The seventh annual Forbes’ 30 below 30 for the Center East options the “up-and-coming trailblazers” within the Center East – 20 of whom are Lebanese. The Forbes 2024 version showcases 120 achievers from 4 totally different classes: Commerce and Finance, Science and Expertise, Sports activities and Leisure, and Social Influence.
There are 30 entrants in every class, however the largest variety of members (45) are in Commerce and Finance, adopted by Social Affect (42), Sports activities and Leisure (34), and Science and Expertise (32). Wael Arakji, Jad Al Fakhani, Cedric Zovighian, and Rayan Hayek are among the many many names representing Lebanon.
Lebanese expertise undeniably stood out amongst numerous opinions and lots of of submissions. Meet the 20 Lebanese ranked amongst Forbes Center East’s 30 Below 30:
1. Wael Arakji
Arakji is an acclaimed Lebanese basketball participant who has made a profession out of taking part in for Al Riyadi Membership. He has develop into a family identify within the Lebanese sports activities sector after main his staff to victory within the first-ever Basketball Champions League Asia.
He helped them advance to the FIBA Intercontinental Cup 2024. The 2-time MVP participant has lately signed with Qatar’s Al Arabi Sports activities Membership whereas campaigning for Nike and Crimson Bull within the MENA area.
The “Fearless” basketball participant informed 961 that he’s “honored to be named within the Forbes 30 below 30 throughout difficult occasions for my nation. This recognition is bittersweet as my coronary heart is with these affected by the struggle.
I hope this serves as a reminder of our resilience and the potential inside us to rise even amidst adversity.”
2. Jad Al Fakhani
Jad, generally generally known as “Wolfofbey” on social media, is the founding father of Beycom LLC., an organization that’s centered round e-commerce within the Center East.
Beycom launches, acquires, and invests in on-line e-commerce companies, together with the Wolfofbey coaching program and the digital advertising and marketing company Whiteberry Media. He’s praised for his mentoring abilities and experience in E-commerce, enterprise, digital advertising and marketing, and entrepreneurship.
Jad Al Fakhani informed 961 that “being named on Forbes 30 Below 30 Center East is an amazing honor and a testomony to the dedication and innovation I’ve poured into constructing an ecosystem round e-commerce by means of Beycom LLC within the area.
This recognition is the results of years of constant effort, from launching my companies and mentoring 1000’s of aspiring entrepreneurs to constructing their very own and remodeling their lives.”
When requested about what recommendation he wish to share with the Lebanese individuals, that is what he needed to say: “My recommendation for future entrepreneurs is to give attention to delivering actual worth. Lengthy-term success comes from fixing real issues and creating impression, not simply chasing revenue.
Keep targeted in your imaginative and prescient, keep away from distractions, and adapt when wanted. Encompass your self with the fitting staff and mentors to amplify your efforts. Above all, resilience is essential—embrace challenges as alternatives to study, develop, and innovate.”
3. Asmaa Jrad
Jrad has been chosen into the Science and Expertise class for her work in creating water filtration programs.
She was beforehand a postdoc at AUB and creator of 11 articles in prestigious scholarly journals like JACS, Nature Communications, and Chem.
4. Kamil El Khoury
Among the many pioneers within the Science and Expertise part is Elie El Khoury, a postdoctoral affiliate at NYU Abu Dhabi.
El Khoury’s analysis is centered round engineering and bioprinting strategies. He goals to lift consciousness in regards to the want for transplantable organs within the trendy medical system.
He’s at the moment engaged on a provisional patent within the U.S. and a PCT utility.
5. John Rachwan
One other environmentalist who secured a spot on the checklist is John Rachwan. He’s the co-founder & CTO of Pruna AI, an optimization engine that focuses on compressing machine studying fashions, making them accessible and sustainable.
Pruna has lately raised 6.5 million in efforts to reshape AI programs.
6. Kevin Hani
Hani has to this point co-founded two profitable firms which have put him on the highway to success. He’s the earlier co-founder of Journey and Faucet, a journey app, and the present CPO and co-founder of ELEVEN22.
The corporate has revolutionized the true property trade with its hyper-realistic digital twin know-how and BIM visualizations. Kevin is at the moment engaged on a cell utility that caters to the GCC.
7. Cedric Zovighian, Marc Gharios, Ralph Gharios
In 2021, Zovighian and the Gharios brothers co-founded Tick’it, a software program firm that enables customers to navigate the world of music, leisure occasions, concert events, and reveals.
In its first 12 months, Tick’it managed to safe 60% of Lebanon’s music occasion itemizing market and bodily factors of sale by means of its collaborations with cost answer suppliers.
8. Chloe Kteily
Worldwide feminine DJ Chloe Kleity has proved herself as probably the most wished and gifted feminine DJs of our day. Identified for her vigorous concert events throughout the MENA area, Kleity has additionally carried out with famend artists like Amr Diab and Tamer Hosny.
Her most celebrated efficiency was at Miss Lebanon 2024.
9. Rayan Hayek
The youngest among the many members on the checklist is Rayan Hayek, a Lebanese social media influencer who kickstarted his profession as a number in 2020. Hayek is well-known for his YouTube present ‘Baynetna”.
The present has gained huge recognition as a result of emotional nature of the interviews performed with main Arab celeb personalities. A new each day present is within the works, and it’s set to run concurrently with “Baynetna” throughout Europe and different nations.
10. Jad Hamadeh
The founder and CEO of HD Good Glass, Jad Hamadeh, has been awarded a spot on the checklist within the class of Commerce and Finance. HD Good Glass is a development tech product within the type of glass or movie, which allows its customers to simply change between opaque and clear facades.
HD Good Glass is shaping as much as develop into the world’s main privateness answer for these in search of low-maintenance transparency management. Atlantis The Royal in Dubai, Paramount Lodge Dubai, and The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi are a few of the prestigious motels which have labored with HD Good Glass.
11. Malek Gedeon, Tara Gedeon
The Gedeon siblings are the way forward for Gedeon & Co., a number one style company that distributes and retails worldwide style manufacturers, together with PUMA, Calvin Klein, and Tommy Hilfiger.
Malek and Tara Gedeon have vowed to proceed their grandfather’s legacy within the style trade by representing premium manufacturers and managing 200+ shops throughout Africa and the Center East.
12. Yasmina Hayek
Yasmina Hayek is the manager head chef, co-owner, and head designer at Em Sherif Holding. Her duties embody menu creation and execution, culinary and inventive course, and content material technique coaching.
Em Sherif eating places are favored amongst prospects within the MENA area, Europe, and South America. Plans for growth in Kuwait, the UAE, and different nations are but underway. Yasmina has lately overseen the launch of Em Sherif in Monaco’s Lodge de Paris and Em Sherif Deli in Beirut.
13. Marina El Khawand
Class: Social Influence
At solely 18 years previous, Maria made an unbelievable social impression on the well being sector by addressing the humanitarian disaster in Lebanon. Maria El Khawand is the founder and president of Medonations, an NGO that has saved 1000’s of Lebanese lives.
Medonations was based to supply medical help for these affected by the Beirut explosion in 2020.
To date, Maria’s basis has succeeded in contributing to the healthcare system by funding surgical procedures and elevating donations.
14. Omar Itani
Based by Omar Itani in 2017, FabricAID is a social enterprise that goals to determine a socially and environmentally sustainable worth chain within the attire market.
Via the amassing, sorting, and reselling of secondhand garments, FabricAID has bought over one million objects to marginalized communities, producing $1.4 million in revenues.
15. Sara Ghanem
DOODA is a female-owned earthworm farm that focuses on large-scale vermicompost manufacturing.
The homeowners, Sara and Nada, intention to supply services that allow their prospects to efficiently develop their crops and crops whereas bettering the fertility of the soil.
16. Yasmine Darwish
Yasmina is yet one more Lebanese lady who has been honored within the Social Influence Class. Darwich is the founder and CEO of DonaLeb, a platform that makes use of health challenges to advertise well being and well-being whereas additionally giving again to the group.
This revolutionary app permits its customers to remodel strolling or operating actions into donations for nonprofits. The app partnered with distinguished well being sector stakeholders to proceed boosting worker engagement and social interplay.
17. Haytham Dbouk
Dbouk is the founder and CEO of Innovating Inexperienced Expertise (IGT), a Lebanese enterprise that develops revolutionary inexperienced power programs, bettering power effectivity, meals, and water.
Haytham has earned a spot on the checklist for contributing to a greener future by means of automated inexperienced power initiatives.
The exceptional achievements of the 14 Lebanese skills featured in Forbes Center East’s 30 Below 30 checklist spotlight the innovation, creativity, and resilience that outline the Lebanese spirit.
In response to the Forbes analysis staff, every applicant was evaluated primarily based on the next information: “funds raised, awards received, revenues achieved, the variety of individuals influenced, the variety of prospects, and the variety of followers on social media.”
Verify final 12 months’s checklist to learn extra tales that remind us of the significance of nurturing expertise to drive progress and positively impression communities worldwide.
