Wael Ghonim

Date of Birth: December 23, 1980

Zodiac Sign: Capricorn

Date of Death: (Leave blank as Wael Ghonim is alive)

Biography

Wael Ghonim is an Egyptian internet activist and computer engineer who gained international recognition during the 2011 Egyptian revolution. Born in Cairo, Egypt, Ghonim grew up in a middle-class family and showed an early interest in technology and social issues. He earned a degree in computer engineering from Cairo University and later completed an MBA at the American University in Cairo. Ghonim’s career took a significant turn when he joined Google Middle East and North Africa as their Head of Marketing. Leveraging his position and technical skills, he became a pivotal figure in the Egyptian pro-democracy movement. In 2010, he anonymously created the Facebook page “We Are All Khaled Said,” which highlighted police brutality and human rights abuses in Egypt. This page played a crucial role in mobilizing public sentiment and organizing protests that eventually led to the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak in February 2011. In 2012, Ghonim was listed in Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World.” He later authored a memoir titled “Revolution 2.0: The Power of the People Is Greater Than the People in Power,” detailing his experiences and the impact of social media on modern activism.

5 Interesting Facts about Wael Ghonim

1. Wael Ghonim was detained by Egyptian authorities for 11 days during the 2011 Egyptian revolution, which only fueled the protests further after his release.

2. He was ranked the second most powerful Arab in the world by Arabian Business in 2011.

3. Ghonim co-founded Parlio, a social media platform aimed at fostering thoughtful discussions, which was later acquired by Quora.

4. He was awarded the JFK Profile in Courage Award in 2011 for his role in the Egyptian revolution.

5. Ghonim has been a vocal critic of both the Egyptian government and, later, the reactionary forces that emerged after the initial revolution.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Wael Ghonim

1. “The power of the people is greater than the people in power.”

2. “Our revolution is like Wikipedia, okay? Everyone is contributing content, but you don’t know the names of the people contributing the content.”

3. “The real power of social media is not the number of followers you have, but the number of people you inspire.”

4. “Technology and social media have brought power back to the people.”

5. “I said, ‘I love my country, and I have the right to live freely in it.’”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

The highest net worth achieved by Wael Ghonim is estimated to be around $10 million, largely due to his roles in tech companies and the acquisition of his startup Parlio by Quora.

Children

Wael Ghonim has two children, a son and a daughter, with his former wife, Abeer El-Sayed. Information about his children is kept private to protect their identities.