Growth and success
stories highlighted

At Business Opportunities Conference

More than 750 business managers, investors, and officials attended the 12th edition of the Business Opportunities in Lebanon Conference being held at the Phoenicia Hotel November 2-3.

The conference, the largest business event in the country, is organized by InfoPro, parent company of Lebanon Opportunities, under the theme ‘Growth and success… no matter what’.

Ramzi El Hafez, Publisher of Lebanon Opportunities, said: “Our country is going through ugly, smelly and challenging times, but no matter what, we are achieving growth and success.” He said that although some sectors are affected by the regional turmoil, there is still plenty of good news.

Growth and success awards were distributed during the conference to 11 companies, which were unique, developed in a difficult environment, faced technical, commercial and human resource challenges, and invested time and capital to achieve their current success.

The award for the young company of the year was given to CardioDiagnostics, which created health innovative solutions. The product of the year award was given to Café Najjar, which created a Turkish coffee machine. The real estate project of the year was awarded to Waterfront City, a large project that meets environmental standards. The hospitality project award was given to Venture Group, which introduced a new food concept of street food to the hospitality sector. The retail concept of the year award was given to The Spot, which has developed a number of shopping malls. The financial product award was given to Euro Mena III, which has grown rapidly and become a promising existing fund. The green business of the year award was given to Phoenix Energy, which delivered a national advanced formula to transfer waste into eco-electricity. The civic action award was given to Fair Trade, a company that links famers to local and international markets and markets their produce. The public service of the year award was given to the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture in Lebanon (FCCIAL), which introduced a center that organizes workshops for food safety. The brand of the year award was given to Sanita. The company of the year award was given to Middle East Airlines.

The Charter of Economic Rights, published by InfoPro, was launched in the conference.

El Hafez said: “The economy has rights that are of major importance for development and moral life.” He said that the political practices, arbitrary decisions, and decrees, and the inability to control the security situation showed that political parties neglect their negative impact on the economy.

El Hafez said that the charter aims to set a document that assembles all the economic rights that should be used by concerned people as a reference.

Mohamad Choucair, Chairman of FCCIAL, said: “Political parties have violated all the economic rights that they do not care about anymore.” He said that the charter comprises all the principles that we called for and that guarantee good conditions for productivity and competitiveness.

Choucair said that a growing economy revives all sectors, attracts investments, raises the income, and creates job opportunities.

The conference presented in its first day tools, techniques, and success stories in several sectors, including real estate, finance, marketing, and green business.

The conference is organized in partnership with BankMed, Credit Libanais, Luxury Clothing, and Mena Capital, and the green sponsor Fransabank, with the support of the Federation of the Chambers of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture in Lebanon, Association of Lebanese Industrialists, Lebanese Franchise Association, REAL, and REDAL.