Why this Festival?
The EcoSwitch Coalition has been formed in 2020 to strengthen the support to Green Entrepreneurs in the country, with the aim of collectively empowering eco-entrepreneurs to develop innovative ideas, establish themselves, and thrive in the long-term.
The idea of this Festival is to introduce sustainable entrepreneurs in Lebanon to the EcoSwitch Coalition; highlight how we are supporting them or could support them; link them to Partners and Experts; inspire them; transfer knowledge useful for enterprises –in particular during these times of high uncertainty—; provide a space for networking with like-minded eco-oriented entrepreneurs… and have a bit of fun too along the way!
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May 16th
Let’s all gather at BDD 🙂
10:00am-05:30pm at BDD 1280
Concert at 05:30pm at BDD 1075 Rooftop (5th floor)
Meet & Greet, Learn & Network with like-minded green entrepreneurs from all over Lebanon!
10:00am: Registrations
10:30am: Welcome Notes from the EcoSwitch Coalition Partners and Fondation Diane.
Diana Fadel is the Founder and President of “Fondation Diane”, a non-governmental organization (NGO) for the development of “Civic Awareness and Eco-Sustainable Development”.
In 1965, Diana started her philosophy studies at “École des Lettres” in Beirut.
In 1967, she married with the late Maurice Fadel and has 4 children.
In 1972, Diana co-founded with her husband, ABC department stores, and they made out of it the first shopping center in Lebanon, where she managed it for decades beside her husband, even from abroad during the civil war.
During the Lebanese civil war in 1975, she moved to Paris with her family and in 1986 at the age of 40, she continued her studies in Philosophy at “Paris X” in Nanterre until she graduated in 1988.
In 1992, Diana came back to Lebanon. She, then, founded the “Monuments en Musique” NGO, which aims at preserving and saving important and often abandoned Lebanese heritage and iconic sites.
In 2010, she was diagnosed with 2 late stage cancer and fought against sickness for 3 complete years. She survived!
In 2012, she founded “Fondation Diane” as a response to the Civic and Ecological turmoil in which the country was and is still struggling. She believes that education, mobilization and action are the main pillars for a good citizenship. She creates:
• “CEEDD”; The Chair of “Fondation Diane” for Eco-citizenship and Sustainable Development in partnership with the USJ.
• “Civic Circle”; an active lobbying platform to inform and motivate citizens through gatherings and events.
• “VIRIDIS Investment Fund”; a financial and deeply operational & monitoring support to green startups and SMEs.
• “RayMondo”; the 1st Green Industrial Hub in Lebanon!
In 2020, Diana was elected as the Chairwoman and CEO of “ABC Department Stores”.
Diane believes in women empowerment, teamwork and positive spirit.
EcoSwitch Coalition Partners
10:40am: Key Note Speech from the Minister of Environment, H.E. Dr. Nasser Yassin
Nasser Yassin is currently the Minister of Environment in Lebanon. He is Professor of policy, planning and strategy.
Until his appointment, he was a professor and administrator at the American University of Beirut (AUB): he headed the Health Management & Policy Department & between 2014-2020, he was the Director of Research of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs & served as the Institute’s Interim Director in 2019-2020. He also co-chaired the AUB4Refugees Initiative that brought together faculty in AUB responding to refugee crises. He founded in 2020 & directed the Crisis Observatory to track the repercussions of the crises & to provide evidence and systematic analysis of various facets of the crises. He holds a PhD from University College London (UCL), an MSc from London School of Economics (LSE), and an MSc and BSc from the AUB. His research and practice interests are in development planning and policymaking in fragile and transition states. He researches and works on policy and social innovation especially in areas of refugee, youth & health policies and programs. He is author of more than 60 internationally published peer-reviewed articles and books. His research has been featured in many media channels including Al-Jazeera, BBC, The Economist, New York Times, and Deutsche Welle – among others.10:50am: Key Note Speech from the EU Delegation to Lebanon
Stefano Panighetti is the Energy and Local Development Programme Officer at the EU Delegation to Lebanon.
He has been working for the past 9 years for the EU in the Mediterranean region supporting environment, climate action and sustainable energy development.
He was previously working on energy efficiency financing at the European Commission in Brussels.
He holds a BA in law and Master’s degree of international relations and development studies.10:55am: Unlocking Sustainable Success: SwitchMed and EcoSwitch Coalition Transformations in Lebanon
Giorgio Mosangini is Team Leader of Green Entrepreneurship and Civil Society at MedWaves – the UNEP/MAP Regional Activity Centre for SCP. Giorgio has 25 years’ experience being responsible of International Development Programmes in the MENA and Latin America and he is author of several publications on topics such as sustainability, circular businesses and evaluation. He holds master’s degrees in Political Sciences and in Development Studies.
11:05am: What has been achieved by the EcoSwitch Coalition?
11:20am: Discover the Switchers Platform for Green Entrepreneurs
11:30am: Fireside Chat: Towards Circularity through Collaboration
Ingrid is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in program management, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Since 2021, she has served as a Program Manager at Berytech SAL’s Innovation Hub Unit, leading the USAID/Lebanon Diverting Waste by Encouraging Reuse and Recycling Project (DAWERR). Her expertise spans program management, financial analysis, product and business development, public-private partnerships, and multinational cross-functional team leadership. She holds a master’s degree in Financial Economics from the American University of Beirut.
Adib is a Mechanical engineer, founder and CEO of GITech sal, a Lebanese startup company that implements new recycling technologies to increase the quality and capacity of the Lebanese recycling industry. Adib is also a National judge for the entrepreneurship world cup, startup mentor with the ACIE, ambassador of USEK for Babson college Massachusetts.
11:45am: Fill in the EcoSwitch Survey!
11:55am: Coffee Break
12:10pm: World Café with Partners
Speed Dating with the Coalition’s Partners! Learn about our activities & ask any questions you may have.
Choose ahead of time the Partners you’d like to meet, click on this link
01:00pm: Inspiring Interventions from two successful Green Entrepreneurs
Learn about their journey, success stories, struggles, and more!
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Anwar Sleiman Zeineddine, an FMCG specialist and the CEO and co-founder of “DEKENET AL NES”, with extensive experience in the food and beverage industry. I dedicated a significant part of my career to key account management at Binzagr Company in Saudi Arabia, one of the leaders in the FMCG industry. I was responsible for managing a diverse portfolio of products, including Kraft-Heinz, Mazola, Holsten, and Hershey’s.
Beyond my professional endeavours, I am a passionate environmental activist, later becoming a political advocate with a high interest in economics. This facet of my identity informs my approach to business, encouraging a holistic understanding of the interplay between commerce, environmental sustainability, and socio-political contexts.Layal Mostafa is an Electrical Power & Machines Engineer and recently studying Professional Green Technologies at AUB. I’ve always been an environmental, social and political activist. I am a co-founder and the Deputy CEO of Dekenet Al Nes, a social, economic and environmental enterprise in the form of a grocery shop that provides high-quality locally-sourced food & household grocery products offered in bulk quantities without packaging & sold in an affordable & sustainable way. Customers bring their empty containers, refill them with their preferable quantities, then weigh & pay. Dekenet Al Nes is creating a new consumption pattern by offering a customized service that guarantees social profitability & reduces wastes. Customers can enjoy a fair grocery shopping experience that combines affordability & quality with social & environmental responsibility.
Michele Braidy graduated in 2008 from the department of Architecture and Design at AUB, Beirut with a minor in Archaeology. After several years of working in architecture, interior design and scenography she pursued her studies in 2014, with a master in Advanced Interaction at IAAC, Barcelona. She now focuses on multidisciplinary circular design. Through her “Immanent Design” approach, she aims at establishing new design ethics for social, cultural and environmental sustainability and redefining the role of the designer as a time weaver from traditions to innovation as well as a network creator through production process awareness. Her work ranges from interior spaces to installations, furniture and products.
01:30pm: Lunch & Networking
02:15pm: Explore a Topic you are interested in!
Panel 1:
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Maya Karkour is the Chair of the EcoSwitch Coalition since 2022. She is an Environmental and Circular Economy Specialist, an Eco-Entrepreneur, and the Managing Director of EcoConsulting, a specialized sustainability consultancy which she founded in 2003 in the UK and in 2007 in Lebanon.
Maya has directly worked on numerous projects aiming at reducing their environmental footprint. She has been a keynote speaker or moderator at various sustainability/environmental conferences in Lebanon and other countries; and has organized and conducted numerous sustainability, green building, circular economy and environmental seminars & workshops. She has been coaching environmental start-ups with innovative entrepreneurial solutions and is mentoring eco or social entrepreneurs to help them establish themselves and scale up. Maya has been actively promoting the Circular Economy and sustainable practices in Lebanon, more recently by launching the Circular Hub.
Maya holds an MSc in Environment & Sustainable Policies from LSE, she is a Circular Economy Specialist with the Circular Economy Club, and holds the Permaculture Design Certificate, first level.Nathalie Khoury is the program manager for Faker.Bi2iyan, an environmental awareness initiative under Michel Daher Foundation. She is an environmentalist, a circular economy trainer, a certified trainer on the SWITCHMED green business model methodology and a social entrepreneur.
Nathalie delivers trainings on entrepreneurship, supports green entrepreneurs and provides mentoring support for green& social entrepreneurs in Lebanon and worked with many organizations like Michel Daher Foundation, INJAZ, EcoConsulting , Fondation Diane, Goethe Institute, Farah Social foundation, LIU’s business hub.Her academic background is in business management and she holds certificates from USJ, Erasmus University, delft University and UNITAR.GP SKAFF, CEO of SKAFF FABRICS, has been in the textile industry for over 20 years.
In 2022, he launched Balamida a sustainable wild fishing business, in parallel with an NGO: Beirut Coastal Cleanup: a bi-weekly cleanup of the coast.Andre Mahfouz is representing Nadeera Technologies as its Lebanon Development and Analytics Officer. Nadeera is a new breed of waste management companies that engages communities to recycle through their digital platform “Yalla Return” to divert waste from landfill. Yalla Return focuses on maximizing recycling though technology enabled behavioural change through (1) Promoting recycling awareness, (2) Verifying that waste is sorted through IoT and (3) Rewarding sustainable practices through cash back. Andre comes from a background of psychology and social entrepreneurship, particularly working within the field of environmental sustainability.
Samer Corban is co-founder & CEO of Ajjerni, a peer-to-peer rental platform that allows users to rent everyday items from others in their community, which promotes a circular and more sustainable economy. Before working on Ajjerni, Samer was a management consultant for 3 years in Deloitte UAE and as a water consultant for 4 years at World Engineering & Technology Lebanon. He has a Bachelor’s in Business Administration, a MSc in Water Science, and cares deeply about the environment.
Christiane Issa is the administrative manager at Domaines Des Tourelles, a family owned company operating in the wine and spirits industry since 1868.
After finishing her masters degree in luxury products marketing in USJ, Christiane joined Domaine des Tourelles in 2000 to focus on creating a niche identity to Tourelles’ range of products and together with the administrative and operational team has been including sustainability in the wine making and sales process since 2010.
A passionate for social inclusion, Christiane Founded a charity under the name of Maison de la Vierge in 2012 with 22 women volunteers and in 2022 created “Darzit Kheir” initiative to maintain financial sustainability at Maison de la Vierge, and support in the same time local women knitters working from their homes; the initiative upcycles donated fabric leftovers, recycled Paper & threads into fashionable bags and accessories.
She is an active member of Zahle hometown association, member of the federation of associations of Zahle and “Al tajadoud lil watan”
Panel 2:
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Talar Kokjian is an experienced environmental advocate with a strong focus on waste management, for over 5 years in the sustainability field. She has played integral roles in regional projects aimed at tackling solid waste management challenges across Lebanon, Jordan, and Algeria, all guided by circular economy principles. Currently, Talar manages projects in water, sanitation, waste management, and agriculture. Talar has been actively involved in sustaining the activities of the Ecoswitch Coalition for the past 2.5 years.
Gaby is an industrial Engineer with a Masters degree in econometrics, and a PhD in Strategic Planning from Columbia University. His extensive technology related experience spanned over many years in CEO and EMEA Regional Director positions with large Hi-Tech Corporations has provided him with a deep understanding of the many facets and challenges of electronic and telecom equipment end-of-life processing from intricate production and manufacturing design, all the way to proper ecologic disposal of such equipment. He is the Founder and President of ECOSERV for Environmental Sustainability, an NGO focusing on sustainable electronic waste treatment. The NGO is currently among those leading the Climate for Change in Lebanon by offering services towards green CSR, through e-waste solutions and social awareness, 100% diversion from landfills and open dumpsites, as well as focus on maximizing e-waste contribution to local circular economy.
With a master’s degree in Environmental Sciences and Management from the Université Saint Joseph de Beyrouth (USJ), Basma El Arab has developed a diverse professional background. Prior to her role at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 2017 under the solid waste portfolio, El Arab gained valuable experience at Apave Liban, a French company. In this capacity, specializing in technical environmental assessments and serving as a Lead Auditor for various ISO standards related to quality and safety.
Her professional journey has been diverse, encompassing the implementation of several projects within the UNDP framework. Additionally, her involvement extended to the policy team of the Ministry of Environment.Elie Romanos is a Mechanical Engineer specialized in Energy Studies; 15 years of professional work in the fields of energy, waste management, and industrial manufacturing. Energy Specialist in the Environment Program, at arcenciel, Lebanon. Working on the development and implementation of energy and waste management projects. These projects focus on: Management of organic waste through biogas production and building the corresponding energy conversion systems – to electricity and heat; as well as production of liquid and solid fertilizers. Energy efficiency projects. PV systems coupled to pumped storage hydropower (PSH). Solid waste management action plans for municipalities. Previous work in waste sorting plants design and implementation, and waste to energy systems; also, in factory’s utilities design, and in manufacturing.
Saad Maakaron is a AUB graduate Y2K, in Mechanical and Mechatronics, Cofounded “Green Essence” in 2006 to specialize in energy efficiency and renewable energy, switching homes, businesses, and institutions towards sustainability in energy.
One innovation at a time, using solar for new applications, to help in water treatment, water distribution, irrigation, recycling, heating and cooling for agro industries, among others. Green Essence grew organically bringing the benefits of solar to everyone, and helping businesses and individuals all over Lebanon to save, in prominence and style, on energy and pollution.
03:05pm: BINGO Time!
03:30pm: Take a Break, Have a Taqa
03:45pm: Pick & Choose 🙂
Panel 1:
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Lynda is a certified business coach ( ActionCOACH) and lecturer ( Antonine University) , dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs, small businesses, and startups to achieve higher revenues. With over 15 years of work experience, she has delivered numerous entrepreneurship programs and mentoring sessions (with a focus on green & social startups). Lynda’s passion for gender equality and her positive outlook on challenges make her a valuable advocate for the business community.
Expert
Ali Dalloul
Life Mentor and Coach
Ali Dalloul bio:
– Innovation Center Coordinator and Startup Mentor with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry, namely in the field of entrepreneurship.
– Life Mentor & Coach aiming to help in creating a mindset that allows reaching more inner peace namely in the field of relationships.
– Amateur in Web 3.0 in cryptocurrency, DEFI, and NFT projects, with a role of community leader in Seasonal Tokens.Dr. Hasan Youness is specialized in international business management, educational administration, and educational leadership. Having acquired his degrees from Notre Dame University, KEDGE Business School and Saint Louis University respectively, he went on to pursue an executive CSR program at Harvard Business School Executive Education. Hasan started teaching at the university level at the age of 23 and has been teaching at five universities since then including AUB, USJ and LIU. In addition, he is a researcher, author, mentor, and trainer on a wide array of management, entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, CSR, and communication topics in Lebanon and abroad. Moreover, he has been a Tedx speaker and guest on top TV channels in the Arab world. Despite having worked with leading companies, Hasan did not limit himself to the business sector. Rather, he has chosen to work with UNIDO and UNRWA, in addition to other NGOs as SPARK and World Vision. Over time, he participated in multiple national and international conferences, workshops, and competitions, and was awarded several prestigious awards for representing Lebanon on several occasions. Hasan is also the cofounder and managing partner of Insights’ for Consultancy S.A.R.L. Hasan is the author of #TrendsOfBusiness and has served as the Strategic Advisor of UN Global Compact Network Lebanon for 3 years.
With over a decade of experience in founding and growing tech companies, Jad is a seasoned entrepreneur, growth marketer and data-driven strategist currently working with ORIGIN, a brand experience and marketing consultancy. Jad is also the co-founder of Livada, an edtech platform that provides comprehensive educational and career planning tools for children. He holds an MBA from London Business School and a Masters in Management from IE Business School. He has played exec and advisory roles in 10+ early-stage startups, mentored/trained over 50+ more, consulted large corporates in MENA on growth and innovation, helped raise over $6M in capital, and actively contributed to tech strategy discussions through his Medium blog with 30,000+ reads.
From designing spaces to cultivation, Julien Farjallah began his career as an interior architect, but the entrepreneurial spirit took hold, after many attempts experience led him on an unexpected journey into the Agrifood Sector. Now, at LOOP snails, he is leveraging on design thinking skills to build a sustainable and animal friendly future for our skin care system.
Expert
Patrick Challita
Lawyer
Corporate lawyer with a passion for navigating the complex legal landscape of business. With over 20 years of experience, Patrick has established a reputation for delivering strategic legal counsel to corporations seeking legal guidance in today’s dynamic business environment.
Panel 2:
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Romy Massaad is currently the Programs Officer at ACIE – USEK, a non-profit organization committed to supporting entrepreneurship and innovation. With just over two years of experience in the entrepreneurial world, Romy has worn the hats of both an entrepreneur and a programs officer.
In 2021, she launched her startup, Pawfuel, securing $45,000 in funding. After two years, she decided to transition away from her startup and pursue a career in programs.
In 2023, Romy was appointed as the Country Coordinator for Hult Prize Lebanon, a global competition challenging students to develop solutions to social and environmental challenges. She was previously awarded the title of Second Runner-up for the World Program of the Year: Hult Prize most reputable award. The first Lebanese to ever get this title.
As a Programs Officer at ACIE – USEK, Romy is responsible for creating and managing programs that support entrepreneurs at all stages of their journey. She is passionate about training and mentoring early-stage entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs. She is dedicated to making the entrepreneurial ecosystem more inclusive and equitable.With 18 years’ experience in sustainable development, gained working in 10 different countries, Mr. Miraglia has a strong expertise in advocacy and capitalisation strategies. He focuses on mainstreaming Circular Economy in the Mediterranean via networking and local ecosystem building, developing impact communication and partnership tools to increase awareness and policy uptake of international best practices.
Maria Saab is a dedicated high performance coach, corporate trainer, and international speaker who specializes in helping executives, athletes, and high performers overcome their limiting beliefs, unlock their full potential, and create a balance across all different areas of life.
She is also the founder and CEO of House of Greatness, an online coaching and community platform for high performers.
With her previous experience as Chief Life Officer for Mindvalley, Maria has worked alongside renowned executives worldwide to help them heal and transform their lives on all levels.
By blending proven coaching techniques, cutting-edge performance methodologies, and intuitive guidance, Maria Saab supports clients in breaking through barriers, optimizing their performance, and living a purpose-driven life.
Maria studied Psychology and Dietetics at the Lebanese American University and is a Certified Life Coach by NFNLP, Certified High Performance Coach by Mindvalley and Evercoach, and Certified Power Voice Speaker by Les Brown.
She has been working in the leadership and human behavior field for the past 7 years coaching athletes, executives, and leaders worldwide.Margot Wehbe, a 22-year-old entrepreneur, is the visionary founder behind UWYTA, a socially conscious enterprise dedicated to transforming discarded materials into stylish and sustainable products all while helping women from humble backgrounds secure job opportunities. With a passion for environmental conservation, Margot has turned her love for creativity and impact into a thriving business. Margot’s commitment to making a positive difference in the world shines through in her innovative approach to sustainability and her dedication to spreading the message of environmental responsibility.
16:35pm: Recap of Today’s Sessions
16:55pm: Free Networking time!
If you have your own eco-products, this is the time to show them to your peers, get feedback about them, and gain visibility.
17:30pm: Concert with CuBan’D band on BDD 1075 Rooftop 🙂
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