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Webinars

UPCOMING SPEAKERS

Hassan Jouni

SUNDAY AUG 24, 2025

Lebanon’s Strategic Defense Efforts to achieve Sovereignty
Brigadier-General (Ret.) Hassan Jouni, Ph.D., is a seasoned defense expert and academic with over three decades of leadership in the Lebanese Armed Forces. He served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and held key teaching roles across top military and civilian universities in Lebanon. With PhDs and master’s degrees in Political Science, Diplomacy, and International Management from institutions in Lebanon and Paris, he specializes in geopolitics, strategic studies, and military operations. A published author with over 40 articles, he is also a certified anti-corruption manager and legal advisor in armed conflicts. Fluent in Arabic, English, and French, he brings a wealth of experience bridging military strategy and academic insight.
Nassib Ghobril — Chief Economist & Economic Research Leader

SUNDAY SEPT 7, 2025

Steps to Ensure Depositors’ Rights and Restore Confidence in the Banking System Sector.
 

Chief Economist and Head of Economic Research at Byblos Bank since 2006, where he built its research department and launched several economic and consumer confidence indices. He previously led research at Groupe Saradar, Lebanon Invest, and Audi-Saradar Group. Ghobril has authored over 1,700 weekly reports on Lebanon, the Middle East, Africa, Emerging Markets, and global financial trends. He is a frequent speaker at conferences, universities, and media outlets, and advises ministers and MPs on economic policy. He serves on multiple academic, banking, and civic boards. Ghobril holds degrees from the American University of Beirut, American University (Washington, DC), and Thunderbird School of Global Management, and has completed PhD requirements at American University.

 

PAST SPEAKERS

Dr. Mounir Rached – Economist and Policy Advisor

SATDAY AUG 2, 2025

Proposals and Strategies for Reforming Lebanon’s Financial System
 

Mounir Rached is the president and a founding member of the Lebanese Economic Association. A former senior IMF staff member (1982–2007), he advised on economic policy reform and capacity building across the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean, and served as IMF Resident Representative. He has held advisory roles with the Lebanese Ministry of Finance and Prime Minister Hassan Diab, and consulted for international financial institutions on fiscal policy and financial modeling. He currently lectures on energy economics at AUB and holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Arizona.

 

NADA BOUSTANI & MARK DAOU

SUNDAY JULY 27, 2025

Are you for or against the proposed expat voting law?

Nada Boustani is a Lebanese MP and former Minister of Energy and Water—the first woman to hold that role.
A member of the Free Patriotic Movement, she represents the Keserwan district and has led major energy reforms, including renewable energy initiatives and offshore gas licensing. She holds degrees in economics from Saint Joseph University and management from ESCP Europe. She previously worked as a strategy consultant in Paris and later advised Lebanon’s Energy Ministry.
 
Mark Daou is a Lebanese MP, co-founder of the Taqaddom party, and a lecturer in Media Studies at AUB and LAU. A long-time activist, he played key roles in the 2005 Independence Intifada, 2015 protests, Beirut Madinati, and the October 17 uprising. He champions sovereignty, secularism, social justice, and human rights. Daou holds degrees from LSE and AUB and is an entrepreneur in media and tech.
Rima Adhami & Carole Abi Jaoude

SAT JULY 12, 2025 - 11am PST / 2pm EST / 9pm LEB

Diaspora’s Voting Rights

Rima Adhami

Lecturer in Public Law at the Lebanese University with 12+ years of experience. Specializes in constitutional law, elections, and public administration. Active as a legal consultant, trainer, and researcher with various associations. Rima holds a PhD in Law from the University of Montpellier I.

Carole Abi Jaoude

Networking strategist at Kulluna Irada, with a background at Air France–KLM and an advisory role in Lebanon’s largest World Bank-funded education program. A certified mediator, she’s worked on projects around nonviolent communication, women’s political participation, and civil society engagement. Carole holds a BA and Master’s from Saint Joseph University.

Colonel (Ret.) Abbas Dahouk

SUNDAY JUNE 29, 2025 - 12pm PST / 3pm EST / 10pm LEB

Israel-Iran Conflict: What It Means for Lebanon and the Region

Colonel (Ret.) Abbas Dahouk is the Founder and President of HyphenPoint™ LLC, promoting U.S.–Middle East strategic ties. He serves on the Board of Directors of the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations and is a frequent media commentator on political and military affairs. Born in Lebanon, Abbas joined a local militia at 15 during the civil war and trained in Crimea at 17. He moved to the U.S. at 21, ultimately enlisting in the Army. Over 33 years, he served as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne and held leadership roles across Europe and the Middle East. He was a Senior Military Advisor at the U.S. State Department, supporting policy with CENTCOM, EUCOM, and AFRICOM. He also served as Defense Attaché to Saudi Arabia and taught Arabic and Farsi at West Point. A U.S. Army OCS Hall of Fame inductee, Abbas holds numerous honors, including the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and several foreign military awards. He is a Master Parachutist and Ranger.

Dr. Ali Mourad

SATURDAY JUNE 21, 2025 - 11am PST / 2pm EST / 9pm LEB

The Implications of the Israeli-Iran War on Lebanon

Ali Mourad is a Lebanese legal scholar and political activist, currently serving as Assistant Professor of Public Law at Beirut Arab University. With over 16 years of academic and research experience in Lebanon and France, Dr. Mourad specializes in human rights, constitutional and administrative law, and electoral reform.

Beyond academia, he is an engaged political figure. In 2022, he ran as a parliamentary candidate under the reformist Change movement, reflecting his commitment to democratic principles, the rule of law, and accountable governance. Dr. Mourad remains active in public affairs, serving as a legal advisor to national and regional institutions and contributing regularly to policy debates across Lebanon and the Arab region.

He is a published author and a frequent media commentator on legal and political issues in the region.

Eli Khoury

SATURDAY JUNE 7, 2025 - 11am PST / 2pm EST / 9pm LEB

LEBANON AND THE ABRAHAM ACCORD

Eli Khoury is a strategic communications and media specialist with over 30 years of experience in national, institutional, and corporate brand development, as well as political narrative engagement. He is widely recognized for raising the standard of communications in the region through the innovative practices he pioneered. Khoury serves as Chairman of the Quantum Group and is the publisher of NOW Lebanon. As an activist, he approaches communications with a blend of democratic entrepreneurship and socio-political awareness.

Nicolas Chikhani & Joseph Amine El-Khoury

SUNDAY MAY 18, 2025 - 11am PST / 2pm EST / 9pm LEB

Can Lebanon Guarantee 100% Depositor Returns? YES.

Nicolas Chikhani

An international banker with 30 years of leadership experience across global financial hubs. He has served as CFO, COO, and CEO of a Swiss bank and sits on various boards in banking, fintech, and civil society. Politically independent and anti-corruption manager, he is a Knight of the Order of Malta and active in organizations like LPSN (Lebanese Private Network Sector) and the Swiss Forum of International Politics. He is an engineer and holds executive degrees from INSEAD, HARVARD, and a cryptocurrency certificate from the LSE.

Joseph Amine El-Khoury

An independent journalist and writer with over 30 years of experience covering economic, political, cultural, and social topics. He founded TEYA, the publisher of several Arabic and French periodicals like Chronique and Masculin, promoting cultural dialogue and regional engagement. He holds degrees in journalism and economics from Paris II, USJ and LU universities with interests in languages, semiology, and Levantine heritage.

Hisham Hamdan, Diplomat & Global Peace Champion

Saturday MAY 10, 2025 - 11am PST / 2pm EST / 9pm LEB

Prerequisites of Post-Conflict Peacebuilding in Lebanon

Hisham Hamdan holds a Ph.D. in International Public Law from Charles University, Prague, with a dissertation on “Peacekeeping Operations under the Charter of the United Nations: The Theory and the Practice.” With a distinguished career spanning decades, Dr. Hamdan has served as Lebanon’s Ambassador to Mexico, Argentina, and Paraguay, leading groundbreaking diplomatic initiatives, including negotiations at the United Nations on global security, peacebuilding, and international justice. His extensive experience includes roles as Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN in New York and Geneva, Vice President of UNICEF’s Executive Council, and Acting Vice President of ECOSOC. A recognized leader in multilateral diplomacy, Dr. Hamdan has lectured at prestigious institutions worldwide and published extensively on international law, peacebuilding, and sustainable development. His accolades include the San Martin Cross (Argentina), Doctoris Honoris Causa (Mexico), and over 300 honorary recognitions globally. Hamdan continues to contribute as a co-founder of the Lebanese Organization for Peacebuilding and as an active researcher, championing Lebanon’s role as a model of dialogue and post-conflict peacebuilding.