Banque Misr Core Purpose  "To serve the financial needs of our customers, and play a leading role in the prosperity and development of Egypt and the countries in which we operate."  Banque Misr was established in 1920 by the pioneer economist Mohamed Talaat Harb Pasha, who came up with the concept of investing national savings and directing them towards economic and social development and thus Banque Misr became the first bank to be wholly owned by Egyptians.  Since 1920, Banque Misr was concerned about the establishment of companies in various fields, including spinning and weaving, insurance, transportation, aviation and cinema, and has continued to support all its activities at a steady rate. Banque Misr currently owns equity in 180 projects including  financial, industrial,  tourism,  housing,  Agri and food, general service, in addition to  projects in the field of communication and information. Banque Misr has also established major investment funds in Egypt as a part of a diversified portfolio, and has recently been granted an award by the Global Finance Treasury and Cash Management Awards, as the ‘Best Provider of Money Market Funds in the Middle East for the year 2008’.  Banque Misr's role is evident in all economic fields due to its geographic outreach. The bank has a large client base of 5.7 million clients in Egypt and a total paid-up capital amounting to EGP 3.4Billion. The Bank has 466 local branches, together with an international presence in France, Germany, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates, in addition to its worldwide network of correspondents.