ALAIN BEJJANI

Alain Bejjani is a globally recognized business leader, investor, and author with more than two decades of experience helping companies grow across the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia.

Alain began his career in law and business advisory in 1999, after which he served as Executive Vice Chairman of the Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL) from 2000 to 2005, where he worked to attract foreign investment and support economic growth across key parts of Lebanon.

After joining Majid Al Futtaim in 2006, he helped drive the company's growth and expansion. Appointed CEO in 2015, he grew the company into a $15 billion enterprise across 17 countries by modernizing it with digital and AI tools and introducing new approaches to sustainable finance, including the region's first 1.2 billion sukuk, or green bonds.

For this work, he was named Gulf Business CEO of the Year in 2020 and ranked among Forbes Middle East's Top 100 CEOs in 2022.

Since stepping down as CEO in 2023, Alain has become an active investor and public business figure, supporting entrepreneurs and companies across the region. He currently acts as a panelist on Shark Tank Lebanon, where he backs the next generation of founders.

He is also the author of NEXT: Leading Through the New Realities, a leadership book about how organizations can handle uncertainty, lead through disruption, and turn big ideas into real results. Drawing on his experience, the book shares practical lessons on resilience, innovation, and the human side of leading change.

Beyond his executive work, Alain partakes in global conversations on the economy and public policy. He serves on the Atlantic Council's International Board and previously co-chaired the World Economic Forum's MENA Summit. He is known for his forward-thinking approach, his focus on sustainable growth, and his belief in empowering people to create meaningful change.