Fouad Boutros currently serves as a Senior Account Executive at Joele Frank, a leading independently-owned financial public relations and investor relations firm. In his role, he provides strategic counsel and public relations and investor relations support to companies facing high-profile special situations, including hostile and friendly M&A transactions, shareholder activism, restructurings, spin-offs, IPOs, litigation and other corporate crises. Fouad also co-founded The Beirut Project, an initiative built by a group of young Lebanese Americans following the explosion in Beirut on August 4, 2020. He and the team raised $250,000+ in six weeks through grassroots campaigns, with the goal of aiding Beirut's relief efforts and long-term reconstruction projects through targeted investments and strategic partnerships. The Beirut Project fundraised alongside SEAL, and helped direct all funds to beneficiary organizations in Lebanon that focus efforts on most pressing needs.
Hani Daou is a Lebanese engineer based in San Jose, California. After graduating from the University of California San Diego, he held roles in optical network development with Silicon Valley titans like Intel and Apple Inc. Hani has since rejoined MultiLane, a hi-speed test solution vendor anchored in Lebanon, with the intent of bringing global attention to Lebanese innovation and contributing to local hi-tech job creation. As an avid writer, he also serves as editor/principal contributor with Al Rawiya, a digital magazine targeted towards the Lebanese Diaspora. Hani enjoys cooking, basketball, and playing the saxophone in his free time.
Malek Debbas was born in Berkeley, California and spent most of his summers in Lebanon. After the August 4 explosion, he was a part of The Beirut Project which helped raise money for reconstruction and rehabilitation projects in Beirut. When in Lebanon, his daily diet consists of manoucheh jibneh and bouzit Hanna. Currently, Malek works for an African fintech startup and recently returned from an extended stay in Senegal.
Lead Associate at FERZANCOMPANY
Lead Associate at FERZANCOMPANY
Born and raised in Lebanon, Chaouki’s moved to New York in 2017 to pursue a Master’s in Urban & Regional Planning at Columbia University. His experiences at the University and living in one of the greatest cities in the world, amongst a cross-section of his peers, considered “best in class”, began to influence his perspective on life, our society and philosophical outlook on local and global topics – all too saturated with controversy and the need for solutions.
Natural instincts could not be prevented and with devotion, his feelings towards Lebanon and those he cherished most, surfaced with a desire to “make a difference”. He sought ways which would promote social justice and equality, attempting to give back to the country that nourished him for so many years. Decidedly, Chaouki aligned himself with SEAL and became an Ambassador. His active participation seemed to generate a new energy for its mission. As an active participant of the “Ambassador’s Steering Committee”, Chaouki was responsible of developing fundraising schemes, planning, organizing, and campaigning for several events. Each resulted in raising significant monies from SEAL supporters.
Amid a rapidly advancing career, Chaouki is frequently recognized within the Real Estate Design & Construction Industry as an asset and evolving to become influential as a leader. Crain’s New York cited him for outstanding accomplishments, amongst the most successful “Twenty in their 20s”, professionals. Currently, Chaouki, as a Lead Associate, is an integral part of FERZANCOMPANY – a premiere Program & Project Consulting firm. His role positions him to interact on global platforms, representing a diversity of investors and developers, leading their Real Estate Project endeavors towards fruition and success.
Katia oversees Product Marketing and Brand for ZBiotics. Katia holds a bachelor of science in Communications and Consumer Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, as well as a Masters in Business Administration with a focus on Entrepreneurship from the Kellogg School of Management. Prior to joining ZBiotics, Katia built her career in Marketing leading global brand and growth campaigns in the tech and fashion industries. She also brings her entrepreneurial mindset to the team, as she previously founded her own company in the nutrition industry.
