COVID-19 Measure: Read Full Magazine Here. Wafa Saab is continually putting herself in situations where she can engage, help, and learn.
She calls it self-inflicted education. In addition to acting as Managing Director and board member of Tinol Paints International, the family-owned company founded in 1956, Wafa Saab sits on the board of various civic, cultural, humanitarian and socio-economic non-profit organizations including Kulluna Irada, the Lebanese Red Cross, the Beiteddine Art Festival, the Baalbeck International Festival, the Board of International Advisors of LAU, Embrace, Mission Joy, and currently chairs the AMIDEAST Lebanon Board. She was also elected as the first female president of the Worldwide Alumni Association of AUB (WAAAUB), EMBA chapter, in 2015. The list goes on.
What started with a few volunteering projects grew into a strong network of mentors, mentees and friends—a lifetime of civic action with a focus on improving herself and the world.
Wafa Fayez Saab manages her family-owned business, Tinol Paints International, founded in 1956. She is a remarkable social and business icon with a clear set of personal and business goals: pursue good governance and refrain from corruption and the abuse of power. One of the first woman in Lebanon to enter the industrialist world--she was elected Personality of the Year in the Industry Sector in 2012 by a regional business magazine -- she still responds readily to any call to improve society.
After joining the family business in the late 1990s at the request of her husband, the late Sheikh Farid Saab, she used her business acumen to develop new work strategies that helped move the firm into the big league of international paint manufacturers, without compromising its commitment to family values and ethics.
Wafa radiates confidence, probably due to her genuine respect for others, reverence, tolerance and rational ideals. She strives for moral legitimacy by taking part in societal quests for fairness, ideals that are reflected at Tinol, where business is seen as an integral organ of society, a company that seeks to act responsibly towards all stakeholders.
Her leadership and organizational skills allow her to split her time between family, her top priority, and her humanitarian and social work, in addition to her career. She is a firm believer that, with hard work and good management, almost anything can be achieved, and credits her passion for social enterprise to her alma mater, the International School of Choueifat (now SABIS) in whose achievement to become a global educational powerhouse she takes particular pride.
Today, perhaps more than ever, life must be characterized by a sense of universal responsibility, not only nation to nation but also human to human. No doubt, Wafa Saab built a legacy with her genuine personality and smart brain. She invests her time and energy into the lives of other people.
In her first interview with BUSINESS LIFE, Wafa Fayez Saab talks about Lebanon, the world, Tinol’s growth, her future plans and the pressures of being a female leader in Lebanon’s manufacturing business.
(Editor’s note: since this interview was completed, Beirut was rocked by a devastating bomb on August 4th, 2020. While the incident is not reflected in the interview, we went back to Wafa Saab for a comment about the huge blast.)
BL: We last spoke before the calamitous event that has rocked not only Beirut, but the whole country. What has changed, in your opinion?
Wafa Saab: Everything has changed and nothing has changed. The bomb, that has killed, so far, almost 200 people around 6,000 injured and dozens missing, has destroyed not only our homes and our offices, but our livelihoods as well. It has destroyed the hopes and dreams of multiple generations. The effects are much wider than physical. And while I am thankful that no one in my immediate circle has been physically hurt, my heart goes out to my people and my country.
And yet, it was nothing but a reflection of the mismanagement, the crippling corruption, the callous disregard of the state for its citizens. It is nothing but an amplification of the huge dysfunction of our system, the failure of the state, the epitome of all that is wrong with our system and that I discussed earlier.
I recently noted to friends that it felt as if events in Lebanon were conspiring to bring the Lebanese to their knees. Firstly, there were the wildfires that ravaged our forests and that exposed our extremely ineffective and inefficient firefighting capacity. We were genuinely afraid for our homes. The uprisings in October, which gave us hope initially, quickly exposed and accelerated the economic breakdown of the country. Unofficial capital controls, threats of “haircuts” on people’s deposits only aggravated an already dire situation and lead to hyperinflation and further job losses and unemployment. And to think that we thought the COVID-19 crisis was the hair on the camel’s back.
We are all in shock and a state of disbelief. We are all still trying to find our words to describe the devastation that has befallen, not only our beloved city but our country as a whole. The drive and enthusiasm of our country’s youth has been obliterated. Their dreams of finding jobs, finding or creating opportunities have been blown into the air. My own daughter Nayla, has had to see her second dream project disappear because of this situation.
Amazingly enough they do not give up. The way young people have mobilized to help clear the rubble, clean the streets and distribute food and clothing is heartwarming but also very indicative of the absence of a proper government.
BL: What are the impacts of the recent visit of the French President to Lebanon and what are your thoughts and expectations of his promised visit to Lebanon on the 1st of September?
Wafa Saab: The quick answer is that President Macron’s visit came at a time when it was extremely needed. His tweet on the day he arrived: “Lebanon is not alone”, was at a time refreshing and alarming.
The impact of the visit is differently perceived. It is positive on the population that was affected and who felt the absence of the state. It felt good to know that Lebanon still has allies. Some others worried beyond the solidarity stand on the political price to be paid.
The international community had expressed earlier that no aid was to be given before reforms happened but not everyone is aligned on the way this reform will take place. There were requests that no lifeline be given to the current political system.
The internal challenge remains and the need for a political solution is crucial. Macron’s September visit is still pending the announcement of a new cabinet. The opposition has been calling for a cabinet of salvation with executive powers to secure the political transition.
BL: What inspires and guides you to make a contribution to society?
Wafa Saab: In one word, love. First, you start by loving and respecting yourself. If you want to be respected start with yourself. How respectfully you treat yourself is, in time, reflected back.
But self-loving can have two sides. It can be selfish or it can be love that is paying respect to yourself in order to respect others. It is very important to appreciate yourself, but also to put yourself in a bigger mold that is the mold of the society, the mold of social responsibility when you have to do good for you and for the others around you.
When you respect and love everything around you, it is a great life. For me, at this period in my life, the love of Lebanon comes first. That’s my potential and part of my life plan. I reached an age and a stage of maturity where I would like to leave a legacy for my kids, something worthwhile.
Maybe I choose Lebanon now because our country is going through a crisis. Perhaps it will be a much-needed turnaround in our history, we can’t go on like this anymore. Last October, the Lebanese came out on the streets of Lebanon, clamoring for change, and those who did not come out on the streets, came out in their homes and this is the power. There are still people who have this motivation to go to the streets, but the people who are in their homes are rising against everything that’s happening, and against the lack of leadership in our country. We have so many leaders, heads of political parties, but no leadership. There’s nothing but selfishness and personal benefits that are directing us.
So while I do advocate cultivating self-love, which is a continuing practice, we also need to be aware of our values and standards. We all live in families, and that is very important because the family is a microcosm of the wider world. When you learn to love and take care of members of your family, you can extend that love to your society and eventually to the whole world. A love for one’s country, patriotism, does not exclude being a responsible citizen of the world.
BL: What does it take to build a world-class enterprise, financially robust across economic cycles, with global stewardship as the dominant business logic?
Wafa Saab: Since 1956, Tinol Paints has been manufacturing high quality paints and coatings, consistently meeting the demands of a growing client base. Over the years, the Research and Development department has created and developed numerous products that resulted in the present range of over 500 types of decorative, architectural and industrial paints and coatings, incorporating the best Northern European and American raw materials.
In 1977, Tinol was the first Lebanese company to give a technical license to a European company. That’s quite a big achievement. Since its inception over sixty years ago, Tinol has been providing the very best in paints and coatings that translates its commitment to its slogan, paints that ‘stand the test of time’.
So, the short answer to the question is the continual strife and commitment to offer a world-class product and to continue investing in ourselves.
We face challenges from all around but we also have bigger opportunities: we have an opening to the whole world. A global economy means you can penetrate any market, but at the same time there is much more competition. We cannot make an impact except with world-class products and a world-class enterprise.
Tinol’s products, for example, are in compliance with the highest international specifications and include heavy-duty industrial coatings, waterproof coatings, traffic paints, floor coatings, automotive coatings, fire retardant and specialty coatings.
The situation in Lebanon now is dire. And while the situation in Lebanon now is extremely challenging from all aspects, economic, financial, political, monetary, fiscal, it is also potentially more exciting.
All of these problems make the challenges grow bigger in our business, because life necessities can be covered in a proper business environment but in Lebanon we have to generate our own electricity, we have to worry about finding our own water and then we have to purify it. We have to make sure that we’re not polluting the environment but all of these efforts are done on an individual effort and the efforts of solo enterprises, the private sector.
We are also extremely concerned with the environment, and with health and safety. Tinol’s commitment to health and safety is demonstrated by its continually growing range of eco-friendly products which contain no restricted chemical components and ozone depleting substances. Tinol is the first paint company in the Middle East to be awarded a Dual UL Certification for VOC Content and Emissions in indoor environments.
I remember a few years ago we went to the Ministry of the Environment and we forced some standards on ourselves, as we were trying to be innovative in order not to pollute the environment. We were coming out with creative ideas and solutions to everything including the purification of water.
We want to make sure that the sewage water is as pure as possible in order not to pollute the sea, especially in the Choueifat area. So imagine that we approached them! To impose restrictions on ourselves!. And we did that because, as a company, we care about ourselves and about others.
BL: Can you elaborate on the problems industrialists face in the country?
Wafa Saab: Ever since the 1990’s, after the end of the Lebanese civil war, all governments have promoted a rentier economy which dissuaded investors from investing in the manufacturing sector that generates almost 25 % of jobs in the country. The governments didn’t provide the right infrastructure nor industrial zones and parks across Lebanon, industrial land became even more expensive than residential land. The governments and parliament did very little in terms of legislation and decrees. Every industrialist is a champion as he/she is left on his/her own facing an uncertain and hostile environment. Basic utilities such as water and electricity are very poorly managed, every factory needs its own generators and water wells which is very costly and can be disruptive for production due to repairs and maintenance. The government doesn’t protect the industry with anti-dumping laws and it signs trade agreements that are unfavorable for Lebanon and doesn’t apply reciprocity.
Currently, the economic collapse, unofficial capital controls and hyperinflation have greatly affected industry. Industrialists’ accounts in foreign currencies were completely frozen with regard to international transfers, facilities were stopped and the whole market shifted into a cash economy. Also, sales have dropped very significantly for 3 reasons, cash economy, decrease in purchasing power because of inflation and further decrease in purchasing power as a large part of the working population have either lost their jobs or are working with reduced salaries. Some of the sectors which manufacture necessities started replacing imports, however their margins are lower because of the increase in material cost and they still have the same issues mentioned above that other manufacturers have.
BL: If the electricity system were well managed, how much cost would it save the industrial sector?
Wafa Saab: The industrial sector has some support, or subsidy for its electricity bills. Electricity shortages are so frequent that any subsidy offered becomes inconsequential. Most of the time we need to use our own generators. These cost us money to buy, maintain and fill with fuel. If we had electricity 24/24 like the rest of the world, that would make a huge difference. To answer your question it suffices to give you the following facts: EDL (Electricite du Liban) charges 11 cents per megawatt for each kilowatt hour (kWh) consumed, while the cost of generation is approximately 35 cents/kWh. Internationally, the average cost of producing a kwh is 3 to 5 cents through using solar energy or gaz. If this is not mismanagement, what is? This is one of the reasons why energy intensive industries had to close down.
BL: You come from a traditional society and your path to success was not “conventional”. What was it like, as a woman, to dominate in a patriarchal society?
Wafa Saab: I think for society to succeed as a whole, both men and women have to be equally involved. Women need to push other women and men need to push women also. We all have to work together. And of course, education is part and parcel of this whole equation.
I got married at 19 while I was still a student at the Lebanese American University - LAU (formerly Beirut University College or BUC). However, I decided that this should not be an obstacle to my personal development and in 1991 I graduated with a BA in Human Development.
Coming from a deeply patriarchal family and society was not easy. Even when my husband asked me to join the family business in the late 1990s, I was asked to do so covertly so as not to upset the family and society at large.
The initial credit goes to my husband for having believed in me and my capacities and, coming from a traditional family myself, I can understand his need to keep my involvement discreet. I quickly found out that working was my passion. It felt great to be productive.
But despite my success in the corporate world, I knew the impact that a business education would have on developing long-term value, as I am a firm believer in lifelong learning. I returned to the American University of Beirut to earn an EMBA in 2007, just two years ahead of my own son Chaker’s graduation, and two years after my youngest daughter Dana earned her Master’s degree in Marketing Management. As I said my family has always given me so much inspiration! It took hard work and perseverance, and I attribute these qualities, along with my love of learning, to my parents’ upbringing and to the education I received at the International School of Choueifat. Of course, the common joke was that it allowed me to say that I was only two years older than my son.
So much has changed in our ‘traditional’ company. When I “unofficially” joined the company, only around 3 or 4 of the employees were women and they were all in assistance positions. Now half of the management team and most of the Board of Directors are women and this is an achievement that I am very proud of.
BL: How do you see the world in general, and Lebanon in particular, in the time of COVID-19?
Wafa Saab: At first, the stay-at-home orders came as a shock but then it was a state of going back to yourself, to your roots, to your inner self, to meditate and to think. It was also a time to help and give to others, to try and alleviate the impact of the crisis on the most disadvantaged.
Thanks to technology, socially you were able to connect with the people you love and have not had the opportunity to see for so many months or years even, only to realize that you could be more connected even when you are physically detached. Professionally we were more efficient. Connectivity is a great thing, it’s amazing for me to sit in my room meeting with colleagues in Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world. Seeing all these people around the world engaged with each other, playing music and singing, cooking and challenging themselves physically was heartwarming.
And while technology has proven its advantages, we are still aware of its disadvantages, specifically the lack of adequate infrastructure worldwide.
In Lebanon, as with everything, the question is: how can you balance all these elements and come out stronger than we were?
No doubt, it was a unique experience, for me personally, and for Tinol. We were back in business in two weeks, mainly because we had to and because the safety of our team came first, e were working behind closed doors to meet the demand of hospitals setting up Coronavirus unit
Naturally, our offices are very spacious which allowed us to really respect social distancing.
BL: How far did the virus impact the social and health structure of Lebanon and the globe?
Wafa Saab: I like to look at things from a macro and a micro perspective.
From the macro perspective, we thought that all countries are treating the Coronavirus issue in a better way and that we have many gaps in our health system. There’s no doubt, we do have gaps, we have a failing health care system, but comparing notes with my friends who live in the US, the UK and in France, I realized that they had a waiting list to get screened for the PCR and it was much longer waiting list than ours. As I’ve mentioned before, the private initiative, it is what makes all the difference. Healthcare in Lebanon is heavily dependent on the private sector. We have one of the best medical systems worldwide and unfortunately, we don’t promote it well enough. Medically speaking, Lebanon is number one among all the neighboring countries and Lebanon’s medical sector is the number one on an international level. Maybe, because Lebanon suffered so much, it is always required to go abroad and get the latest technologies and get the latest innovations in medical science, and maybe because it is a small country, we rely so much on the individual power, the individual capacity of people. Human talent in Lebanon is very strong. We have been, and still are, accused of exporting our thinking minds abroad, and the accusations are correct, we are undeniably exporting our minds, which is leading to a kind of brain drain. The challenge is that we have of course is to keep those minds in Lebanon, help them develop and give them enough opportunities in order not to lose them.
The socioeconomic impact on the Lebanese society was huge. The financial support that the government accorded to those in need especially day workers was far from enough. Here again nonprofit organizations stepped in and rushed to bridge the gap. I myself took pleasure in helping my daughter Dana’s NGO, Mission Joy, to distribute food to the needy and entertain staff and patients in hospitals, to contribute and ease the pain of the Covid lockdown.
BL: What can we learn from the Lebanese uprising that could inform struggles against capitalism, sectarianism, and the state worldwide?
Wafa Saab: We have learnt a lot, but what we really learnt is unifying the uprising. I think those young people down in the streets taught us a lot, they are very resilient, extremely creative and determined. I was really impressed and I’ve had the opportunity and the privilege of being with them and meeting most of them. I know every organization that is working in the field, it is amazing how much nationalism and how much patriotism they have. There’s a disparity in theories and in their commitments, but they are all advocating social justice and systemic change.
What we have learnt is that diversity is important to have a proper conversation. The texture of the Lebanese society is very rich and this adds value for every individual. Our cultures are woven from many diverse strands. But diversity can only function within a common moral code.
For a while, this is what had been reflected in the street. When channeled in the right direction, diversity and passion can be extremely rewarding. I don’t believe all these groups and these parties have to be the same color. The problem is in our ability to accept the other. At the beginning of the uprising, it was rumored that there were embassies behind the uprising, but if there were embassies would we be here now? The uprising would still be there on the streets. I think that the uprising, the sectarianism, the capitalism, I don’t think that all of these groups on the field are linked to capitalism in any way. In fact, funnily enough most of the groups are leftist groups who believe in human rights and believe in the principles that we should go with, and at some point we should get rid of our inherited judgments, all of this needs some maturity for the uprising to achieve its goals. Now the strenuous effort is for the uprising to achieve these goals without clashes.
BL: Could you summarize the state of the world at the time being?
Wafa Saab: It is pretentious to claim that we can summarize the state of the world today. Major changes are happening. The greatest challenges and forces that shape societies all over the world and that are likely to influence the future of our world are what we should look into. The superpowers in the world have changed. Russia fell apart a few decades ago, now it is getting stronger in a different way. The European union couldn’t pull everyone together as it should, but it is very close to the texture that we would love to see because they kept the diversity and the particularity of each country while they made a mutual trade market. Interesting times, they are not easy to analyze because there are so many issues at the expense of weaker counters, eventually it’s a battle of power. The major enemy for America was Russia and now it is China, and in the eyes of the Americans, the greatest evil comes from China. Now let’s see how this plays out, all of this will be a bit more clear after the US elections in November. I don’t pretend to know foreign policy that much but I read and observe just like we all do.
BL: Has the movement in Lebanon taken everyone by surprise? Did it achieve its goal?
Wafa Saab: Did it take everyone by surprise? Yes, the timing and the direct cause took everybody by surprise, as if we couldn’t imagine that we will rise against them just because they raised the WhatsApp’s fee, then again, it was the last drop in a bucket already full of economic hardship and injustice.
Some people were still under the impression that they would get away with it. That we can put our money in the bank and get 14% interest when the interest rate internationally is 1-2%. We were putting our heads in the sand like an ostrich, and thinking that the hunter can’t see us. Unfortunately, we couldn’t do enough analyzing. We would constantly hear that the value of the US dollar is rising and the Lira will lose its value, but we refused to believe it was possible. Our Central Bank governor wouldn’t let it happen we thought. But naturally it couldn’t be stopped because of the mockery of Lebanon’s fake economy that was built on wobbly foundations. So while it did take a few by surprise, the rest of Lebanese population were already suffering in their enterprises and daily needs, they were suffering and screaming louder and louder, and nobody was hearing their voices, until the uprising took place.
As to whether the uprising has achieved its goal, not yet. It has to go on.
The Lebanese citizen has little stamina. They are very smart but because they are smart they think that they can overcome the crisis in a short time. But such an important matter might need years. What was being destroyed over 30 or 40 years cannot be fixed in 1 or 2 or 3 years. Therefore, we should think long term and this is what we lack. Currently, our belief in the uprising is shaken because it didn’t fix things, but how can you fix what was being ruined over long years in only a few months?
As I look at what goes on now in Lebanon, the uprising has a long way to go.
BL: Why is violence widespread in Lebanon?
Wafa Saab: The protestors were not violent. Certainly not more violent than other places like Los Angeles or Minnesota. No, they were more civilized. Certainly, more civilized than many others.
I believe the violence on the streets came partly from those who wish to suppress the protests. I’m not saying there’s always a conspiracy theory but yes there’s a plot for these things to make people scared and get off the streets and keep us immobilized. Sadly, they are succeeding, and some people are being dragged to violence but still the violence is really minimal. I believe in Lebanon we still have a minimum set of values. We are courteous, for the most part. People here rush to help. In Paris, there was much more violence than what we had here. I’d rather have less violence. If you break my storefront, what are you getting out of it? You don’t want to cost me more money, this way you’re preventing me from paying salaries to my employees, because I have to pay more in order to repair, and if it’s the insurance company is paying for the damage, and this means that the insurance company might raise the costs of insurance premiums next year. I mean it’s a cycle. Sabotage doesn’t help. I used to say that media is a mixed blessing. It is a blessing because it is keeping us informed but it is a double-edged sword. It is sometimes difficult to identify news from fake news.
BL: What is your advice for people who have contributed to Lebanon’s recent massive social movement?
Wafa Saab: Credibility. Passion, for sure, but credibility is more important. There is a worldwide tendency to spread fake news, one of the disadvantages of the prevalence of technology I was discussing before. I think it’s important to stay credible.
Personally, I do not approve of the shaming that has been going on, especially since sometimes it has been targeting the people who were not necessarily involved in any wrongdoing. But while I believe that our values are better than to shame people or damage property, I can understand how frustrated people are and see this as the only way to garner the proper attention.
The action of the protestors did put a certain amount of pressure, more of a moral pressure over our politicians. I think that some people got treated unfairly, but others were not. It was good because it lit the spotlight on things that have excesses and mismanagement issues. Unfortunately, they didn’t talk about everyone, there’re some people they didn’t mention at all, because they fear them. So, this is why we can say that we shame who we can and we don’t shame who we’re not capable of shaming. Deep inside, I don’t like personal shaming but unfortunately it was a must, they couldn’t do anything else, it was the only weapon they had.
BL: You are obviously qualified to run for the next Lebanese elections. Do you think someone like you should help the Lebanese in following a new clean path in politics?
Wafa Saab: In 2018 my name was suggested for the candidacy of the Druze seat in Beirut by the Woman in Front group, now called 50/50, and which seeks an equal representation of men and women in the Lebanese Parliament. However, as a member of Kulluna Irada, the civil society I founded with a group of like-minded friends, our bylaws do not allow us to stand for elections as members of the board, considering that we act as a pressure loop to achieve political change in the country.
That being said, we can step aside from our role on the board at any time and while I do want to contribute to the betterment of the country I am not sure that right now the best way is through conventional politics. Perhaps my role can be more effective as a member of a civil group at the moment then as a member of a political group.
I think that now my role in this group is more important than my role in parliament, because this group is working hard as a team to make a difference that can affect the whole country. There are good ministers and deputies who are all doing their best. I’m not saying that I don’t want to participate, things are still open for me, but now I think that I can’t make a noticeable impact in any governmental or parliamentary position, the same way I am making difference from this very place. However, maybe if things change in the future I would rethink. When you are in the business world, you have to adapt and you have to rethink of everything. I have well-known principles and values, if I want to leave a certain place, I have to make sure that the other people who I work with are in knowledge of what I’m doing. I have to be very transparent in order to cooperate in the best way. This is my way of thinking. Yes, I would like to be part of the political reform.
But I want to be part of this because I know that I can create change. But in what manner, I really don’t know, maybe it would be better from where I am now or maybe it would be better from another place, but I will leave it to time, time will tell if I will have a role to play or not, but definitely we need all to pitch in and we need all to collaborate and do something for this country, we cannot let it go.
BL: What are your ideas and recommendations for a better approach to tourism in Lebanon?
Wafa Saab: We have many kinds of tourism. Our tourism potential is huge, starting with medical tourism. Secondly, we can focus on religious tourism. Eco-tourism is also picking up, and we have cultural tourism as well.
And while tourism is very important for our economy, it shouldn’t be a primary source of income. We should strive to focus on other industries also so that we can remain sustainable. We have to change the way we look at tourism in the first place and shouldn’t rely on tourism alone.
I think that Lebanon shouldn’t only be a touristic destination, it has to be much more. I think that we have to work on the knowledge economy, on becoming the next go-to place in the knowledge economy, because we have the dream, and we have the talent. All we lack is the right infrastructure. Given the right opportunities we could have a world of small businesses that could operate out of Lebanon, because of how brilliant and creative they are. We see all the time how Lebanese go to the Gulf region and they lead in everything, they go to Europe and they lead. I’m talking realistically. We have excellent educational institutions, all Arab countries used to send their kids and youth to study in Lebanon. But, now we became the ones who are sending our youth and our intellectual minds to study abroad. Eventually, this has to go back, I don’t think that it is only a touristic destination. For sure, tourism is very important, but we have other capacities, we have to encourage the industry, the country that doesn’t produce is a country without a future. We can’t just say that we are a touristic country and we are a country of services. It’s not enough. We have to focus on agricultural sustainability for example, we have so much rain that is being wasted and we have amazing weather. We have sun, we have fertile soil and resources that have to be invested in. We have to focus again on the agri-food industry, we have many industries that can be developed in many fields, specifically when it comes to light industry, technology, agriculture and all its potential parallel activities.
BL: What will give you a sense of fulfillment in your professional life?
Wafa Saab: I would like to have more innovations at Tinol which I’m constantly working on. We are constantly working on research and development; I’d like to see more expansion and we are working hard on this. We have many projects in the pipeline, we’re working on alliances. All of this is still in the making, and we have used the downtime in the last few months, to work on innovation and thinking out of the box.
BL: What is your five-year plan?
Wafa Saab: Expansion, expansion, expansion.
We have plans to open up manufacturing plants in 9 countries in the Mena region in partnership with a multinational company.
We have signed a memorandum of understanding with a multinational company and we’re working on fine-tuning the plan, we have plans for the beginning of October: hopefully, the first factory in the Gulf area.
BL: How do you deal with all pressures that come along with running a hyper-fast paced, high-profile company?
Wafa Saab: Passion and positivity are my key driving forces in my business. It’s amazing, sometimes I get up tired, I take a step back and say to myself, I worked so hard this week I deserve to take it easy, I have a good breakfast I read my newspapers. I take a few minutes, then I take my shower, and I’m good to go again. I’m passionate about life, I feel blessed to be in this world, and I embrace everything that comes, the good and the bad. I do a lot of things, I’m very energetic, I exercise regularly, and I eat healthy food. I have too many things to do on daily basis, I have a big family and I have a lot of friends, I’m blessed. I think that human relationships are very important, starting with my small family and then it goes up to my bigger family, my friends and the organizations I work with.
BL: What does success look like today, and how do you measure it?
Wafa Saab: Success is being able to meet all the challenges within an ever-growing demanding society. The base of success is having your human capital around you without having to lay off anyone of them. Success for now is survival, but in the future it’s expansion. In the COVID-19 times, it is survival. Eventually, I want to see my company flourishing, I want to see it expanding, growing, and hopefully it will.
BL: Is Wafa’s popularity connected to her focus on authenticity?
Wafa Saab: I don’t know if I’m popular, but I do love the people around me. Authenticity is a value for sure. It’s the authenticity of colors but then it is the values and the guiding principles that we were brought up with and that we adopted. You raise two or three children, each one of them is different, but eventually you have raised them with the values and the principles that you wanted. I thank God that I abide by those guiding principles and those values.
