By : Amir Taha
Driven by his belief in the importance of institutional development and the empowerment of a new generation of executive leaders, Mr. Said Zater has decided to conclude his leadership journey as CEO of Contact Financial Holding and take on a new role as Vice Chairman of the Group’s Board of Directors and Board Advisor. This step marks the culmination of an illustrious 24-year journey, during which he spearheaded remarkable achievements that solidified the Group’s position as one of Egypt’s leading non-banking financial providers.
This step reaffirms Zater’s dedication to ensuring business continuity and maintaining institutional success by passing on expertise without compromising corporate memory. In his new role, Zater will continue to provide strategic guidance and insights, support the Group’s strategic direction, foster institutional learning, and sustain long-term growth and success.
Over the past 24 years, Zater has played a pivotal role in shaping Contact Financial Holding since its inception in 2001. His visionary leadership has expanded the Group’s scope beyond auto financing to secure Egypt’s first consumer finance license, positioning Contact as a fully-fledged financial services provider. Today, Contact offers a comprehensive portfolio of non-banking financial services, including mortgage finance, leasing, factoring, and insurance. Zater’s leadership has reinforced the Group’s market prominence, driven unprecedented growth, and introduced innovative financing solutions, enabling a broader customer base to access diverse financial solutions while ensuring a well-diversified and sustainable portfolio.
Under Zater’s leadership since May 2020, Contact Financial Holding has undergone significant geographic expansion, increasing its branch network to over 74 locations across Egypt. His forward-looking strategy successfully extended Contact’s footprint into the UAE market with the opening of Contact’s Dubai branch. Additionally, he played a key role in strengthening the Group’s insurance division, while overseeing a 230% surge in the Group’s profits over the past six years. In 2024 alone, Contact reported a 22% y-o-y increase in the net operating income. Furthermore, under his leadership, the Group implemented a robust digital transformation strategy, enhancing customer experience, optimizing operational efficiency, and bolstering its competitive edge in the fintech era.
In recognition of his efforts to solidify the Group’s market leadership, Contact Financial Holding was recognized among the Top 50 Fintech Companies in the Middle East by Forbes Middle East in 2023. The Group was also named one of the Top 50 Listed Companies for three consecutive years, including 2024. Additionally, Said Zater was honored among the Top 100 CEOs in the Middle East for both 2023 and 2024 by Forbes ME. Under his leadership, Contact also received prestigious accolades from The Global Economics, including the Fastest Growing Financial Company and Best Fintech Company in Digital Transformation.
In alignment with his commitment to sustainability, Zater was recognized as one of the Top 100 Sustainability Leaders, ranking first among companies in the green finance sector. This recognition highlights his efforts in introducing green financing products, as well as his active role in empowering women through pioneering initiatives that promote their active participation in the financial sector, reflecting Contact’s vision of adopting sustainability goals (SDGs) and reaffirming its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainable growth.
It is worth noting that Said Zater serves as the Chairman of the Egyptian Federation of Consumer Finance, being the first elected Chairman of the Federation, which was established as an initiative by the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA). He has played a pivotal role in advancing the consumer finance sector, working to eliminate obstacles faced by consumer finance companies, establishing the Federation as a liaison between these companies and the FRA.
