Maurice Matta is the Head of the Economy Department at Annahar Newspaper and Media Group in Lebanon.  He is also a familiar voice in Lebanese radio talk shows and on the national television channel MTV, where he presents daily financial news and is a host on “The Start”, a weekly show dedicated to new startups and upcoming entrepreneurs in the MENA region.

An economist at heart, Maurice not only reports the news but also provides solutions for decision makers. He has held consultative positions for Lebanese and Arab international banking institutions and universities where he provides not only business and financial strategies but also information on key market trends in the region. Maurice is also a social activist and a founding member of several Lebanese NGOs.

Olivier Decazes joined Shiseido Group in 2006, holding regional roles at Beauté Prestige International (BPI), first as Travel Retail Regional Sales Manager for Asia Pacific and later as Travel Retail Director for Europe and the Middle East. In his nine years with BPI, Olivier was instrumental in driving the growth of key brands such as Issey Miyake and Narciso Rodriguez, through creative launch campaigns with a strong focus on “retailtainment”.

As General Manager – Travel Retail Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) of Shiseido Travel Retail, Olivier aims to leverage the synergies of the global organisation to further develop the brand portfolio, focusing on a strong sell-out drive and spirit of innovation.

Previously, Olivier spent five years with LVMH as an Area Manager for Kenzo Parfums, covering the Asia Pacific domestic markets.

Olivier holds business degrees from INSEAD and HEC Paris.

Elie Saab is a self-taught fashion talent. His interest in dressmaking started at the age of 9, while designing dresses for his sisters. Soon he was selling his designs to the women in his neighbourhood while still a teenager.

In 1982, when the war was raging in Lebanon, he opened his first Couture atelier in Beirut.  The same year, he presented his first show at the Casino du Liban. Word spread internationally of this talented young designer, and his client base grew to include members of high society locally and regionally to reach red carpet celebrities in 1996.

In 1997, Elie Saab was invited to take part in the prestigious Camera Nazionale della Moda, the only non-Italian designer to be awarded this privilege. He continued to show Couture collections in Rome for three consecutive years.

In 1998 Elie Saab launched his first ready-to-wear collection in Milan. The collection was very well received and was bought by luxury multi-brand stores around the world, notably in Paris, London, Madrid, Moscow, Los Angeles and Hong Kong.

In 2000, he entered the French scene and presented his first haute couture collection in Paris before his membership at the prestigious Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture.  In 2002, Elie Saab became a Membre Invité by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture.  Afterwards in 2006, he became a Membre Correspondant soon after he opened his first couture salon in the city. The designer’s Parisian headquarters were opened at the end of 2012, followed by a second boutique in July 2015.

The Elie Saab global expansion started in 2008 when flagship stores opened all over the world, in locations including Beirut, Paris, London, New York, Dubai and Geneva. The company’s first US flagship opened on Madison Avenue, New York City in March 2017. The brand is also sold in more than 200 points of sale worldwide.

A pioneer in fashion design, Elie Saab paved the way for other designers to enter the fashion industry; he put his country of origin on the international fashion map and is working to make Lebanon the fashion hub in the region.   The brand is ranked among the top haute couture houses in the world and employing over 800 globally, with 300 based in Beirut.

Elie Saab is an active supporter of a number of projects to nurture young talent in his native Lebanon, notably partnering with the Lebanese American University of Beirut and the London College of Fashion to launch a four-year Bachelor’s degree in fashion design and related studies. In 2017, the Girl of Now Initiative was launched to support the empowerment of women and female entrepreneurship.

As a tribute to his work and creative contributions, in 2003 Elie Saab was awarded the title of Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Cèdre by the President of the Lebanese Republic. In 2018 a National Lebanese Postage Stamp honouring Elie Saab was unveiled, and is intended to pay tribute to his international accomplishments and his continuous commitment to celebrating Lebanon’s talent and  name worldwide.

José María López is an Agronomic Engineer and Executive MBA with 20 years of experience in the premium cigar industry. Specialized in Cuban Habanos cigars, he has worked in different areas such as agriculture, hand-made production, finance, pricing, brand strategy, distribution and market development, providing him with a global vision and expertise within the Habanos world.

After joining Tabacalera in Spain in 1998, he took part in the creation of Corporación Habanos as a Cuban Joint Venture between Tabacalera and Tabacuba (Cuban holding for tobacco industry). As an Agronomic Engineer involved in the famed Cuban tobacco production for 3 years, he acquired vast knowledge of manufacture processes for Habanos.

José María moved to Italy in 2003 and in turn managed distribution for Habanos in Italy, Southern Europe and North Africa. In 2011 he became Strategic Marketing Manager in Corp Habanos and since 2017 he has served as Development Vice President, overseeing business strategy, market development, brands strategy and diversification programs.

José María is, above all, a Habanos enthusiast and connoisseur of the most renowned cigar brands, such as Cohiba, Montecristo or Romeo y Julieta.

Dr. Saifedean Ammous is the author of The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking. He is Assistant Professor of Economics at the Lebanese American University, and a Foreign Member of the Center on Capitalism and Society in Columbia University.