Omar Samra

Omar Samra is an entrepreneur, adventurer, motivational speaker and analogue astronaut. He’s the first Egyptian to summit Everest, the 7 Summits and ski to both the North and South Pole. In 2009, following a career in Banking and Investing, Omar founded Wild Guanabana, one of the region’s leading adventure travel companies where he still serves as CEO. Subsequently, Omar founded a handful of businesses in the education, environment, and adventure space, as well as a children’s charity in his late wife’s honor. Omar is an Astronaut Candidate with PoSSUM, having undergone intensive space training and served as Vice-Commander of Lunares 3, a 15-day moon-analogue mission conducting research on lunar habitability. In 2017, Omar made three first ascents of Antarctica mountains and named them. He rowed 1000km across the Atlantic Ocean before capsizing in a storm. His survival story, which also sheds light on the plight of refugees crossing dangerous seas, was made into a documentary that screened at the Cannes, El Gouna Film, Cairo and Berlin Festivals to wide acclaim. Omar is an ambassador of the Earth Shot Prize – the Duke of Cambridge’s climate action initiative -, a former Goodwill Ambassador to the UNDP, and an honorary ambassador to Nepal.

Awards

– Ambassador to the Earth Shot Prize (2020)

– Honorary Ambassador to Nepal (2020)

– National Awards from Egypt’s Ministry of Information (2020)

– Esquire: Man at His Best Award as Humanitarian of the year (2017)

– Goodwill Ambassador the United Nations Development Program (2016)

– 50 Most Powerful Arabs Businessmen by Inc. Magazine (2016)

– Top 40 Most Powerful Arabs under 40 by Arab Business (2015)

– Arab Social Media Influencer of the year, Tourism Category (2015)

– National Awards from Egypt’s Ministry of Defence (2014)

– MBC Hope Humanitarian Project of the year (2014)

– SME Advisor Stars of Business Award (2012)

– AME Info Award for Customer Focused Business of the Year (2012)

– Nominated for Arab Entrepreneur of the Year (2012)

– The AUC Board of Trustees Young Alumni Achievement Award (2011)

– UK World Travel Market Global Tourism Award (2011)

– SME Advisor Award for Tourism & Hospitality (2011)

– AUC Alumni of the Year, Business & Economics Faculty Award (2008)

 – National Awards from Egypt’s Ministry of Youth (2007)

– National Awards from Egypt’s Ministry of Sports (2007)

Speaking Experience

Omar has delivered over 200 talks in over 10 countries across 5 continents. – He was TEDxBend and TEDxCairo’s closing speaker, as well as a keynote speaker in many conferences like Rise Up Summit, Egyptian Economic Development Conference, Global Islamic Economy Summit and Misk Global Forum.

Corporate clients have including the likes of Barclays, BMW, BP, Cemex, Coca-Cola, Danone, Eli Lilly, GSK, Hersheys, HSBC, MAF Ventures, Microsoft, Novartis, Orascom Telecom, Orascom Construction, P&G, PepsiCo and Unilever.

Links for the videos

Beyond the Raging Sea documentary trailer – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E7mxlw1n6U

My TEDx talk in Bend Oregon – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0Ajd7eTRSk&t=3s

7 Summits – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piWnddVlWIE

Everest – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgVlll0I4yg (old footage)

North Pole – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHDN1YM_XRA

South Pole – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awBpOaObdYo

Antarctica 1st Ascents – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dHX8mRHWIo