The Family Business Network FBN Levant launched in Lebanon “By Families, For Families”

Joining family businesses from the entire region, the Family Business Network FBN Levant, non-profit and non-solicitation organization, member association of FBN International, Lausanne - Switzerland, was launched in Lebanon on December 7 at Fattal Auditorium, Sin El Fil, in an event titled “Resilience and sustainability of family businesses in challenging times”.

FBN Levant was introduced to the Lebanese and regional communities in the presence of H.E. Mr. François Barras, Ambassador of Switzerland in Lebanon, Mr. Alexis du Roy de Blicquy, CEO of FBN International, Mr. Matteo  Fumagalli Romario, Director of SOL spa, Italy; Ambassador of FBN Internation al and Mr. Tarek  Kettaneh, Senior Lecturer and Management Consultant at Olayan School of Business, AUB and the founding board of FBN Levant  Mr. Chaker Saab, Chairman, Mr. Riccardo Hosri, Deputy Chairman, Mr. Hazem Farra, Treasurer, Mrs. Lina Chehab El Alaili, Founder and General Manager, Mrs. Mona Bawarshi, Mr. Malek El Khoury, Mr. Joe Zoghzoghi, Mrs. Caroline Fattal Fakhoury, Mr. Hassan Baalbaki, Mrs. Joanne Sarraf Chehab, Mr. Raed Bassatne,  Mr. Anthony Boukather and Mr. Roger Zaccar.

The opening ceremony included speeches by Mrs. Lina Chehab El Alaili, Founder and General Manager of FBN Levant, Mr. François Barras, Ambassador of Switzerland in Lebanon, Mr. Alexis du Roy de Blicquy, CEO of FBN International and Mr. Chaker Saab, Chairman and Founding Member of FBN Levant.

For the occasion, Mr. Saab stated that: “Unlike any other business, Family Businesses represent a more complex model involving a variety of challenges. In the Levant, such enterprises which constitute up to 85% of the private sector, play a big role in the economy and society especially in these difficult times where they are struggling resiliently. FBN Levant was established based on the need of Family Businesses to deal with challenges facing the region as well as constant challenges faced by Family Businesses worldwide”.

As member association of FBN International, FBN Levant is a network which is a safe place for Family Businesses having shared values founded on the principles of open communication and trust, active participation by members which is the vital ingredient that makes the Network valuable, and commitment of members to sharing experiences and insights in an atmosphere of confidentiality. FBN is a platform for discussions and debates to be always conducted in a respectful and professional manner, and a forum to learn from the exchange of ideas, experiences and information in an environment of non-solicitation of products or services.

FBN Levant aims to support the Next Generation (aged 18-40) of business-owning families and all generations, to share best practice and knowledge within a regional and worldwide network at local and global levels, to foster intimate exchange and inspirational peer to peer learning, to sponsor value added research and to promote the case for family business towards a more sustainable future.