After living in France for 30 years, Jad Tabet, an architect and urban planner, returned to Lebanon early last year to run for the presidency of the Order of Engineers and Architects of Beirut (OEA), an independent trade syndicate covering all Lebanese regions bar the North. Tabet campaigned as an independent against Paul Najem, a Free Patriotic Movement candidate that was backed by several of Lebanon’s most powerful political groups. Having secured an unlikely victory in May, he is turning his attention to several ambitious goals for his three-year term, including reforming the organization and increasing employment for members in new sectors. Executive sat down with the new president in January to discuss his plans for the OEA. E Tell me about your platform, and why you think you were able to come out on top. In the last few years, there has been a large civic movement, with
