Outside the cigar lounge: Breaking barriers in Lebanon’s finance sector

Gender quotas and inclusion requirements: are they just a window-dressing tool or a driver of real change?  For decades, the finance industry worldwide has been predominantly male, with Lebanon’s financial sector reflecting similar trends. Despite advancements, many women in Lebanon still find themselves excluded from the industry’s “cigar lounge”—the exclusive, informal arenas where pivotal decisions are sometimes made, networks are forged, and leadership roles are often assigned. Though women’s participation in Lebanese finance is increasing, their representation in leadership positions remains limited. While Lebanon’s financial crisis has been harsh on women, it also gave certain finance leaders the chance to note that compared to their male counterparts, women are often more resilient and reliable in times of crisis. Slowly shifting statistics While women constitute a significant portion of the banking workforce, leadership roles are still predominantly occupied by men. “Life has taken me from one thing to another. I initially