Dina Abdel Fattah, Chairperson and Founder of the Top 50 Most Influential Women Forum: “Youth Are the Real Investment, and Building the Future Begins with Developing Skills and Capabilities”
June 19, 2026
Media personality Dina Abdel Fattah, Chairperson and Founder of the Top 50 Most Influential Women Forum, affirmed that young people represent the most valuable investment any nation can make, describing them as the driving force behind future growth and sustainable development. She emphasized the importance of creating platforms and opportunities that enable youth to learn, gain practical experience, and build professional networks capable of opening new pathways to success.
Speaking during the activities of Start Summit 2026, Abdel Fattah said that every young man and woman carries ambitions and aspirations worthy of support and encouragement, whether they are still pursuing their education, taking their first professional steps, or considering launching their own ventures. She noted that simply participating in events of this nature is a significant step toward shaping a successful career path and making the most of opportunities for learning, networking, and knowledge exchange.
She highlighted the rapid transformations taking place across global job markets, employment patterns, and required skill sets, stressing that the ability to continuously learn and adapt has become one of the most critical factors for future success. According to Abdel Fattah, achievement today is no longer determined solely by academic excellence or individual talent, but increasingly by a person’s willingness to acquire new knowledge, develop relevant skills, and maintain confidence in their own potential.
She explained that university graduates must understand several fundamental realities. First, they need to develop a clear awareness of the global economic landscape and its evolving trajectories. Second, they should closely monitor developments within their chosen fields by studying the strategies of leading companies and understanding the skills these organizations increasingly demand. Third, they must learn to leverage technology as an effective tool for generating solutions and obtaining answers.
Abdel Fattah pointed out that certain professions are expected to disappear entirely in the coming years, making analytical thinking and the ability to maintain a broad perspective on surrounding developments among the defining qualities of tomorrow’s workforce.
She further noted that companies typically part ways with employees for specific reasons, including the inability to deliver meaningful added value, failure to contribute to cost efficiency, and the absence of ideas or perspectives that support growth and expansion strategies.
She stressed that long-term employability depends on mastering all three of these elements, warning that remaining competitive in the labor market will become increasingly difficult without them.
According to Abdel Fattah, genuine success begins the moment individuals decide to invest in themselves—by acquiring new skills, expanding their professional networks, gaining hands-on experience, and learning from the journeys and achievements of others. Every opportunity to learn or connect, she said, has the potential to become a turning point in a young person’s professional development.
She also underscored the importance of specialized events such as Start Summit, describing them as far more than recruitment or training gatherings. Instead, she said, they serve as comprehensive platforms that bring together young talent, businesses, entrepreneurs, experts, and decision-makers in one place, creating valuable opportunities to understand labor market expectations, benefit from diverse experiences, and significantly shorten the learning curve that often takes years of trial and exploration.
Abdel Fattah added that the Top 50 Most Influential Women Forum firmly believes that empowering youth is a shared responsibility requiring the collaboration of institutions across sectors. She reiterated that the most meaningful investment is investment in people, noting that the Forum has spent recent years connecting young individuals with inspiring role models while providing opportunities for learning, training, and skills development. These efforts, she said, stem from the Forum’s confidence in the capabilities of Egyptian youth and its belief that their immense potential simply requires the right opportunities to be transformed into tangible achievements.
She also reflected on the experiences of the prominent leaders and successful figures the Forum has hosted and engaged with over the years across sectors including finance, banking, industry, technology, and entrepreneurship. None, she noted, began their journeys at the top. Rather, they started with modest steps, learned from mistakes, and continued to persevere despite challenges and setbacks. The true distinction between those who achieve success and those who continue waiting for opportunities, she said, lies in taking initiative and having the courage to make the first move rather than waiting for ideal circumstances.
Abdel Fattah encouraged participants to maximize their experience at the summit by actively engaging in sessions, workshops, and various activities, while also connecting with experts and industry professionals and expanding their networks. A single opportunity, one meaningful conversation, or even a sincere piece of advice, she said, can completely alter the course of a career—and sometimes a life.
Concluding her remarks, Abdel Fattah extended her appreciation to the organizers of Start Summit and to all supporting institutions and participating companies for their commitment to empowering Egyptian youth and their confidence in young people’s abilities and potential. She stressed that the future is not something to be awaited but something to be built through hard work, perseverance, and determination. She called on young people to believe in themselves, continue pursuing their ambitions, and seize every opportunity for learning, growth, and inspiration—creating new success stories that begin at this event and extend toward a brighter future.
