For the last few years, a brain drain has been depleting Lebanon of its human talent. One of the many sectors to be hard hit by emigration, losing its brightest and most qualified employees to foreign shores, is the banking sector, Lebanon’s largest employer. To curtail the trend, banks have been looking into their competitors’ backyards, luring in top individuals to beef up their staff. “A severe competition for qualified personnel is undoubtedly pitting Lebanese banks against their regional counterparts,” said Rabih Yaghi, head of human resources at Bank of Beirut. Foreign banks appeal to Lebanese employees with higher salaries and a larger structure — thus better advancement opportunities. Most bank employees who resign from their positions in Lebanon move to the Gulf countries. “In the Gulf, bonus schemes and career advancement opportunities are tremendous,” reckons Adel Hechme, HR manager at Banque de la Mediterranée. “Bank employees are increasingly
