists will take you seriously; in-house, your internal audience will co-operate – otherwise there's a good chance they will bypass you. These days it's clear that you are simply more credible if you can talk numbers. And if you can do that already, it gives you a headstart.
In the cycle of City fortunes, things are looking good. Global M&A activity has topped $1,000bn (£590bn) in the first quarter of this year, driven by private equity, ambitious chief executives and cheap finance. Buyout fever is set to continue for at least another year and top-quality corporate communicators have never been so in demand.
Especially the financially savvy ones.


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Time to make right to development a reality for all, UN officials stress
High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay
Top United Nations officials today stressed the need to make the right to development a reality for everyone, everywhere, and to ensure that it brings about a real difference in the daily lives of billions around the world who continue to live in want and in fear.
"The fact that almost three billion people live in poverty and that 20 per cent of the world's people hold 70 per cent of its total income means that we have not kept our promises," said High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay.
"It is time to make the right to development a reality for all," she stressed at an event at UN Headquarters to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Right to Development.
Development is declared a right that entitles "every human person and all peoples to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development, in which all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realized," according to the Declaration.
After it was adopted by the General Assembly on 4 December 1986, the Declaration was re-affirmed many times, including at UN conferences on the environment and on human rights, as well as in the global anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Ms. Pillay stressed that development is a human right and the right to development belongs to all.
"The anniversary stands in the uneasy light of the fact that for millions, development remains in the realm of rhetoric. We must respond to the aspirations of those who live at the margins, both locally and globally."
She also stated that the right to development responds to contemporary challenges, and stressed the need to act together to incorporate the right to development across institutions and across layers of governance.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted that the Declaration gave hope to millions of people around the world. "It brought all human rights together. And it centred development around people.
"On paper, the Declaration lived. In practice, it languished."
He stressed that now is the time to realize the Declaration's ideals so that people can live with dignity.
"Now is the time to invest in development," he said. "We must invest in people, especially women and youth. They make up more than two-thirds of the global population. But they have more than numbers. Women and youth have the ability and energy to drive progress."
Mr. Ban added that in a world marred by violence and war, it should be remembered that development is the path to peace.
"At the same time, as the Declaration shows, peace is a path to development," he said, noting that disarmament, economic issues and human rights are all crucial for development.
Also addressing the event, General Assembly President Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser said that many of the global challenges seen today can be addressed by the implementation of the right to development, "confirming its renewed significance in this era of profound change."
He added that the right to development resonates with the four main priority areas of focus he has outlined for the current Assembly session, including sustainable development.
"It is time to realize the Declaration on the Right to Development," he stressed.
UN report says donors should focus on quality of aid to foster development
On South-South Day, Annan urges developing nations to fully use their creativity
UN trade group agrees on key principles of legislation for secured credit
Human rights central to achieving global anti-poverty goals, says UN official
A top United Nations official today told world leaders gathered in New York that they are more likely to accelerate progress to achieve the set of anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) if they take a human rights approach to their commitments.


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Egypt to hit pause on USD eurobonds until end of fiscal year, looks at green and other instruments instead
Egypt hits pause on USD eurobond issuances for FY2019-2020, looks at green and other options instead. (Speed Round)
Egypt could re-export Israeli gas to EU within months -Steinitz. (Speed Round)
MENA fund managers leave allocations to Egypt unchanged, but want more exposure to KSA. (Speed Round)
Hassan Allam, Egypt's sovereign wealth fund sign joint investment agreement. (Speed Round)
Bank Audi confirms talks with investors on sale of Egypt unit. (Speed Round)
E-Finance to begin IPO procedures in March. (Speed Round)
Deadline for HHD 10% stake + management contract bids extended until February. (Speed Round)
Mineral Resources Act exec regs are out. (Speed Round)
Progress and uncertainty in Washington as GERD talks end without agreement. (Speed Round)
My Morning Routine: Dina Aly, managing director and co-founder of Matter.
The Market Yesterday
What We're Tracking Today
All eyes will be on the Central Bank of Egypt's Monetary Policy Committee today as it meets this afternoon for the first time in 2020 to decide on interest rates. There's no consensus among analysts, with four out of seven we polled earlier this week calling rate cuts of between 50-100 bps, and three expecting the MPC to hold. A survey by Reuters had eight out of 11 analysts calling a cut. The MPC cut rates by 100 bps when it last met in November, capping a year of accelerated easing that saw 450 bps in cuts.
GERD talks in Washington deliver an agreement … to kick the can down the road. Egyptian, Ethiopian and Sudanese officials, who for the past three days have been locked in what had been positioned as last-ditch talks, agreed to meet again in Washington on 28-29 January in a bid to hash out an agreement on the filling timetable for the dam. We have more in this morning's Speed Round, below.
Egypt officially becomes a regional energy hub today, as the East Med Gas Forum sees Egypt and Israel announce the official start of shipping gas from Israel to Egypt. The group, which also includes Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Jordan and Palestine, first convened in January 2019 to accelerate the creation of a regional gas market. More on that in Speed Round, too.
On the same topic: Egypt's electricity interconnectivity project with Sudan is on track to start "within days," the local press reports, citing unnamed sources. Both sides are finalizing signaling and frequency tests for the 50 MW launch for the project, which will eventually reach a capacity of 300 MW. The interconnection project has been in the works for nearly two years, but was stalled several times.
Fintech and bankers, pay attention: Visa signed a "definitive agreement" to acquire financial services startup Plaid in a USD 5.3 bn transaction earlier this week, the payments giant said in a statement. The acquisition of Plaid, which allows users to safely connect their financial and banking data to other apps they use to manage their finances, is expected to open up new markets for Visa in the US and elsewhere in the world. The story is getting wide coverage in the business and tech press globally as signalling that fintech as gone "mainstream."
Research coverage of Aramco is out, Reuters reports. The highlights:
BofA: neutral, target price: USD 9.60 / share;
JPMorgan: overweight, TP: USD 9.86 / share;
Goldman Sachs: neutral, TP: USD 10.90 / share;
Gold surge on the horizon? Co-chief investment officer of Bridgewater Associates Greg Jenson seems to think so, saying the safe haven asset could break the USD 2k barrier as central banks take a dovish stance and halt monetary easing, reports the FT.
Bitcoin kicked off the year with its strongest rally since 2012, trading at USD 8,637 amid a broader wave of investor optimism in commercial cryptocurrency adoption this coming year, according to the Wall Street Journal. Financial managers' interest in allocating assets in digital currencies is growing, the journal says, spurring Bitcoin's rally.
US and China ink "Phase One" trade war truce: The two-year trade war between the US and China could ease after the two inked a "phase one" agreement, the Wall Street Journal reported. The eight-part pact still leaves US tariffs on USD 370 bn in Chinese goods (or about three-quarters of what China sells to the US), but will cut tariffs by half to 7.5% on about USD 120 bn worth of imports. Beijing will commit to importing at least USD 200 bn in US goods and services over the coming two years than it purchased in 2017.
The Donald's impeachment trial will start this coming Tuesday after the US House moved the articles of impeachment to the Senate overnight. The House has tapped seven managers to present the Democrats' argument for impeaching Trump, the Wall Street Journal reports. Trump should now be naming a team to defend him in the Senate.
Have no fear, your favorite podcast is here (and out today): Making It is back for its first episode in 2020, featuring a FMCG manufacturer that is always present at your local koushk. And you know how the saying goes: Behind every good snack, there's a good story. He describes himself as the captain of the ship who had to steer his business through tumultuous times: the revolution, the devaluation, increasing competition, a late export subsidy, and shifting interest rates. Look for today at 2pm on our website | Apple Podcast | Google Podcast or in your inbox.
If you want to refresh your memory a bit, these are the guests whose episodes are already out:
Hazem Moussa, co-founder and CEO of Sarwa Capital
Fatma Ghali, Managing Director of Azza Fahmy
Karim Awad, group CEO of EFG Hermes
Karim El Sahy and Abeer El Sisi from high-profile AI startup Elves
Jalal Abugazaleh, founder of Gourmet Egypt
This publication is proudly sponsored by
Enterprise+: Last Night's Talk Shows
It was an extremely slow night on the airwaves last night, with the nation's talking heads running out of steam as they wrapped up the week.
By far the biggest story of the night was the news that Egyptian authorities had raided Turkey's state news agency. Yahduth Fi Misr's Sherif Amer reported that security forces had detained four people during a raid on Anadolu's Cairo office on Tuesday (watch, runtime: 1:30). We have more on this in this morning's Speed Round, below.
Amer then moved to discuss the latest round of negotiations on the Grand Ethipian Renaissance Dam (GERD), with veteran Egyptian diplomat Mostafa El Feky hailing the presence of the World Bank in the negotiations. El Feky argued that Egypt should invite more mediators to the table to help put pressure on Ethiopia (watch, runtime: 4:08).
The inauguration of the Bernice Military base also got some airtime with Al Hayah Al Youm's Lobna Assal, who reported the attendance of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The base, which is located in the southern military region in the Red Sea Governorate, will help secure the southern borders (watch, runtime: 1:52).
Speed Round
Speed Round is presented in association with
EXCLUSIVE- The government is pressing pause on USD-denominated eurobond issuances for the remainder of the current fiscal year and will instead rely on a diverse set of debt instruments during the coming period, Finance Minister Mohamed Maait told Enterprise. Egypt successfully issued USD 2 bn-worth of USD-denominated eurobonds in a triple-tranche issuance that went to market in November at "very good yields" that the government does not expect to replicate on a similar issuance. Green bonds will likely take the lead in the government's debt sales for the remainder of FY2019-2020, with a ministry committee currently looking at social and environmental sustainability projects to tie to the issuances, Maait says. The ministry will also rely on EUR-denominated eurobonds and sukuk (sharia-compliant bonds) to cover its financing needs.
Background: Maait had said last month that his ministry was considering tapping bond markets three more times before the end of FY2019-2020, saying that the offerings could be comprised of sukuk, green bonds, and variable-rate bonds. The minister had not disclosed a target figure at the time, but had said in September that the government plans to issue USD 3-7 bn in international bonds during the fiscal year. USD 2 bn of that target figure was achieved in the November issuance.
Egypt could re-export Israeli gas to EU "in months" -Steinitz: Egypt could start to re-export shipments of Israeli gas to Europe "in a few months," Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz told Reuters. Egypt yesterday began receiving the first shipments of Israeli gas under the landmark USD 15 bn gas agreement signed in 2018. Asked if the gas was going through the Idku LNG plant for re-export to Europe, he said: "Not today, but they think it might take place in a few months' time."
We now have a better idea of how much gas we're importing: Two Egyptian sources cited by Reuters said that Egypt is initially importing 200 mcf/d of gas, while Israeli gas firm Delek Drilling said 2.1 bcm of gas will be shipped each year from the Leviathan field alone, rising to 4.7 bcm by 2H2022. Sources previously said that between 1.5-3 bcm a year will initially be shipped, gradually increasing to 4-5 bcm in 2021 and 7 bcm in 2022. Egyptian company Dolphinus Holdings agreed to buy 85 bcm over a 15-year term under the revised USD 19.5 bn agreement in October last year.
Everyone is showering praise on the agreement: In a letter to President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said that the gas partnership was "linking our two countries and our two peoples," calling yesterday a "day to celebrate." Meanwhile, Delek CEO Yossi Abu said that the arrangement "marks a new era in the Middle East energy sector."
Gas exports to Asia in the making: Egypt and Israel have discussed the potential of building a pipeline from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea then link that to Asia, Steinitz said, noting that the Indian demand for gas is growing rapidly as it looks to phase out coal. It emerged last year that the two countries are considering building a new LNG export facility on the Red Sea coast, enabling Israeli and Egyptian gas to be exported to Asia.
Turkey-Libya maritime agreement not a problem: Steinitz dismissed concerns over the maritime agreement struck between Turkey and Libya's Government of National Accord last year, which Egypt has also been critical of. "Nobody can block… or own the Mediterranean," Steinitz said.
In other gas-related news: Eni is set to connect its last deepwater well in the Zohr gas field to the national grid next week, reports the local press. The move would bring the field's total production capacity to 3.2 bcf/d of gas.
MENA fund managers seen leaving Egypt allocations unchanged for now: "Most" of the nine MENA fund managers polled this week by Reuters said they were keeping their allocations to Egypt, the UAE, Qatar, Turkey, and Kuwait unchanged. Fund managers polled in October and August had said they plan to increase their exposure to Egypt, citing a solid equities market and improved economic indicators.
Aramco IPO, relaxed regs spur bullish view on Saudi: Five of those polled said they plan to increase their investment in Saudi Arabia, anticipating favorite policy reforms. Last year, Saudi Arabia relaxed a 49% limit for foreign strategic investors in shares of listed companies, which the fund managers also cited as a key attraction for their investments. Social reforms and greater spending on infrastructure projects and homebuilding are also expected to spur gains in Saudi stocks in 2020, particularly following the successful IPO of Saudi Aramco.
Hassan Allam, Sovereign Fund of Egypt sign joint investment agreement: Our friends at Hassan Allam Holding and the Sovereign Fund of Egypt have signed an MoU invest in electricity, water, infrastructure, and renewable energy projects, the two parties said in a joint press release (pdf). The MoU will see the two partner with international co-investors on "high-impact, sustainable" investments, including greenfield and existing projects. "With the renowned international co-investors and leading technical experts we plan to bring into the equation, we are confident that not only will we lay the groundwork for more fruitful public-private partnerships, but that we will herald in both local and foreign investments," Hassan Allam CEO Amr Allam said.
M&A WATCH- Bank Audi remains in Egypt — for now: Bank Audi has not officially filed a request to exit the Egyptian market but is in discussions with several parties on a potential sale of its Egypt unit to secure funding for its main office in Lebanon, Al Mal reported, citing an official statement from the bank. Press reports on Monday claimed that Bank Audi was looking to shut up shop due to the ongoing economic crisis in Lebanon. CFO Tamer Ghazaleh told Reuters on Tuesday that the bank would consider a sale if it receives a suitable offer, confirming that investors had shown significant interest in its Egypt operations.
IPO WATCH- E-Finance to begin IPO procedures in March: State-owned e-payments platform E-Finance is expected to be ready to begin taking the final steps towards debuting on the EGX by March, Chairman Ibrahim Sarhan tells Hapi Journal. According to Sarhan, the company will complete the necessary legal procedures and fair value study by the end of the month, which will then be presented at a general assembly meeting scheduled to take place in March. Domestic press reports last week had suggested the IPO could go to market by April, while Sarhan had suggested last month that it could happen during the first three months of the year.
Advisors: Pharos Holding and Renaissance Capital are joint global coordinators. Zaki Hashem & Partners were previously reported to have been retained as legal advisors, while Baker Tilly was tapped to prepare the fair value report. Inktank is investor relations advisor.
PRIVATIZATION WATCH- Deadline to bid for 10% stake in HHD with management rights extended until February: Heliopolis Housing & Development (HHD) has extended to 21 February the deadline for investors to submit their bids for a contract to take over the company's management along with a 10% stake in the company, according to an EGX disclosure (pdf). It remains unclear when state-owned investment bank NI Capital will announce the selected bid. Chairman Hany El Deeb had previously said that the final contracts would be signed at the end of 1Q2020.
Who's in the running? Eight companies have been reported to have shown interest, including SODIC and BPE Partners, who were the first to purchase the prospectus, along with EFG Hermes, Emaar Misr, and Orascom Development.
M&A WATCH- Cairo 3A acquires 50% of Pyramid Poultry: Cairo 3A has acquired a 50% stake in Pyramid Poultry for EGP 340.2 mn, according to the local press. Pyramid Poultry's financial advisor CI Capital valued the company at EGP 680.4 mn, with each of its 12 mn shares valued at EGP 56.7. The company is planning a EGP 153 mn capital increase within the next two months, more than doubling its current capital to EGP 273 mn from EGP 120 mn currently. The two companies were negotiating the sale of a 60% stake but decided on 50% before concluding the transaction.
Rameda Pharma is planning to expand sales to 10 new Gulf and African markets in the medium term as part of its post-IPO expansion plan, the local press reports, without disclosing the planned investment value. New markets on Rameda's radar include Uganda, Tanzania, Ivory Coast, and Palestine, while the company will expand its business in existing markets including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Nigeria.
Rameda was one of two companies to debut on the EGX last year. The company's shares dipped on the first day and lost a total of 9% of its value since going to market, but HSBC said in a research note last week that it expected the company's operational performance to see a "sharp recovery" in 2020.
INVESTMENT WATCH- EBRD invests USD 60 mn in Egypt's Infinity Energy: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has become a shareholder in Infinity Energy after investing USD 60 mn equity in the energy company, according to an official statement. The new investment is earmarked for developing renewable energy and electricity distribution projects as well as electric vehicles charging stations. Infinity this week established a joint venture with Emirati renewable energy company Masdar under the name of Infinity Power. The new company aims to produce 1 GW of power from renewable projects within the next five years.
INVESTMENT WATCH- Pioneers Holding plans to invest EGP 3 bn through its subsidiaries by the end of this year, according to the local press. It remains unclear what these investments will be used for. Pioneers had submitted a mandatory tender offer (MTO) for a 90% stake in five of its subsidiaries listed on the stock exchange.
REGULATION WATCH- FRA issues new regs to protect minority shareholders in listed companies: The Financial Regulatory Authority's (FRA) board of directors has signed off yesterday on a change to the regulations governing listed companies to require boards to provide more information to their general assemblies on potential conflicts of interest, FRA boss Mohamed Omran said (pdf). Under the change, the executive board must outline in its reports to the general assembly all the cases in which the interests of a board member, top executive, or major shareholder could overlap with what's best for the company. The board must also report more thoroughly on existing conflicts of interest.
LEGISLATION WATCH- Mineral Resources exec regs issued: Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly has issued the executive regulations for the amended Mineral Resources Act, cabinet said in a statement. The regs confirm that the changes cap royalty payments at 20% of the value of annual production, and introduce a minimum of 5%. They outline the responsibilities of a newly-established committee that will advise on the royalty rate for each raw material separately, as well as a new authority that will take the power to issue and control licenses away from governorates.
The new committee will meet four times a year to decide on any changes in rates that might come from legislative amendments, resolve mining disputes, and decide which materials are eligible for export. The authority, meanwhile, will act as a supervisory body charged with enforcing the law.
Other important changes: We previously noted that the changes abolish the old 16k sqm area licensing limit, allowing the authority to issue licenses to areas of unlimited size. Mining firms will have to pay 6% of annual production to the home governorate. Unlike the previous legislation where governorates had the power to amend the percentage of production every four years, the amendments place this power in the hands of the prime minister, with governorates now only able to request changes. Licenses can also be renewed for more than one term, and another important new stipulation splits contracts into separate exploration and extraction contracts.
Background: Industry players and top miners have lauded the changes for making Egypt's mining sector more attractive for investors. The royalty model introduced is in accordance with global standards and is a welcome change from the mandated revenue split between the investor and the Egyptian Mineral Resource Authority (EMRA), top executives of Aton Resources, Thani Stratex, and Resolute Egypt said in a piece they wrote for Enterprise when the Oil Ministry first floated the idea of changing the law. Since then, we have been picking up reports with broadly good things to say about the changes (here, here, and here).
LEGISLATION WATCH- House committee asks Amer to clarify aspects of Banking Act: The House of Representatives' Economic Committee has approved the proposed overhaul of the Central Bank and Banking Act in principle but asked central bank Governor Tarek Amer to clarify several aspects of the bill, according to Al Mal. These include how the legislation would prevent monopolistic practices and the mechanisms for handling shortages of hard currency.
The committee will discuss the bill again next week with the goal of sending it to the floor of the House for a vote shortly after. The Madbouly Cabinet had approved the 242-article final draft of the act in October 2019.
What's in the bill? The Central Bank and Banking Act would grant the Central Bank of Egypt increased oversight over the banking sector. It would raise capital requirements for local and foreign banks and introduce measures governing e-payment, fintech businesses, and cryptocurrencies. It would also enhance data protection and customer privacy by requiring banks to obtain written consent for indirect or direct data dissemination.
LEGISLATION WATCH- House SMEs Committee approves Microfinance Act: The House SMEs committee approved the six amendments to the 2014 microfinance law proposed by the Financial Regulatory Authority, paving the way for a general assembly vote within days, according to Al Mal. The legislative amendments would bring dedicated SME lenders, including finance companies and NGOs, under the microfinance law. The bill would also introduce a EGP 20 mn capital requirement for SME lenders and keep the requirement for their microfinance counterparts at EGP 5 mn. They would also allow SME finance providers to be members of a rebranded Egyptian Microfinance Federation.
LEGISLATION WATCH- PPP Act amendments get final House committee approval: The House Planning Committee has approved amendments to the PPP Act that would streamline public-private partnership (PPP) contracts, committee chair Hussein Eissa said. The changes will now make their way to the House general assembly for a final vote, before being handed over to President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to be signed into law.
What would the changes entail? According to Eissa, the proposed changes would explicitly state that government authorities are allowed to partner with private companies on infrastructure and utility developments in sectors including transport, energy, communications, and healthcare. They also add provisions meant to ensure higher quality standards by changing an article of the 2010 law (pdf) on how to calculate the minimum five-year post-project engagement period. This minimum period would start from the date the government signs off on a formal document accepting the work done on a certain project, rather from the project delivery date.
Other details we know about the amendments: The amendments would cut the time to issue tenders for PPP projects and introduce new mechanisms for private sector contracting, including allowing private sector players to submit unsolicited proposals. The government would also be allowed to negotiate directly with a sole bidder without needing to take the project through the competitive bidding process. The government is looking to encourage private sector involvement in infrastructure, public services, and utility developments, particularly in the new cities.
Progress and uncertainty in Washington as GERD talks end without agreement: The Egyptian, Ethiopian and Sudanese foreign ministers have agreed to return to Washington on 28-29 January for another round of talks after negotiations yesterday ended without agreement over the filling timetable of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. A joint statement released following three days of last-ditch talks said that the countries had agreed to fill the dam in stages and take measures to prevent Egypt and Sudan from being hit by drought, but key points of disagreement appear to remain unresolved.
What did they agree? There was agreement to fill the dam in stages, and do so initially to a level of 595 meters above sea level. Filling will take place during the wet season between July and August.
What happens after that is still very much up in the air. The statement says that filling after this initial stage will be done based on the condition of the Blue Nile and Ethiopia's filling targets for electricity generation. Crucially, these long-term aspects of the filling schedule — which have been the key hurdle to an agreement between Egypt and Ethiopia — are yet to be agreed. The statement also says that Ethiopia will take "appropriate mitigation measures" while operating the dam to prevent drought downstream, but does not elaborate on how much water the country is prepared to release.
More technical and legal talks will be held prior to the meeting, the statement said.
Egypt committed to political settlement: The Foreign Ministry spokesperson emphasized Egypt's hopes for a final agreement at the end of the month, and conveyed Minister Sameh Shoukry's appreciation of the US and World Bank, which agreed in November to sponsor the latest round of talks.
Tensions with Turkey rise as Egypt raids Cairo office of state news agency: Egyptian authorities on Tuesday raided the Cairo office of Turkey's Anadolu Agency and detained four staff members, the state-run broadcaster said yesterday. Security forces took the office's Turkish financial director and three Egyptian employees to an unknown location, the agency said.
Egypt accused Anadolu of being an Ikhwani front, the Interior Ministry said. Turkey is predictably unhappy, having summoned Egypt's charge d'affaires in Ankara, while the US has called for the release of the staff. The arrests come against the backdrop of a spiraling proxy conflict in Libya. The story is getting picked up in the foreign press: Associated Press | Reuters | Bloomberg.
MOVES- Ihab Rizk (LinkedIn) has joined the Sovereign Fund of Egypt as chief human resources officer. Rizk moves to the fund after a 13-year run heading HR at Qalaa Holdings. An AUC graduate (BA, MBA), he previously served stints with Shell, LinkdotNet and Fayrouz International and is a chartered fellow of the UK's Chartered Institute for Personnel Development.
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Egypt in the News
Yesterday's news that Israeli gas shipments have begun arriving in Egypt is getting top billing in the foreign press: Reuters | Associated Press | AFP | Bloomberg | Wall Street Journal | Haaretz.
GERD talks are also getting major play in the foreign press: The Financial Times is running an ominously-titled opinion piece by David Pilling about preventing war between Egypt and Ethiopia. Fortunately, he concludes that armed conflict between the two powers is by no means inevitable. "With skilful diplomacy and a forward-looking agreement, the Nile need not be a source of conflict, but rather a force for co-operation," he writes. Al Bawaba's Abdellatif El Menawy is optimistic, hypothesizing that the US will pressure "the three sides toward making concessions and reaching an agreement that satisfies everyone." The Globe Post also recaps the full sequence of events that brought us here.
Diplomacy + Foreign Trade
SME Authority inks EUR 50 mn in loans and grants: The SMEs Development Authority has signed a long term loan agreement with the German Development Bank (KfW) and the EU worth EUR 30 mn to expand the authority's financing capabilities for youth-led SMEs, reports the local press. The agreement also includes a separate EUR 4.5 mn grant from the German government and another EUR 14.9 mn grant from the EU. Trade and Industry Minister Nevine Game, who is also the head of SME Authority, said that another USD 200 mn World Bank loan agreement, will be signed soon, Al Mal reported. This came following talks with a World Bank delegation.
EasyJet resumes flights to Egypt
Budget airline EasyJet is resuming UK flights to Egypt in June, after a five year hiatus. The airline will operate two flights a week from Manchester to Sharm El-Sheikh, followed by two flights a week from London Gatwick to Sharm El-Sheikh in September, Reuters reports.
Egypt Politics + Economics
Interior Ministry denies allegations that deceased US-Egyptian inmate was mistreated
The Interior Ministry has denied allegations that US-Egyptian citizen Mostafa Kassem who died this week in Egyptian custody was mistreated. Authorities advised Kassem that his hunger strike would harm his health and that legal and medical measures were taken to prevent his death, the ministry said.
New team to investigate Giulio Regeni case
Prosecutor General Hamada El Sawi has ordered the formation of a new team to study Italian PhD student Giulio Regeni's murder file, according to Al Mal. This comes a day after President Abdel Fattah El Sisi held talks with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte in Cairo. Italian prosecutors accuse elements within Egypt's security services of abducting and murdering Regeni in 2016.
My Morning Routine
Dina Aly, managing director and co-founder of brand consultancy Matter: My Morning Routine looks each week at how a successful member of the community starts their day — and then throws in a couple of random business questions just for fun. Speaking to us this week is Dina Aly (LinkedIn), managing director and co-founder of branding firm Matter.
I am Dina Aly, mother of two wonderful daughters, Lela and Nedjma Abbas. I am also a passionate triathlete — a sport I started two years ago with my husband. Together we have completed Ironman 70.3 six times and Ironman 140.6 once (that's a crazy 3.9 km swim, 180 km bike and 42 km run).
Endurance sport was also an inspiration for my second business, a healthy energy bar called Brüz. I started this business with my friends because we understand firsthand the impact of good nutrition on performance, health and well-being, and because we are big advocates of sports, adventure and an active outdoor lifestyle.
I started my entrepreneurial journey eight years ago with my two amazing partners. We are constantly pushing the envelope to be better and we love what we do. Over the years I had the amazing job of building over 200 brands across various industries, from global brands like Heinz, Pepsi and Nestle Mega to local brands like Flo and EGbank. We are in the business of transforming ideas, services and products into impactful brands that drive business growth.
I am not a morning person at all, yet my crazy schedule requires me to wake up very early. My day usually starts at 6.15am which gives me five minutes of silence before the storm begins. I get up, put on my bathing suit, and grab a "Brüz bar" (yes, I'm unabashedly promoting my own brand) to be at swim training at 7am, before heading to the gym.
My busy schedule doesn't allow me to see family and friends as much as I'd like, so I spend the daily commute catching up with them and taking work-related calls. Being in the professional services industry for more than 15 years, I have a love / hate relationship with my phone, so for my sanity and the sake of everyone around me, I usually switch my phone to silent and return calls every couple of hours once I am out of the car.
My day at Matter involves working with different people. Internally we hold workshops, reviews, and sessions to get insights, build our processes, systems and tools. Externally we work with our clients to translate their ideas into impactful brands. There's never a dull moment and hardly time to eat, so I always eat at meetings.
I constantly buy books but unfortunately no longer have the time to read them all. I usually read non-fiction. Mindfulness, branding, business, sports, psychology, neuroscience, spirituality are some of the topics I love. I recently read David Eagleman's The Brain, Reza Aslan's God: A Human History of Religion, and Letting Go: The Pathway to Surrender by David Hawkins.
Since we started Matter, our goal was to put Egypt on the branding map. We focus on building expertise, developing a strong methodology and tools to transform brands and drive business growth. Branding is often confused as a design or communication exercise. Now more than ever, branding is the translation of your value proposition into a carefully designed brand experience and culture. People do not just buy a product, they affiliate with the brand and its values.
I always joke with my team that we're a bit like psychologists. We interact daily with many different kinds of people and organizations: Creatives, clients, startups and big corporate entities, and each is unique. We need to understand people's mindsets, be flexible in working with different personalities, and be respectful of the different expectations within organizational working culture.
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EGP / USD CBE market average: Buy 15.79 | Sell 15.91
EGP / USD at CIB: Buy 15.80 | Sell 15.90
EGP / USD at NBE: Buy 15.83 | Sell 15.93
EGX30 (Wednesday): 13,770 (+0.1%)
Turnover: EGP 530 mn (21% below the 90-day average)
EGX 30 year-to-date: -1.4%
THE MARKET ON WEDNESDAY: The EGX30 ended Wednesday's session up 0.1%. CIB, the index's heaviest constituent, ended up 0.5%. EGX30's top performing constituents were Egyptian Resorts up 2.5%, Madinet Nasr Housing up 1.9%, and Emaar Misr up 1.4%. Yesterday's worst performing stocks were Pioneers Holding down 2.5%, Egyptian Iron & Steel down 2.3% and Qalaa Holdings down 2.1%. The market turnover was EGP 530 mn, and foreign investors were the sole net sellers.
Foreigners: Net short | EGP -21.2 mn
Regional: Net long | EGP +15.6 mn
Domestic: Net long | EGP +5.5 mn
Retail: 49.5% of total trades | 41.0% of buyers | 58.1% of sellers
Institutions: 50.5% of total trades | 59.0% of buyers | 41.9% of sellers
WTI: USD 58.10 (-0.2%)
Brent: USD 64.22 (-0.4%)
Natural Gas (Nymex, futures prices) USD 2.12 MMBtu, (-2.9%, February 2020 contract)
Gold: USD 1,556.60 / troy ounce (+0.8%)
TASI: 8,432 (-0.5%) (YTD: +0.5%)
ADX: 5,174 (+0.1%) (YTD: +1.9%)
DFM: 2,817 (+0.5%) (YTD: +1.9%)
KSE Premier Market: 7,089 (+0.4%)
QE: 10,635 (-0.0%) (YTD: +2.0%)
MSM: 4,039 (+1.6%) (YTD: +1.5%)
BB: 1,636 (+1.0%) (YTD: +1.6%)
January: 1,000 artifacts to be displayed when Hurghada Museum opens.
16 January (Thursday): The CBE's Monetary Policy Committee will meet to review interest rates.
19 January (Sunday): International peace talks between Libya's warring leaders, Berlin, Germany (Berlin Conference on Libya).
20 January: UK-Africa Investment Summit 2020, London, United Kingdom.
21-24 January (Tuesday-Friday): World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting, Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.
23 January 23 – February 4: Cairo International Book Fair 2020, New Cairo International Exhibition and Convention Center, Egypt
25 January (Saturday): 25 January revolution anniversary / Police Day, national holiday.
25 January (Saturday): Midterm break for public schools and universities. Also known as: Two weeks of good commute.
27 January (Monday): Cairo Economic Court will look into minority shareholder's lawsuit against Fincorp Investment Holding as Adeptio AD Investments' financial advisor for its mandatory tender offer (MTO) for Americana Egypt.
27-29 January (Monday-Wednesday): African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association's North African Fund Manager Masterclass, Sheraton Cairo Hotel, Galaa Square, Cairo.
28-29 January (Tuesday-Wednesday): US Federal Open Market Committee will hold its two-day policy meeting to review the interest rate.
February: An Italian business delegation will visit Egypt to discuss investments in the Port Said industrial zone.
February: A delegation of Swiss businesses will visit Egypt to discuss investment.
February: Higher Education Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar will visit Minsk, Belarus.
1 February (Saturday): The administrative court will look into an appeal by Adeptio AD Investments against a Financial Regulatory Authority to submit a mandatory tender offer (MTO) for Americana Egypt.
3-5 February: The Arab-African International Forum, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
4 February (Tuesday): Court hearing for PTT Energy Resources' USD 1 bn lawsuit against Egyptian government.
8 February (Saturday): Midterm break ends. Traffic in Cairo stinks once more.
9-10 February (Sunday-Monday): The the 33rd ordinary African Union (AU) Summit where Egypt will hand over the African Union presidency to South Africa
11-13 February (Tuesday-Thursday): Egypt Petroleum Show, Egypt International Exhibition Center, Nasr City, Cairo.
23 February (Sunday): Court session for Arabia Investments Holdings' lawsuit against Peugeot. It was previously postponed to 24 November 2019 and then to 5 January 2020, and now 23 February.
23 February (Sunday): Court session for Amer Group, Porto Group compensation claim against Antaradous
27 February (Thursday): The CBE's Monetary Policy Committee will meet to review interest rates.
March: The Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF) will visit Egypt to assess the progress of actions taken to combat money laundering and terrorist sponsoring activities.
1 March: A conference on "logistics and its impact on the movement of goods and industry," venue TBD, Alexandria.
4-5 March (Wednesday-Thursday): Women Economic Forum, Cairo.
7 March (Saturday): International Conference for Investment organized by Suez Canal Economic Authority, Al Galala City, Egypt
17-18 March (Tuesday-Wednesday): US Federal Open Market Committee will hold its two-day policy meeting to review the interest rate.
25-26 March (Wednesday-Thursday): Mega Projects Conference, Egypt International Exhibition Center, Nasr City, Cairo.
9 April (Thursday): The CBE's Monetary Policy Committee will meet to review interest rates.
12 April (Sunday): Easter Sunday.
20 April (Monday): Sham El Nessim, national holiday.
23 April (Thursday): First day of Ramadan (TBC).
23-26 May (Saturday-Tuesday): Eid El Fitr (TBC).
25 April (Saturday): Sinai Liberation Day, national holiday.
28-29 April (Tuesday-Wednesday): US Federal Open Market Committee will hold its two-day policy meeting to review the interest rate.
5-7 May (Tuesday-Thursday): AFSIC – Investing in Africa, London, United Kingdom.
21 May (Thursday): The CBE's Monetary Policy Committee will meet to review interest rates.
9-10 June (Tuesday-Wednesday): US Federal Open Market Committee will hold its two-day policy meeting to review the interest rate.
17-20 June (Wednesday-Saturday): 2019 Automech Formula car expo, Egypt International Exhibition Center, Cairo.
30 June (Sunday): June 2013 protests anniversary, national holiday.
2 July (Thursday): The CBE's Monetary Policy Committee will meet to review interest rates.
28-29 July (Tuesday-Wednesday): US Federal Open Market Committee will hold its two-day policy meeting to review the interest rate.
30 July-3 August (Thursday-Monday): Eid El Adha (TBC), national holiday.
13 August (Thursday): The CBE's Monetary Policy Committee will meet to review interest rates.
20 August (Wednesday-Thursday): Islamic New Year (TBC), national holiday.
15-16 September (Tuesday-Wednesday): US Federal Open Market Committee will hold its two-day policy meeting to review the interest rate.
24 September (Thursday): The CBE's Monetary Policy Committee will meet to review interest rates.
6 October (Tuesday): Armed Forces Day, national holiday.
29 October (Thursday): Prophet Mohamed's birthday (TBC), national holiday.
November: Egypt will host simultaneously the International Capital Market Association's emerging market, and Africa and Middle East meetings.
4-5 November (Tuesday-Wednesday): US Federal Open Market Committee will hold its two-day policy meeting to review the interest rate.
5 November (Thursday): The CBE's Monetary Policy Committee will meet to review interest rates.
15-16 December (Tuesday-Wednesday): US Federal Open Market Committee will hold its two-day policy meeting to review the interest rate.
17 December (Thursday): The CBE's Monetary Policy Committee will meet to review interest rates.
25 December (Friday): Western Christmas.
1 January 2021 (Friday): New Year's Day, national holiday.
7 January 2021 (Thursday): Coptic Christmas, national holiday.