Ashraf is the founder of Lorax Capital Partners.

Prior to that, Ashraf founded and managed Gaston Capital, a boutique investment bank focused primarily on advisory and capital raising transactions in the Middle East region.

Prior to that, Ashraf was Co-Head of Investment Banking at EFG-Hermes as well as a member of the Executive Committee. As part of his role, he oversaw a team of 25 professionals based in Cairo executing mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt raising as well as restructuring assignments. During his time at EFG Hermes, he oversaw the group’s revenue growth from less than USD4 million in 2004 to approximately USD75 million at the end of 2007. During that time, Ashraf executed more than USD6 billion of M&A transactions and an additional USD6 billion of equity transactions.

Between 1998 and 2004, Ashraf worked at Morgan Stanley Investment Banking and at Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. between 1996 and 1998.

Ashraf graduated from Cairo University Faculty of Engineering in 1993.