About me
Nehal Helmy is the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Flend, Egypt's first licensed digital NBFI dedicated to SME finance. An economist by training, she brings over a decade of experience spanning entrepreneurship, financial sector development, public policy, and international finance.
Before co-founding Flend, Nehal served as Economic Advisor to Egypt's Minister of Investment and International Cooperation, where she led Egypt's engagement with leading international financial institutions, including the World Bank Group, the African Development Bank, EBRD, OECD, and AIIB. She played a central role in negotiating a US$4.5 billion budget support package, shaping investment and financial sector reforms, and advancing Egypt's sustainable development agenda.
Earlier in her career at the World Bank Group, Nehal led financial sector development initiatives across the Middle East, focusing on expanding access to finance for MSMEs and affordable housing finance in Egypt, Jordan, and Yemen.
Recognized as one of the region's leading female innovators, Nehal was selected for UNDP's Women Innovators Program and IFC's SheWins Arabia, which recognize high-potential technology entrepreneurs driving sustainable impact across the Arab world.
She holds an MSc in Economics from the University of Barcelona and is passionate about building technology-driven financial solutions that unlock growth for underserved businesses.
