WHEN IN LEBANON...
A confluence of time and cultures, and centuries of years of rich Lebanese heritage have given birth to one of the region's most dynamic life & leisure environments.
Kidz Holding
Kidz Holding is a Lebanese success story that has greatly shaped both the entertainment and education industries throughout the Middle East. Kidz has leveraged its successful model of "edutainment" parks that it developed in Lebanon as a vehicle for exporting Lebanese leisure offerings to regional neighbors, reshaping the original concept of its content and visual aesthetic to the reflect the different cultures where it operates. This mixed concept of educating through entertainment is also appealing to parents, who are attracted by the more than 80 activities that Kidz parks offer for both children and parents alike. Building on the success of the original KidzMondo, Kidz Holding has established four new concepts, namely called KidzMondo Village, Karnavali, Star District, and The Escape, all of which are sure to deepen the offerings of Lebanon's leisure industry and further attract visitors to experience the evolution of culture as it is taking place.
Azadea GROUP
Azadea Group is a premier lifestyle company with more than 50 leading international franchises across the Middle East and Africa, including many fashion brands as well as offerings in entertainment and the food and beverages sectors. The Azadea Group in its current form grew out of a single clothing store in Beirut called Subway, opened in 1978 in the heart of the city. Just a few years later it won its first international franchise with MaxMara, and Azadea now employs over 12,000 people and oversees more than 650 stores across 13 countries. The majority of the group's employees in Lebanon are Lebanese nationals, an important characteristic of one of the most inspiring examples of entrepreneurs in the country's lifestyle sector driving the country's economic development. The impact of Azadea extends far beyond its shop floors, with no more visible an example of this generosity than the landmark 22,000sqm Sanayeh Garden project in central Beirut.
FKH
Food Kapital was established in 2006 as a pioneer in the Lebanese market. Always driven by the same craving for delicious and affordable food, Food Kapital Holdings has carved out a niche for its restaurants to the point where it is now a cultural force practically impossible to divorce from the rest of Lebanon's cultural and lifestyle trends. The best ambassadors for the concept of Lebanese cuisine are the Lebanese people, who all across the world bring with them the seeds of the Lebanese culinary tradition in the form of hummus, tabbouleh, falafel, and the many other dishes now commonplace throughout the world. The Mediterranean diet—arguably embodied by traditional Lebanese cuisine as well—has even been recognized by UNESCO as an intangible heritage. The passion that Food Kapital puts into its food and the diversity and healthiness of its offerings leave no doubt as to why Lebanese food is so beloved.
HILTON
Hilton is one of the world's most recognizable hotel chains, with nearly 750,000 rooms in more than 100 countries, and Lebanon is no exception, where the Hilton brand is one the most trusted in hospitality and its hotels stand as landmark features of its urban skylines. Though the original Beirut Hilton Hotel was never occupied due to the civil war, Hilton hotels are now positioned at the center of Lebanon, both figuratively and literally. In the heart of the city just minutes from the airport, Hilton Beirut's Metropolitan Palace and Habtoor Grand hotels are standards of excellence in Lebanon's hospitality sector. The hotels boast a variety of suites, penthouses, a 31st-floor bar that is the city's highest, and a 2,000-person convention space that is the largest in Lebanon. Hilton hotels offer guests the best of Lebanese hospitality and provide direct access to attractions such as the many notable mosques, museums, and traditional souk markets.
Three O Nine hotel
One of the main inspirations to create the Three O Nine hotel was the perceived gap in quality boutique hotels in Beirut. Three O Nine was created as a trendy, urban, and lively idea to bring new life to the surrounding Hamra area. The hotel's blend of innovative concepts and chic installations has had a major impact on the city's hospitality sector by visually transforming the landscape, attracting more visitors, and improving locals' perceptions of their own city. The Three O Nine Urban House is situated just 15 minutes away from the airport in the heart of Ras Beirut on the aptly named Bliss Street next to the American University of Beirut. Its prime location offers quick and easy access to the capital's top downtown destinations, including its world-class restaurants, the seaside Corniche promenade, the Hamra shopping district, and the nearby historic city center.
Ichiban
Ichiban restaurants attract attention as some of Beirut's most widely recognized places to enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine. Through its fusion of innovative and classical culinary concepts, Ichiban has reached a new level of prominence within the capital city's cuisine scene, serving 25,000 pieces of sushi to the hungry and curious on a daily basis. Against the saturation of Lebanon's food and beverage industry by a wide range of high-quality alternatives all vying for a piece of the same highly competitive market, Ichiban has managed in just a few years to more than double its service capacity and has plans to introduce in the near future even more locations to feed the hungry people of Beirut looking to experience the city's tradition of culinary excellence.
WHEN IN LEBANON...
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Focus: Lebanese-French Relations
Let’s be Franc
Lebanon shares a close relationship with its former colonizer, both in terms of economic relations and cultural identity among Lebanese. In spite of hardships like the presidential power vacuum and Syrian war next door, the bond is only getting stronger.
read articleFocus: Tripoli Economic Free Zone
The Tripoli Transformation
The Tripoli Special Economic Zone (TSEZ) is one of most ambitious projects in Lebanon at the moment. With an initial cost of USD27 million, it is meant to provide an alternative to the heavily centralized economic activity in Beirut, a new gateway for investments and trade to settle in northern Lebanon, and will transform the image of a long-neglected region.
read articleInterview
Dr. Freddie Baz, Vice Chairman & Group Strategy Director, Bank Audi
TBY talks to Dr. Freddie Baz, Vice Chairman & Group Strategy Director of Bank Audi, on the bank's increase in profits, dealing with currency devaluation, and working to turn the economy into an export-driven one.
read articleReview: Insurance
Life is a Rollercoaster
Unlike many emerging markets, Lebanon enjoys a relatively high insurance penetration rate and strong life segment, buoyed by compulsory lines and bancassurance. Competition remains fierce, however, and reform aimed at encouraging consolidation looks far off.
read articleInterview
Max R. Zaccar, Chairman of Commercial Insurance & President of the Association, Insurance Companies
TBY talks to Max R. Zaccar, Chairman of Commercial Insurance & President of the Association of Insurance Companies, on the resilience of the sector, increasing the already-high penetration rates in the country, and remaining one of the strongest insurance companies in the region.
read articleInterview
HE Arthur Nazarian, Minister, Energy and Water Resources
TBY talks to HE Arthur Nazarian, Minister of Energy and Water Resources, on the potential offshoots from oil and gas explorations, the country's National Energy Efficiency Action Plan, and attempts to increase renewable energy consumption.
read articleInterview
Wissam Zahabi, Chairman, Board of the Lebanese Petroleum Administration (LPA),
TBY talks to Wissam Zahabi, Chairman of the Board of the Lebanese Petroleum Administration (LPA), on making the investment climate attractive for foreign companies and becoming self-sufficient in energy.
read articleFocus: Sovereign Wealth Funds
Gas Pipe Dreams
Despite excitement over exploration of Lebanon's hydrocarbons, the creation of a sovereign wealth fund, which was included in legislation, has yet to take place. The country faces several obstacles in its path to creating and properly managing a fund.
read articleInterview
Pierre El Khoury, General Director, Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation (LCEC)
TBY talks to Pierre El Khoury, General Director of the Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation (LCEC), on the development of energy efficiency in Lebanon, awareness of energy conservation, and the country's 2020 renewable energy goals.
read articleInterview
Dr. Fady Gemayel, President, Association of Lebanese Industrialists (ALI)
TBY talks to Dr. Fady Gemayel, President of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists (ALI), on the group's work to promote industrialists, new developments in terms of industrial cities, and the future of industry in the country.
read articleFocus: Industrial Cities
Industrial Solution
Domestic and regional events have stifled Lebanon in building a strong national industry to protect and sustain its economy. Four proposed industrial zones throughout the country may provide it with the economic backbone it so desperately needs.
read articleInterview
Marianne Hoayek, Director of the Executive Office, Banque du Liban
TBY talks to Marianne Hoayek, Director of the Executive Office of Banque du Liban, on the roots of the Circular 331 concept, bridging funding gaps throughout the startup lifecycle, and the country's growing knowledge economy.
read articleRoundtable
Thinking It Through
On June 12, TBY and the American-Lebanese Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) organized a roundtable titled “Startup ecosystem sustainability: fostering cooperation to drive entrepreneurship." The participants discussed the impact of Circular 331, an initiative by Bank du Liban, the Lebanese central bank, to inject a potential of USD400 million into the local enterprise market and guarantee 75% of banks' investments in startups and startup support.
read articleFocus: Infrastructure for the startup ecosystem
The New Star
Startups are ubiquitous in Lebanon despite the difficulty of starting a business and the lack of services available to new businesses. However, a number of actors, both public and private, are innovating the environment and allowing startups to fulfill a greater role in the country's economy.
read articleFocus: Maritime Exports Bridge
Bridging The Gap
The conflict in Syria has wrought serious damage on the Lebanese economy, effectively closing off the country's trade routes through Syria. However, a new program geared at balancing the price disparities between land and sea transit is poised to help Lebanese industries.
read articleFocus: Real Estate
A Stimulus For The Rest Of Us
The real estate market in Lebanon is nothing like it used to be. The sector has slowed considerably, and demand has shifted from the traditional center, Beirut. However, stimulus packages from the central bank over the years have proven beneficial for all parties involved.
read articleInterview
Armand Pahrés, President, Lebanese Pharmaceutical Importers Association (LPIA)
TBY talks to Armand Pahrés, President of the Lebanese Pharmaceutical Importers Association (LPIA), on the development of legislation in the sector, boosting further innovation, and opportunities for Lebanon to become more self-sufficient in pharmaceuticals.
read articleFocus: Incentives for pharmaceuticals in Lebanon
Pharma Land
Lebanon has always been the region's leader in all things health related. Its pharmaceutical industry is no exception, and the country's incentives for international pharma companies to operate, manufacture, and distribute in Lebanon are only getting stronger.
read articleInterview
HE Elias Bou Saab, Minister, Education and Higher Education
TBY talks to HE Elias Bou Saab, Minister of Education and Higher Education, on the ministry's initiatives to improve the education system, ensuring access to education for Syrian refugee children, and reversing the brain drain in the country.
read articleInterview
Mohamed Harajli, Provost, American University of Beirut (AUB)
TBY talks to Mohamed Harajli, Provost of the American University of Beirut (AUB), on his upcoming plans for the university, the key role played by the AUB alumni, and fostering an entrepreneurial spirit among students.
read articleFocus: Programs to school Syrian refugee children
High Marks
Proportional to its population, Lebanon has taken in significantly more Syrian refugees than any other country. With the country now facing the problem of placing the tens of thousands of Syrian children in school, international donors and local and foreign organizations are making educational support a priority.
read articleInterview
Joseph G. Jabbra, President, Lebanese American University (LAU)
TBY talks to Joseph G. Jabbra, President of the Lebanese American University (LAU), on embracing technology at the university, the challenges of Lebanon's brain drain, and the importance of having international links with other institutions.
read article
