It is with great sadness that BESIX Group has learned of the passing of Onsi Sawiris, founder of the Orascom group.
On behalf of all its employees and management team, BESIX Group extends its sincere condolences to all members of Onsi Sawiris' family, in particular his wife and his three sons Naguib, Nassef and Samih, as well as to their relatives and collaborators.
Johan Beerlandt : "BESIX Group has become what it is today partly thanks to Onsi Sawiris. I would like to pay tribute to him, both for professional reasons and for his great human qualities. It was with him, in February 1996, that we sealed the first alliance between Orascom and BESIX for the construction of the Conrad Hotel in Cairo. This alliance has continued to grow stronger since then, thanks to our excellent understanding and the trust he placed in me. In 2004, it was with his support that his son Nassef Sawiris and Orascom accompanied us in the management buy-out of BESIX. In this way, they helped to guarantee the sustainability of our group and to enable our growth. I am eternally grateful to him."
Born in 1930 in Egypt, Onsi Sawiris had an exceptional professional career. Together with his three sons, he built Orascom into a first-class Egyptian group, highly respected throughout the world, particularly in the fields of construction, telecommunications, fertilisers and tourism.
Since 2004, BESIX Group and Orascom Construction have been closely linked. In addition to the outstanding projects the companies have carried out together in Egypt, the Middle East and Europe, Orascom holds a 50% stake in BESIX Group.
