Reading Time: 2 minutes
French anthropologist Marc Augé coined the phrase “non-lieu” (non-place) in the mid-1990s to describe places where considerations of history and identity were erased—think shopping malls or airports. Listening to him speak in Lebanon earlier in September got me thinking, Lebanon is the antithesis of a non-lieu. Every space in Lebanon is linked to our history…
Reading Time: 3 minutes
As Lebanon races to enter the new oil producers club, decision-makers display a dangerous tendency to put all hopes on this uncertain sector and label it as the economic savior. This goes against the advice of Lebanese experts who have been warning against a “presource” curse (the underperformance of economic growth after a commercial discovery,…
Reading Time: 5 minutes
There is a negative perception of Lebanese wine that views it as overpriced and headache-inducing. This perception may even be shared by some readers of this piece. Luckily, those in the retail and hospitality industries who sell local wine say that this misconception is changing over time. There is a vast range of Lebanese wines…
Reading Time: 7 minutes
Lebanon has one of the oldest wine heritages in the world. It has been producing and trading wine for the past 6,000 years; is home to the world’s largest Bacchus temple, dedicated to the god of wine; and one of its cities, Botrys (Batroun), was named after the ancient Greek for grape bunch. Under Ottoman…
Reading Time: 8 minutes
Although Lebanon has a rich history of wine production, dating back to the Phoenicians who used to trade it, it has only recently reached a high level of maturity that often leads to introspection and a questioning of identity. The last decade saw the number of wineries in Lebanon go up from about 20 to…
Reading Time: 5 minutes
Late August and September were harvest months for Lebanon’s wineries, and the energy across vineyards, whether in Batroun or the Bekaa valley, was palatable. From grape picking at dawn to Fête des Vendanges brunches (post-harvest celebrations) that stretched until sunset; from gathering around a table de tri (sorting table) for destemming to tasting that first…
Reading Time: 7 minutes
In 2019, it seems almost any consumer good can be delivered to your door in Lebanon through a quick phone call, WhatsApp, or click online. E-commerce has been available in Lebanon since at least 2000, when the Buy Lebanese website went live in November that year. In the MENA region, the e-commerce market reached $8.3…
Reading Time: 5 minutes
The past few decades have seen major advances in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). As a result, AI has become a transformative business force, specifically in the technology sector. Numerous organizations are significantly expanding their use of AI tools and services, with 2018 a landmark year for this trend. Supporting technologies, such as computational…
Reading Time: 10 minutes
It may be Lebanon’s best bet for a long-term economic future. This underused economic resource has been idling for over 20 years. It is not of fossil origin or other conventional finite resource. Built entirely on the strength of human ingenuity and collaboration, this resource now appears ready for another attempt at making it in…
Reading Time: 3 minutes
It took more than seven months to complete the 2019 budget law, despite the pressing need to have completed it by the maximum constitutional deadline of end January 2019. Had Lebanon managed to produce the 2019 budget within the mandated time frame, it would have gone a long way toward restoring confidence in the ability…
Reading Time: 4 minutes
Three sets of regional conflicts and turmoil are impacting Lebanon. The country, yet again, finds itself in the most volatile of all regions, with a weak state and a corrupt set of politicians. You would not wish this storm on your worst enemies. The first is the ongoing turmoil emanating from the growing wealth gap,…
Reading Time: 3 minutes
In a country where it feels there is often little to be proud of, the Lebanese wine industry has offered us quite a few reasons to hold our head high—and could offer us even more if the industry learns to collaborate on a wider scale. The wine industry has seen a lot of growth over…
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Electronics are becoming more disposable. Indeed, built-in obsolescence, high cost of repair, as well as leaps in technology have shortened their lifespan. The Global E-waste Monitor 2017, a study on electronic waste (e-waste) undertaken through a collaboration of the United Nations University, the International Telecommunication Union, and the International Solid Waste Association, found that in…
Reading Time: 4 minutes
It has been six years since Banque du Liban (BDL), Lebanon’s central bank, announced Circular 331, designed to boost investment in the knowledge economy. Now entrepreneurs seeking seed-stage funding, and those operating VC funds in the country tell Executive that while more capital is available for startups seeking follow-on funding, seed or early stage funding…
Reading Time: 6 minutes
Buildings do not run themselves. Lights must be changed, air conditioner units must be fixed, accounts kept in order, invoices sent, and so on. The list is long and tedious, and, in some cases, outsourced to a facilities management company. Facilities management is not just about lights and air conditioner units, however, it also encompasses…
