Atef Fahim Mohamed Montasser (15 September 1948 – 14 April 2018) was an Egyptian record producer, A&R executive and the founder of Sout El-Hob Records. Montasser is credited with discovering singing talents in Egypt and the Arab world like Hany Shaker, Ahmed Adaweyah, Aziza Jalal, Mohammad Fouad, Medhat Saleh, Omar Fathi, El Masryeen, Four M and Metkal Kenawy. He is credited with bringing Algerian singer Warda to prominence.
Early life and career
Atef Montasser was born on September 15, 1948, in Tanta city, Al-Gharbiya Governorate, Egypt. He graduated from the Faculty of Commerce, Cairo University. He has four siblings: Samia, Ahmed, Mohamed Abdel-Mon’em and Mostafa.
At the outset of his career, he worked at a construction company owned by his family. When he turned 22, he wanted to resign and make a career shift. At that time, he met Ma’moun al-Shinnawy, a poet, and the latter made him an offer to establish a records company. After serious negotiations with his father, who rejected the idea at first, he and his elder brother eventually agreed to lend him money to establish his company in one of their construction company's rooms in 1972. They called the company “Sout El-Hob”. Ma’moun al-Shinnawy worked as the company's artistic advisor.
