Nour is leading with her 2 brothers one of the most pioneer healthy snacks companies in Lebanon. Nour joined her brothers in this venture in 2018 and established together Raw Bites – the number one healthy protein chips brand in Lebanon and the region, dedicated to enhance the lifestyle of our new generation with healthy, nutritious and yummy snacks produced from real food only. Nour is heading the marketing department and is in charge of expanding the business locally and overseas. The company is now present around 10 countries and is planning on expanding more in the coming years.

After more than 20 years of experience in the banking sector, Carla entered the manufacturing industry in 2020 by acquiring with other shareholders AnNabil factory, a well-established brand that produces a wide range of Mediterranean products with authentic recipes.  Carla is working on globalizing the company by upgrading the production process, uplifting the brand and expanding export markets. Under Carla’s leadership, AnNabil achieved multiple renowned certifications and entered new markets in Europe, China, US and has plans to expand more. Carla is a strong believer in social impact and social inclusion and has launched Toumouhat NGO in 2020 to support rural businesses in capacity building and business development.

Rose Bechara is the founder of Darmmess, an award-winning brand of Extra Virgin Olive Oil established in 2019. As a native of Deir Mimas, a village in Southern Lebanon commonly referred to as the “Bordeaux of Olive Oils”, Rose grew up fascinated by the magic surrounding her village olive oil. She considered this heritage a blessing and it had a considerable emotional impact on her.

With time passing by, she felt that sharing this treasure the world over is something she owes to her country, village, and family. Her brand Darmmess, result of a sophisticated & unusually fast production process, is the only Lebanese olive oil ranking in the silver category of High phenolic / High antioxidant EVOO’s. In practically no time, Darmmess was made available around the globe, in more than 12 countries, through distributors and/or retailers. She invites you to discover Darmmess and enjoy its complex yet harmonious taste, reminiscent of unripe green “Souri” Olives, with bitter spicy notes and a fruity aroma.

Isabelle is the managing partner of Al Berdawni Trading company in Zahle, Bekaa region that owns the Golden son brand. The company produces a variety of milling products such as Borghol, couscous and Moghrabieh. With her strategic vision and passion, Isabelle managed to upgrade her husband’s wholesale business and launch a retail brand that generates higher profit margins. Moreover, under her leadership, the company managed to upgrade its production process by acquiring new packaging technology which reduced costs and streamlined operations. Since 2008, the company expanded locally and internationally and are now selling in the US, Sweden, Dominican Republic, Australia, and Kuwait.

Soumaya Merhi is the founder of TAQA, one of the first companies in Lebanon that produces Lebanese healthy snacks free from white flour, milk products, GMOs, palm oil, corn, and soy flour.  Taqa evolved over the years to become a leading healthy snack brand in Lebanon and the Middle East. In 2016, Soumaya managed to have the first capital injection from an angel investor and venture capital groups — Viridis and IM Capital. Following this investment, the branding was upgraded, and the production process revamped. In 2019, the company expanded to a new production facility, acquired the ISO 22000:2018 and transitioned to FSSC, increased capacity reaching 50,000 tonnes of cookies per year. Currently Taqa snacks are found in Lebanon, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Canada and Ivory Coast.

Nathalie is leading a pioneering Lebanese company for packaged and branded herbs, spices and mixed powders. The company has a range of more than 200 products with some of them exported to the neighboring Gulf countries. Nathalie is aiming to expand the brand in Europe and the US by partnering with distributors and importers. Under her leadership, the company acquired one of the highest international quality certificates (ISO 22000:2018) and her custard and jellies line of products were awarded the product of the year award in 2014.

Rima El-Husseini leads Blessing, a company specialized in chocolates and gifts for luxury events. After working for Citi Bank for 5 years, she and her sister, Rana, created the Blessing brand in 1996 and have since expanded the company in the Middle East, with branches in Riyadh, Khobar, Bahrain and Oman, in addition to Lebanon’s main boutique and workshop with plans to expand the business to the U.S. and Europe. In 2012, she founded The Blessing Foundation, an organization aimed at empowering women in business. She is a winner of the 2015 TIAW World of Difference 100 Award and was elected as The Most Impactful Lebanese Woman for 2016. She is also one of the two winners of the Goldman Sachs/Fortune Global Women Leaders Award for 2016.