Abdelrahman Sherif on the Hot Cities of the World Tour | PBS Mountain Lake

April 26, 2024 | Abdelrahman Sherif, born and raised in Cairo, Egypt, is part of the fifth cohort of MPPs. His expertise in management consulting has allowed him to make significant contributions to a diverse array of transformational and strategic projects, providing firsthand insight into the impact of public policy in the MENA Region. 

When Abdel arrived at McGill for the MPP, he didn’t stay just at the Max Bell School. He got involved with organizing Desautels’ Hot Cities of the World Tour. This annual experience immerses undergraduate and graduate students, alumni, and professors in rapidly growing global cities, offering unique insights into the intersection of economics, commerce, culture, finance, and national competitiveness through meetings with CEOs, government agencies, professionals, and local alumni. 

“I was lucky enough to be surrounded by 48 students coming from various backgrounds but having one common goal: an insatiable appetite for learning and exploring,” Abdel explained on Mountain Lake PBS. The tour encompassed a wide age range, from undergraduate students to alumni, showcasing the tour's inclusive nature and commitment to lifelong learning. Abdel shares the personal significance of the tour: “I was 17 when I left Egypt for my undergraduate. I missed out on the startup ecosystem that began in the country. So going back now, as a McGill student in my hometown, and being lucky enough to see people always having welcoming arms and hugging us – in terms of knowledge and experience, that was something I didn’t really have exposure to, but when it comes to the governmental side, I was lucky to meet significant people.” Abdel emphasizes that the opportunity afforded him not only the chance to forge lifelong connections but also provided a new perspective from which to view his homeland. He remarked, “it’s one of those trips that are always in your memory lane.”