Eslam Hisham
Eslam Hisham
Founder & CEO, Khyaal — MBA in Marketing, Cardiff Metropolitan University
Eslam Hisham has spent nearly a decade building printed rug brands in Egypt from the ground up.
He entered the industry in 2017, founding Carpet Empire — one of Egypt’s early printed rug businesses — and ran it through 2024. In September 2025, he launched Khyaal, with a clear ambition: to build the Middle East’s answer to brands like Ruggable and RugsUSA.
That vision is grounded in real industry knowledge. Eslam previously worked at the Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of Egypt, where he developed an in-depth understanding of how Egyptian textile exporters and manufacturers operate — the logistics, the challenges, and the opportunities that most founders only learn about after costly mistakes.
As Featured In — Scene Home
“We focus on durable, recyclable materials because sustainability for us starts with longevity. A rug should anchor a space visually, but it should also live with you comfortably every day.”
Eslam Younes, Founder of Khyaal · Scene Home / Cairo Scene
Scene Home — part of Cairo Scene, Egypt’s leading English-language lifestyle publisher — featured Khyaal’s approach to vintage medallion-inspired design and the brand’s philosophy of building rugs that can handle daily Egyptian home life without sacrificing craft or aesthetic.
Why Khyaal Designs Look Different?
Eslam has been drawn to visual art since childhood. That foundation, combined with hands-on skills in graphic design, Photoshop, and website development, means the design direction at Khyaal comes directly from him — not from an outsourced brief.
It shows in the product. Khyaal’s rug designs stand apart from what the rest of the Egyptian market offers, because they’re created by someone who grew up thinking visually, not just commercially.
Background & Credentials
- MBA in Marketing — London School of Commerce, awarded by Cardiff Metropolitan University (2016)
- Founder — Carpet Empire (2017–2024)
- Founder & CEO — Khyaal (September 2025–present)
- Former Analyst — Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of Egypt
- Expertise — Media buying, web design, digital marketing, graphic design, Egyptian textile trade
- Press — Scene Home / Cairo Scene