Podcasts from Beirut

Women in Business Podcast with Caroline Fattal, Lina Boubess and Luna Safwan #FemaleForward

We ask, how can women better reach their goals in society, politics or at work? This is the question the Friedrich Naumann Foundation has asked in Germany and around the world with their recent #FemaleForwardInternational campaign. 
In Lebanon this topic is more relevant than ever: Even though there is a history in the Arab context of women being viewed in their roles of caretakers and mothers, the socio-political and economic challenges facing the region in the past decades have forced women to take on new roles. Lebanon is seen as one of the most progressive Arab countries in this context. Certainly, the social and economic freedoms for women in Lebanon are greater than those in other Arab countries, however, the political and business culture is still masculine in its structure and cannot be compared to western environments. The society’s continued perception of women as homemakers, mothers, and wives, controls the sociably acceptable jobs that women, that do choose to follow careers, should pursue.

For this second episode of the #FemaleForwardInternational campaign Luna Safwan, award winning Lebanese Journalist and Activist, sat down with two esteemed women of the field to discuss the topic and share their experiences.

Caroline Fattal: 
She was named twice by Forbes Middle East, in 2014 and 2015, as one of the “Most Powerful Arab Women in Business.” Mrs. Caroline Fattal Fakhoury combines 20 years of corporate business experience with the skills of a professional business coach. Throughout her career in Europe, Latin America & the Middle East, learning best practices from the likes of Unilever, Mondelez and Johnson & Johnson. Following her Unilever experience, Caroline joined her family’s business, Fattal Group where she currently serves as Senior Vice-President and Board Member.
She has branched out into coaching to share her ideas about cooperative leadership and organizational development. Caroline launched the “Stand for Women” initiative advocating for women empowerment and gender equality in the Middle East.

Lina Boubess:
Lina Boubess became an icon of Lebanon’s protest movement when a photograph of her trying to prevent an arrest went viral last year. She has since been on the forefront of the protests and the post Beirut Blast initiatives. While she continues to fulfil her roles in the family business the Boubess Group, the revolution has become her primary focus.