Today I will be carrying on my series of posts dedicated to entrepreneurs from around the world who have shown strong determination and has succeeded despite the odds.
Last month I had met one of my old university pals, Paul, and we were remembering our old university days at the Marshall School of Business of the University of Southern California. We were talking about the dreams we had of making a difference in our fields, of building a great career and so on and what we had actually accomplished after all those years.
Paul told me that he had been following my blog on and off and had really loved the inspirational series I had been posting about people with outstanding careers who had shown great leadership skills and actually made a difference in their field or country.
He told me about a certain Mr. Antoun Sehnaoui, another USC alumni who had graduated a few years before us. He told me that he was sure that this man's career was worthy of being included in my Inspiring People blog series...
Mr. Antoun Sehnaoui was born in 1972 in a distinguished family of Lebanon. Unfortunately or fortunately he grew up during the civil war. That experience did not stop Mr. Sehnaoui from dreaming big because after that he flew to the United States to study International Finance and Banking at the University of Southern California. Instead of remaining in America to explore all the numerous opportunities that were available to him in our country, he decided to return to his home country with the firm intention of putting Lebanon on the map of the world again as the banking, finance, media and tourist hub of the Middle East that it was before.
Back home he become involved in various projects touching emerging sectors of the economy, namely the media industry and the tourism industry... In 1998, he created News Media, a publishing house responsible for various publications notably the magazine “Executive”, a reference as the Middle East's English-language business magazine.
In 1999, he took charge of the financial investment company FIDUS and quickly turned it into Lebanon's leading companies in that field. Still in the financial sector, Mr. Antoun Sehnaoui became the chairman of one of Lebanon's leading private banks, the SGBL. Since he has been nominated as chairman, this bank's reputation has just kept growing whether it be on the clients' side as well as on the side of professionals and other business partners.
Mr. Antoun Sehnaoui has surely known how to apply all that he has learnt abroad to the benefit of his country. This banker and businessman was also a pioneer in Lebanon's hospitality and tourism industry. He was among the first investors in believing in commercial potential of the areas of Gemmayzeh and Saifi in Beirut and established 2 restaurants there: Centrale and La Tabkha both trendy restaurants in the heart of Beirut.
Furthermore, he opened a beach resort in the South of Beirut in Damour - La Suite Oceana Beach Resort. The once sleepy town located 10 minutes from the city is now known by beach lovers locally as well as internationally for its sandy beaches and water sports.
The businessman is not yet 40 and he has already accomplished tremendous things in his short career and that not for personal greed or to boast about his personal achievements. His accomplishments were and are still entirely geared towards Lebanon's prosperity.
On top of that, I have to say I was really surprised to learn that this man is a philanthrope at heart. Whether it be via his position as chairman of the SGBL or personally, Mr. Antoun Sehnaoui supports and sponsors several great causes : such as the Beirut International Film Festival or the CHANCE association who help children suffering from cancer or blood disorders...
I sincerely hope that this man's career has been as inspiring to you as it has been to me...
I leave you on this note and I hope to read your interesting comments on this posts or any topic of discussion on my blog.
Till the next blog post...
John