Writer and historian Helmy Al Namnam had been chosen to be the 8th culture minister in 4 years, stirring a wave of criticism and approbation from the intellectuals of Egypt. Namnam has got his philosophy degree from Cairo University in 1982, and occupied several official posts at the Culture Ministry, since he was the director of Egypt's National Center for Documents, head of the General Book Authority. And he was also CEO of state-run publisher Dar al-Hilal.As. He was a columnist at some newspapers. Namnam is known for being secular, anti-Islamist writer; it appeared in his TV interviews and his published books. In his book Sayyid Qutb and the July Revolution, he accused the late leading Muslim Brotherhood member and founder of fundamentalism of plagiarism, he also attacked the founder of the brotherhood Hassan Al Banna in his book "Hassan Al Banna who nobody knows. The under-foundation party, Egyptian Secular Party (ESP) has praised the choice of new Prime Minister Sherif Ismail of Namanam for culture portfolio, affirming that Egypt need such secular minds at this stage.