Success story: Henry Maksoud-Neto

ENAR

This article is part of an in depth special report on the Lebanese in Brazil. Read more stories as they’re published here, or pick up July’s issue at newsstands in Lebanon. Despite its size, the 416-room Maksoud Plaza has a cozy feel, like a comforting but well worn bar. While the interior is sharp and clean, it maintains a rustic charm that points toward its former glories. This partly comes from a strong sense of its history — the 35 year old hotel is the oldest five-star venue in São Paulo. In 1981 Frank Sinatra played one of his last ever Latin American concerts there, while other Western stars to have frequented the place in its musical heyday include Mick Jagger and Ozzy Osbourne. These kind of extravagances were the work of the then-owner Henry Maksoud. A self-made businessman, the engineer and entrepreneur became one of Brazil’s most prominent and