A tale of two countries

Addmind is primarily known for creating successful entertainment concepts and venues such as Iris, Indie and White, which was the winner of the 2015 World’s Finest Clubs Award. The year 2015 saw the company re-enter the food and beverage (F&B) domain, following a few unsuccessful ventures 10 years ago. The company took over the La Plage complex in Ain El Mreisseh and reconceived it into the Madame Bleu Beach Club and three restaurants: Popolo, Boulevard Beirut and Sea Salt. The company also partnered with the restaurant Shogun Downtown over concept design, music and cocktails while its owner Aref Saadeh shared his food expertise. The company’s growth in Lebanon was coupled with further expansion in the United Arab Emirates. Tony Habre, CEO of Addmind, said Dubai now constitutes 55 percent of the company’s total turnover and estimated growth to 65 percent by the end of 2016. Executive speaks with Habre about