Initiatives
Education
Mentorship Program
Bader has initiated a unique Mentorship program in Lebanon where we assign one mentor to one entrepreneur for a period of 2 years. For more info contact us.
So far we have gathered a pool of more than 20 local mentors who have been trained. The list of new mentors who also will be trained is growing as well.
Desiree El-Chebeir is currently the Entrepreneur Services Manager at Endeavor-Lebanon, where she oversees the selection and services division, working with established entrepreneurs with $1M-$20M in revenue. Before Endeavor, she established and served as the Director of Operations of the Lebanon Creative Cluster, a Cisco funded non-profit initiative aimed at boosting the creating industries in Lebanon. Desiree was also the regional director for the AllWorld Network, a Harvard based initiative chaired by Prof. Michael Porter and that selected and credentialed high growth entrepreneurs from emerging countries and got them exposure such as by listing them in global publications such as Inc. magazine. Desiree El-Chebeir completed her MBA at INSEAD in Fontainebleau and Singapore, where she was also president of the Entrepreneurship Club. Before INSEAD, Desiree spent six years with IBM, where she held various roles. In her last two years, she was on an international assignment in Germany, where she led a global team of 20+ in successfully solving a complex, strategic and critical situation that encompassed legal, technical as well as structural elements. Before that, she worked closely with Fortune 500 clients of IBM’s, across the continental US and Europe, to assess and devise solutions to fit their IT storage needs. Her career at IBM started in 2002, in Silicon Valley, on the software development team, where she later led a team in winning a TechConnect award for outstanding technical achievement for new hires. In parallel with her studies, El-Chebeir was working full time at various high tech companies, startups and mid-size, and leading research centers in San Diego, California. One of these startups was later acquired by Pfizer. She graduated with her BS Cum Laude and on the Dean’s list from the Computer Science and Engineering department at the University of California, San Diego.
• Since 2009 General ManageR LBDI (Dairiday) – M1 Group
• 2004-2009 General Manager Al Wadi Al Akhdar – Obegi Group
• 1998-2004 Plant Manager Henkel Lebanon & Syria – Obegi Group
• 1996-1998 MBA ESSEC Business School-Paris
• 1990-1995 B. ENG –Industrial Engineering Polytechnique-Montreal
Fadi is an entrepreneur with over 14 years experience in the Internet industry and interactive communication. He is the founder and CEO of Born Interactive which he started in 1996, driving it to become one of the leading regional New Media agencies. In 2009, he started Travel Systems sal. in partnership with Nakhal & Cie. A startup specialized in delivering full-fledged online reservation systems and solutions for which he acts as Chairman-CEO. Fadi holds a MBA from SKEMA Business School (previously CERAM Nice), one of France’s major business schools where he refined his entrepreneurial ambitions and materialized his vision to start up Born Interactive. From school to university and throughout his work experience, Fadi continuously interacts with different cultures and languages. He managed and consulted on projects for clients and target audiences from Asia, MENA, Arabian Gulf, Africa, Europe and the US. Fadi also lectures on Web Marketing and Information Design at the Balamand University – Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts.
Design educator, practitioner and past Icograda Vice President, Halim Choueiry is currently the Chairperson of the Arts+Design Department at the American University of Science and Technology in Beirut, Lebanon. Having obtained a Bachelor's and two Master's degrees, he is undertaking a PhD in Design at Brighton University in the United Kingdom, investigating cultural mapping and cultural navigation. In parallel, Halim applies his research findings through his own design studio, Cinnamon, which specializes in the visual development of bilingual representations of cultural patterns. Besides having won several national and international design competitions and featured work in various design publications, Halim also has an extensive experience in judging student competitions and design/advertising awards. His involvement in international events includes conducting design conferences, students’ workshops and chairing Creative Nights, an interactive meet-up series held throughout the Arab countries. In addition to design consultancy, Halim re-launched Comma, the originally co-created, monthly Pan-Arab graphic design publication with a new focus towards creative economies and design policies. His dedication to bringing about sustainable changes in design thinking and how the design process can be at the core of life and living, lead him to contribute to the establishment of Commune, a Lebanese NGO that serves as a platform for creativity in general and individual creative growth in particular.
Jamil Koudim is currently Head of Fixed Income at Banque Libano-Francaise, where he manages a Global Bond portfolio and is responsible for all liquid investments of the bank. Jamil was previously in London, where he was working with Credit Suisse in the Asset Management division, covering global equity investments in the global resources and infrastructure sectors. Jamil has over 9 years experience in the investment industry. Prior to joining CSAM he was the Investment Manager at Gulf Bank in Kuwait focusing on equities and alternative asset classes. Jamil had also worked at BEMO Bank as a Financial Advisor and at ABN AMRO in Beirut in corporate banking dealing with some of the biggest corporate clients in Lebanon. Jamil holds an MBA from INSEAD, where he focused on entrepreneurship, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst. He has a BA in Business from the American University of Beirut. Jamil enjoys reading books on finance/business, politics and social behaviours. He also enjoys playing tennis, squash and skiing.
Joe, General Manager - Netiks International sal • Born in Lebanon in 1962 • Ecole Centrale de Paris (Engineering degree) in 1986 • New York University (Masters in Computer Science) in 1987. • 1986-1990: Andersen Consulting (Accenture) in Paris • 1990-1995 General Electric Information Services: business consultant in charge of deploying electronic commerce communities in Europe.I • In 1995 founded Netgate, a company specialized in website design and development. • In 2000 he started Netiks, a software house specialized in the development of advanced e-business solutions, namely CRM, internet banking, online trading and content managed websites for the Banking, the Telecommunications and the services business sectors. • Joe holds the French citizenship, is married since 1993 with one child.
Lebanese, born 1955, married, 1 child. Studies: Lycée Franco-Libanais Beirut, Dekwaneh Technical School (mechanics), ENI Tarbes France (industrial engineer). Activities, jobs and trainings: woodcraft industry, milking machinery, auto garage, telecom wiring & repair, aircraft assembly, automotive industry costing. Professional: managed software dept at Sharp Computers Lebanon; general manager at Rainbowcolor photo labs; co-founded Profiles Software in 1986, publishing and implementing ERP solutions, up until today. Associations: Rotary, Bader, Baldati, EDC, Shouf Cedars, etc.
After obtaining master degree in accounting & finance, Khaled Tueni worked a few years for experience, before founding in 1986 his own firm, to be known as KTEC - CPA, Khaled Tueni Experts & Consultants - Chartered Public Accountant. Over the years, both KTEC - CPA as a firm and Khaled Tueni as a sworn expert earned a solid reputation for efficiently marrying theoretical knowledge and field practice. While KTEC - CPA was regularly entrusted with an ever more important and sophisticated clientele, Khaled Tueni has been constantly solicited by the Judicial Courts as a financial expert in intricate and delicate cases, and conducted several conferences in Lebanon and Qatar.
Krystel is the program manager at Berytech Technological Pole, a Lebanese Business Innovation and Development Centre, which provides hi-tech hosting, incubation, training and counseling to entrepreneurs and SMEs. She is also an instructor at University of the Holy Spirit Kaslik (USEK) where she teaches marketing research. She previously worked in the field of new media and has been responsible for marketing and communication in the mobile and multimedia sector. She has also worked at the University of Saint Joseph’s Cemadimo research center on feasibility studies for several local and regional projects. She earned a bachelor’s in business and a master’s in marketing from the University of Saint Joseph.
Prior to founding Cedrus, Mr. Nehme was a management consultant with Booz & Co. in the Middle East. Mr. Nehme holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, and a M.S. in MS&E from Stanford University. His passion is to see entrepreneurs building tomorrow’s world.
Nazih is an Assurance and Advisory Business Services Partner in the Beirut office. Nazih also provides Tax and Risk Services to clients Nazih has over 19 years of experience with Ernst & Young in public accounting in the US, UAE, Bahrain and Lebanon, Nazih has been in Lebanon since 1999 Nazih qualified for his CPA from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (USA) in May 1993, and he is Certified Internal Auditor since May 2003. Nazih is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Institute of Internal Auditors (Lebanon chapter) and the Lebanese Association of Certified Public Accountants. Nazih earned his BS from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in May 1989 and has MBA from Kent State University, December 1991 Nazih is fluent in English and Arabic Nazih provides his clients with support in interpreting IFRS’s Nazih spends considerable amount of his time serving clients in the financial services and insurance industries Nazih is knowledgeable in anti-money laundering programs, risk management policies and corporate governance matters Extensive audit experience in financial services, assets management, retail, advertising, insurance, hospitality and retail industries Provided internal audit services (out sourcing and co sourcing) to various industries Supervised the preparation of policies and procedures manuals for various key functions
Nehmé Lebbos, Chief Executive Officer NEL Interactif SARL | Media & Technology 41 years old, New Technologies expert, trained as an Information System engineer (CNAM, Paris) and Management Engineering (Paris X), Nehmé has worked mainly at Havas (Advertising, Media) and Valoris (consultancy firm) in France. For 15 years, he managed large scale project and ran consultancy missions such as setting up Internet/Intranet websites (iloubnan.info, Seliance voyage, e-Rothschild, e-Laser - Groupe Galerie Lafayette) and Business Intelligence systems and CRM (Société Générale, BNP, Paribas, Komerèní Banka (Prague), NSMD, Zebank, Zurich Assurance, CFF, …) dedicated to Management Control and operational strategic marketing. He is the founder and the Chief Executive Officer of NEL Interactif and iloubnan.info.
Nicolas is a telecommunications engineer from ESIB (USJ), with a PhD in Networking Systems from Université Pierre et Marie Curie, France. He is a published researcher in the IT field, a Certified Cisco Networking Academy Instructor from University of Central England (Birmingham), a graduate of the INSEAD School of Management (Young Manager’s Program), and a certified Business Counselor from UNIDO Entrepreneurship Development Center. He is also accredited Business Advisor from the Institute of Business Consulting (UK) and accredited Assessor by the Oxford Cambridge & RSA Examinations (OCR) and a Certified Trainer by the Micro-Enterprise Acceleration Institute, Switzerland. He is currently an Associate Professor at ESIB (USJ) where he teaches computer and communication networks, and is the Director of Berytech Technology Pole which he had joined since inception in 2002. He provides business, financial and technical assistance to companies in Berytech, and acts as mentor and general business adviser to them. He identifies potential client businesses that would benefit from the support of Berytech and screens applicant companies, start-ups and entrepreneurs. He also develops and manages business development programs, seminars and workshops that assist and support client businesses, and organizes yearly Incubation Awards grants scheme for innovative start-ups. He is also Technical advisor of the management team of Berytech Fund, a technology seed fund for start-ups.
• Manager Blominvest Bank • 10 years experience in Investment Banking & Private Equity in Paris & Beirut: Crédit Agricole Indosuez Paris, PWC Corporate Finance Paris, Colony Capital. • Master’s degree in Economics & Finance from Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris and from Paris Dauphine University. • Publishes economic & finance articles in prime Lebanese magazines & newspapers.
General Manager Pascal Dufour was appointed to Lebanon in 2002 to establish Cellcast Middle East (www.cellcastme.com), an interactive and mobile marketing agency Formerly a Business Development Executive in Structured Finance with French merchant bank INDOSUEZ in Singapore, Pascal Dufour has moved to the interactive / media industry in 1997 by joining French-based Telcom Network Multimedia as a Business Development Manager - Asia Pacific. He's been posted to Asia from 1997 to 2000, where he did create and manage 2 subsidiaries in Taiwan and Thailand. Then he has assumed various management positions in France and Middle East throughout 2000 and 2001. Pascal has joined CellCast in 2001 as a Business Development Manager in charge of Southern Europe, mainly France, Italy and Greece. Late 2002, he's been sent to Lebanon to establish CellCast Middle East (www.cellcastme.com), an interactive and mobile marketing agency with a focus on SMS-driven services and applications, and has been managing it ever since. Pascal has graduated from the Institut d'Etudes Politiques (IEP), Aix-en-Provence in 1993, and hold a DESS Droit et Pratique des Affaires Internationales from Nice-Sofia Antipolis University and a Master in "Law and Practice of International Relationships" from ILERI in Paris. Since January 2008, Pascal is a member of the French Foreign Trade Advisors (Conseillers du Commerce Exterieur de la France - CCEF), Lebanon Chapter.
Rani Saad has 15 years of experience in product innovation and business strategy and development, across software, telecom, and finance. He is currently pursuing an early-stage opportunity and advising a number of startups and early-stage funds globally. Recently, Rani co-founded a VC fund in the Middle East. Before that, he developed worldwide business and product strategy for Microsoft at their global headquarters, and then directed their innovation and economic development for the Middle East and Africa. He previously developed and executed strategy for new business and emerging technology for a Fortune 500 multinational consumer finance company, Capital One. Rani has also helped build three US startups (including in Silicon Valley) across software and telecom, focusing mostly on their product and market strategy. Rani has an MBA from Stanford, and Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in computer, communications, and civil engineering.
Rita is a senior analyst at Fransa Invest Bank. She is also an instructor in Finance at the American University of Beirut. Prior to joining Fransa Invest Bank, she was an investment officer at Capital Trust EuroMena Fund where she was responsible for investment deals in Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine region. She holds a Master’s degree in Financial Economics and a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the American University of Beirut.
Tarek Kabrit is a Principal with the investment team with Abraaj Capital working on their of RED fund and is based in Lebanon. Prior to joining Abraaj Capital, Mr. Kabrit was a Principal and Partner with Siraj Capital, where he focused on the UAE, KSA, and Lebanese markets and led 4 SME investments in the telecom, retail, IT, and F&B space. Mr. Kabrit sat on the board for each of the 4 SME investments. Prior to moving into Private Equity, Mr. Kabrit was with Deutsche Bank's Merger and Acquisitions team based out of London and then Dubai. As part of Deutsche Bank's Merger and Acquisitions team, Mr. Kabrit executed over US$ 2bn worth of M&A deals and advised on the largest MENA IPO to date. Additionally, Mr. Kabrit spent almost 4 years as a strategy consultant with Booz and Co. principally in Beirut. At Booz and Co., he focused on the telecom, healthcare, and industrial sectors and worked on projects all over the MENA region. Mr. Kabrit holds an MBA from INSEAD, an MSc in Finance and Economics (with merit) from the London School of Economics, a BA in Economics (with distinction) and a BSc in Biology from the American University of Beirut. He is also a CFA level 2 candidate.
Tarek Kettaneh is a Senior Lecturer in entrepreneurship and family business at the Olayan School of Business, American University of Beirut and is an advisor He holds a BSc. in Civil Engineering from AUB, an MSc. in Civil Engineering from MIT and an MBA in Business Administration from Harvard University. •1999-2000: Advisor to Capital Union, a Gulf based investment bank; •1997 – 1999: Senior Manager at Lebanon Invest Asset Management (LIAM) in Beirut: In charge of identifying and evaluating investments in privately held Lebanese companies for Lebanon Holdings, a Luxembourg listed $ 50 Million Private Equity Fund. •1988- 1996: Venture Capital Investor, based in Millbrook, NY, USA •1982-1987: Within Kettaneh Group, a multinational family business: Member of the Board of the Group’s Construction Division with HQ in London; CEO of their Real Estate activities in the U.S.A.; COO of the Group. •1975-1982: Within Kettaneh Group, overall responsibility for their considerable diversified investments in Iran. Was based and lived in Tehran.
Tarek is a founder and managing Director of Middle East Venture Partners (MEVP), a Venture Capital fund investing in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. Prior to MEVP, at the Emerging Market Private Equity fund of Dubai International Capital (DIC), he invested in growth companies in the Middle East and Asia; he, in tandem, served on the investment committee of ABAN, DIC’s early stage fund. Previously, he was a founding partner of Access Advisory, a London-based venture partner firm, geared at early stage principal investors investing in the TMT sector. Tarek also worked for Merrill Lynch’s Mergers and Acquisitions team in London, focusing on the TMT sector across EMEA. He also co-founded and successfully exited two ventures in mobile content and automotive services, in Mexico. Tarek started his career at TV Azteca a Mexico based Media company where he successfully acquired six TV stations across Latin America and launched three new businesses including Mexico’s first web portal. Tarek has a BS in Political Science and Economics from Georgetown University (USA), and an MBA from London Business School (England).
Walid's thirteen years of experience include corporate finance, new venture development, and private equity. Prior to joining MEVP, he was the CEO of Dubai International Capital's venture arm, the Arab Business Angels Network (ABAN), which managed two regional seed venture funds as well as a Business Angels network. Before ABAN, he was on the investment-management team of the leading Dubai-based investment firm, Abraaj Capital. Walid has also co-founded, invested in, or led several startups in Lebanon, spanning a range of industries, including technology, consumer finance, and hospitality. Walid is a member of the Lebanese Business Angels and a founding board member of the World Business Angels Association. He holds a Bachelor's of Economics from McGill University (Canada), and a Master's in Finance from Hautes Études Commerciales, H.E.C (France).
Walid Sfeir is the Secretary General to the Board and the Corporate Development Director of Fattal Holding. Upon joining Fattal in 2005, Walid handled the affiliates of the group in the Levant region to then focus on developing the group’s presence in North-Africa. Before joining Fattal Holding, Walid was an engagement manager with McKinsey & Company in France and South America. His experience in McKinsey focused mainly on strategy and growth projects in various industries such as automotive, consumer goods, and telecommunications. Walid also worked in Valeo, an automotive component company, Procter & Gamble France and EADS, an aerospace company. Walid has an Industrial Engineering degree from the Université de Technologie de Compiègne in France , a Degree in Business Administration from ESSEC in France and holds an MBA from INSEAD.
Wassim joined Capital Trust in 2010 as a Senior Manager in the Investment team. He has previously worked in the Investment Banking Division of BNP Paribas in Paris covering the MENA region. He has also worked in the Transaction Services team of PricewaterhouseCoopers both in Boston and Paris as well as with C.W Downer in Paris. Wassim holds an MBA (Honors) from Boston University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the American University of Beirut. He is also a CPA and a CFA charterholder.
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