Presenting an interview with entrepreneur Mahmoud Mansi, a longtime Democracy Chronicles writer and the Founder of HR Revolution Middle-East Magazine based in Alexandria, Egypt.

1. Where were you first introduced to the idea of launching your own magazine: HR Revolution Middle-East (www.HRrevolution.ME)?

I was inspired to start this magazine in December 2014. That’s when I was first introduced to my partner Mahmoud El Dsoky – who is an owner of a web development and designing company. He was willing to launch a magazine (www.TheAlexandErian.com) and was introducing the idea to me. He assigned me to be a Co-Founder in his magazine and we worked together on building it from scratch. Actually he gave me lots of hope and hence I was inspired to start my own magazine.

I have been working in the HR field as a Specialist for 6 years, and I was wondering what’s next? During my experience I noticed many conflicts between employees and the HR departments in Egypt. When I investigated further I noticed that this conflict is worldwide and not only in Egypt. Yet in the Middle-East everything is magnified, and this makes it a perfect case study for global learners.

I started by consulting my fiancée Alia Faramawi a Marketing Specialist and my HR colleagues Hassan Ragab, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan and Ahmed Saadalla and more of my non-HR friends. I received a very positive feedback. I then proposed the idea to Mahmoud El Dsoky and he welcomed it very much. I asked them, “Who wants to come aboard?” And we started working right away.

​2. ​What is the reason you decided to start the HR Revolution Middle-East?

I had a motive. I felt that I can give more. There is much more energy and ideas that deserve to come out and interact with the society. I have launched The Forgotten Writers Foundation in 2011 that works on launching writing competitions. I worked so hard to establish it and to have an international influence. I have learnt a lot in those three-four years. I have dealt with hundreds of different minds an explored hundreds of stories through the submissions we received. I wanted to blend between my professional experience as an HR specialist and my experience in managing writing projects through launching this magazine. At some point my aim was to start something new, ignite a new spark, plant a new seed, and work on watching it have an influence on the world.

​3. ​What do you see as the mission of the HR Revolution?

Before the 25th January Egyptian Revolution the world saw Egypt through only 2 angles; History and Tourism. This was the definition of Egypt. Thankfully after the revolution the world started to see Egypt from a political angle too. With the global humanistic movements of feminism, human rights and art, the world started to discover new angles of the Middle-East with all its puzzling contradictions. Non-Egyptians started to be interested to discover the Arab artists, to read more of their books, and some tend to learn Arabic to blend with the culture.

Hopefully through the HR Revolution Middle-East Magazine and through other business magazines over the Middle-East we will be able to grab the attention of the world to discover our economic, financial and business environment too.

A more direct aim is to create a platform for elite readers through our articles and interviews that would assist in enhancing or even recreating a better global working environment.

​4. ​Now that you have begun work, what have you found at the HR Revolution that surprised you and made you look at the organization and its purpose in a new way?

My team of writers, journalists, editors, translators, photographers and designers fascinated me with their enthusiasm. They know how the working environment is like. Most of them are working for the HR Revolution because they believe in the cause of a better change. Of course some work because they are trying something new, some work because the project is different and they want to boom with it, however their number one goal is that they believe in what they do. They are the leaders of the HR Revolution.

I was also surprised by the amount of readers who wanted to be writers in our magazine. This is the aim. The HR Revolution is for everyone, all employees, managers, students, teachers, unemployed and retired.

5. ​What regions of the world do you intend to cover at HR Revolution Middle-East?

I intend to focus on all countries with a slighter weight on the Middle-East. Some people may get confused by the name that we strictly care about the Middle-East however the New York Times for example doesn’t only focus on New York! Same as we target international readers we also encourage employees, students and retired people from all over the world to write with us.

​6. ​Can you discuss other contributors involved at HR Revolution and what you hope to accomplish there?

I strongly believe in partnerships, and I don’t believe much in competition. I believe that different organizations that work for the same aim can actually complete one another to serve the society in a more complete way. We already launched an international writing competition: “Gender, Race and Harassment at Work”. Our partners are The Forgotten Writers Foundation from Egypt and Being Feminist Blog from India. Take a look the the “Gender, Race and Harassment at Work” Writing Competition Guidelines.

​7. ​Also, as a newspaper about democracy, Democracy Chronicles readers are interested in democracy’s progress in Egypt. What is your opinion?

There is a line that I have been using in the beginning of every speech I give, “We do not have to rely on politics in order to make a better life.”

I have reached a personal conclusion a couple of years ago. I simply redirected all my political energy into social projects. This was one of the best decisions I made in my life. The political environment was full of negative energy, and close friends might be losing one another. Freedom can be understood in several different ways according to different cultures and people. First people need to be educated towards understanding freedom, and realize the magnitude of freedom.

Freedom can change the world, in a negative or positive way, especially the freedom of speech. As a very simple example I can post something on my personal Facebook account that can either have a very negative or positive effect on readers. I know politics is a very sensitive matter in Egypt thus whatever my opinion is it will harm another person if shared. I care more about personal relations rather than having an ultimate freedom of speech to say whatever I want whenever I want.

Answering your question, I think Egyptians are getting a better grasp towards understanding freedom and democracy.

​8. ​Are you optimistic about the future of Arab world democracy?

I am not sure about the implementation of democracy in the short-term, but I ask myself is democracy the priority now? Can democracy alone guarantee a better education, better job opportunities, less poverty and diseases, and safer streets?

Nevertheless, I am very optimist about the Arab future in other things. We might be considered as third world countries, but that’s only economically.

The underground artists are blooming with new ideas and projects that have global effects. They don’t need money anymore to brand their image or advertise for their new projects, thanks to some of the national and international media (governmental and non-governmental) that has been focusing on highlighting these projects in the Middle-East.

Another thing I am optimistic about is that many young entrepreneurs and project managers are not seeking monetary profit as a priority. Instead, they really seek to leave a useful fingerprint.

I am optimistic about the youth, and new generation. They are extremely smart and creative. I learn so much from them, and they empower me. Many entrepreneurs started believing in the youth and they hire them because they can prove to be more beneficial than elders who hold a degree but are not thinkers and are demotivated (whom I consider victims).

​9. ​What do you think are the changes your country needs?

Unity between upper, lower, and middle classes. There should be projects shared together, and we should all learn from each other. Who said that the educated are the ones who have the smartest opinions or should be the only ones having the mic?

​10. ​What is your view of the American impact in Egypt?

America has an impact not only on Egypt but most of the countries I think, due to their well distribution of books, movies and songs. It’s a good thing to have impact on others, and it’s a good thing to be influenced by others too, as long as I am not losing my identity and I am influenced in a positive way.

From my personal opinion in Egypt people are highly influenced by America, but not only America but a lot of other countries too. There are several reasons, many Egyptians tend to learn other foreign languages. The rate of exchange programs and internships are increasing thanks to AIESEC for instance. Perhaps America can have the dominant effect, however Egyptians are not losing their identity, on the contrary Egyptians are very talented in “Egyptionizing” everything (those who have Egyptian friends will know what I am talking about). This leads me to leave a question for the audience, “What do you think about the Egyptian impact in America, and other countries too?”

11. Who can join your magazine and how?

Anyone who has new ideas to offer. You don’t have to be already a “writer” we care more about the ideas while our editors assist the writers in developing their writing. Please send us an email on: info@hrrevolution.me .