Imad El-Hajj, president of AmericanUnderwriters Group (AUG), probablynever thought of it, but his job is muchlike that of a priest. In times of trouble, anxiety,and worry, people come running tohim. …
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On May 16 the Federal Reserve continued itssearch and destroy mission to stamp out potentialinflation threats and bring the US economicgrowth rate down to safe levels. But the Fed did …
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Condolences to Solidere shareholders. Profits of the realestate company, responsible for rebuilding the BeirutCentral District (BCD) and the largest business inLebanon, plummeted from $54.2 million in 1998 to $3.7 millionlast …
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The first time EXECUTIVE met Jean Riachi, chairman and generalmanager of Financial Funds Advisors (FFA), was in thesummer of 1998 at the head office of Bou Khalil Marketsin Baabda. The …
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You’ve heard it before, we’re sure,that old adage everyone so likes torepeat: Lebanon — the region’sentrepreneurial spirit and center of freemarket capitalism. It seems, however, thatsomebody forgot to tell the …
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Springtime has been a turbulent season for the USstock markets. Tech-heavy Nasdaq, which has beenclimbing at a torrid rate and reached its high in earlyMarch, fell dramatically by mid-April. The …
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Picture this. Mohammed and Mahmoud are good friends. The former is married to the latter’s maternal cousin, and most evenings after work are spent together around the dinner table followed …
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Coming home has paid off so farfor Societe de Grands Hotels duLiban (SGHL). After openingVendome Hotel in 1996, its profits jumpedfrom $42,101 in 1997 to $3 million, unaudited,last year. SGHL …
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Not a bad start. Only two years after the central bank let Credit Libanais loose in the market – followed by a complete restructuring program (see “Back to life,” December …
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Expectations for most industries arefairly routine. When sales sink inthe middle of an economic slowdown,earnings should follow suit. Not soat Uniceramic, Lebanon’s leading ceramictile manufacturer, whose sales dropped 9%in 1999. …