LeBusiness — Lebanon Business News & Market Insights
Thirty Years of Pianos in Byblos: Inside Basbous & Sons
Pierre Basbous was a touring pianist before he became a dealer, and in 1995 he opened Basbous & Sons in Byblos with three instruments and a refusal to sell anything cheap. The house now runs the largest piano showroom in Lebanon and the country's only French-certified restoration atelier. In 2026 it launched a free registry open to every piano in Lebanon.
50 mg of Caffeine in One Piece of Gum: ChewCare Launches Goom
ChewCare, a Lebanese functional consumer-products company, is launching Goom, a mint-flavoured chewing gum that carries caffeine, L-theanine, ginseng, and B and D vitamins. Founder Sadecc Choucaire designed it for professionals, students, athletes, gamers, and drivers who want a boost without brewing coffee or carrying a can. Goom launches first in Lebanon, with plans to move into Gulf and regional markets.
The Invisible Architect: Confirmation Bias and Algorithmic Media
Confirmation bias and engagement-driven algorithms combine to distort how we see the world and each other. Recommendation systems show us the most extreme versions of opposing views, and online platforms fake the markers of expertise. A personal practice of information hygiene can help us think more clearly.
Wasleh Connects Lebanese Travelers With People Sending Things Home
Wasleh is a free platform that matches Lebanese travelers with people who need a package carried to or from Lebanon, with no couriers and no fees. Founder Gisele Makary built it after seven years abroad spent watching the same question circulate in diaspora group chats. It launched this week across five countries and drew more than 100 visitors in its first 24 hours.
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CMA CGM Closes Fattal Acquisition, Nearing 4,000 Staff in Lebanon
CEVA Logistics has completed the purchase of the 1897-founded Lebanese distributor after regulatory clearance.
The CMA CGM Group has completed its purchase of Fattal Group through its subsidiary CEVA Logistics, almost four months after the two sides announced the agreement. Fattal, founded in 1897 and operating in 10 countries, distributes consumer goods and electronics, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, and beauty and fashion products across MENA. The transaction takes CMA CGM's Lebanese workforce to nearly 4,000 people.
Jessy Shaanin's SouqMetrics Puts Sales and Ad Data in One Place
The platform, founded in 2026 and run from North Lebanon, has cleared Shopify, Meta and Amazon, with Salla next.
SouqMetrics is an e-commerce analytics platform that brings sales, advertising, customer behavior and performance data into a single live dashboard for brands and agencies across MENA. Founded in 2026 by Jessy Shaanin and run out of North Lebanon, it has completed Shopify's verification process, received approval from Meta and Amazon, and secured Stripe payment processing. A listing with Salla is in its final approval stage.
Lebanese startup Booklee is redefining the beauty & Wellness industry
Costa Sabbagh and Esper Estephan built one dashboard for bookings, payments, and clients, and 200 businesses signed on.
Booklee is a Beirut software startup built for beauty and wellness businesses, replacing paper diaries and phone calls with a single dashboard for bookings, payments, reminders, and client records. Founded in 2024 by childhood friends Costa Sabbagh and Esper Estephan, it has onboarded more than 200 businesses and processed over $1 million in transactions since launching in January. The founders are now preparing to take the platform into the GCC.
Two Doctors Built Sohhtak to Fix Home Care in Lebanon
The Lebanese platform lets patients find verified nurses and physiotherapists and book home visits through an app.
Sohhtak is a Lebanese home-care platform that connects patients with verified nurses and physiotherapists for visits at home. Founded by two doctors, the app is live on Android and iOS and covers regions from Beirut to the Bekaa. Patients can view provider profiles, services, prices, and coverage areas before requesting a visit.
Two Founders, Two Products: The Guardify Story From Beirut
Cedric Kohof and Joe Khalil built a cloud and cybersecurity firm, then added TapMetic, an NFC digital card brand.
Guardify is a Beirut technology company founded in 2026 that offers cloud, cybersecurity, and software services alongside TapMetic, its NFC digital business card brand. Co-founders Cedric Kohof and Joe Khalil say they want to grow across Lebanon before expanding into the wider Middle East.
Alfa's 5G Goes Live in Five Areas, With 75 More Stations Planned
Alfa launched the service with the Ministry of Telecommunications, starting in Beirut, Antelias, Dekwaneh and Baabda.
Alfa has switched on 5G in Lebanon in coordination with the Ministry of Telecommunications, beginning with central Beirut, Antelias, Dekwaneh, the Beirut port area and the Presidential Palace in Baabda. The first phase makes permanent the stations the operator activated during Pope Leo XIV's visit. Dbayeh, the airport, Adlieh and Jounieh come next, followed by 75 more stations.
Kevin Kallassy Has Sold More Than $50 Million in Property
After moving from Lebanon four years ago, Kevin Kallassy has sold over $50 million of property across Western Sydney.
Kevin Kallassy moved from Lebanon to Sydney four years ago and built Team Kallassy, a real estate brand working across Western Sydney. He has sold more than AUD $50 million of property and set a $2.198 million suburb record in Blacktown.
May El Hachem Built askLex to Make Lebanese Law Easier to Navigate
Founded by Lebanese lawyer May El Hachem, the AI app gives legal answers and contract analysis checked by lawyers.
askLex is an AI legal app built for Lebanon, with content reviewed by qualified lawyers. Users can get quick legal answers, analyze contracts, and connect with lawyers, notaries, and legal translators. It was founded by Lebanese lawyer May El Hachem and drew more than 200 registered users within three weeks of launch.
The AI Integration Crisis: Why Automating Chaos Only Creates Faster Chaos
Plugging AI into broken workflows doesn't fix your systems, it just accelerates your bottlenecks.
Deploying AI on top of broken workflows accelerates existing problems instead of fixing them. The failures of Zillow's home-buying algorithm, Klarna's customer service automation, and Ford's factory AI show where automation breaks down. The fix is to optimise processes first, set clear automation boundaries, and keep humans in the loop.
The Lebanese Founder Behind Dubai's Best-Known Cafe Interiors
The Lebanese founder built The Bowery Company into the GCC's leading Scandinavian design distributor.
The Bowery Company, founded in Dubai in 2014 by former banker Christiane Nasr, has become the GCC's leading curator of Scandinavian design. The Lebanese entrepreneur's firm has furnished more than 100 cafes across the UAE and Saudi Arabia and recently secured a major Saudi government project tied to Vision 2030.
LAU Study Ties NSSF Coverage to a 24% Higher Chance of Wage Jobs
Based on 2019 national labor data, the study links public insurance to formal jobs and leaves informal workers exposed.
A new study from the Lebanese American University examines how social security coverage relates to the type of work Lebanese people hold. Drawing on 2019 national labor data, it finds that National Social Security Fund enrollment is closely tied to wage employment, while the self-employed and small-firm workers often fall outside formal protection.
Record $871M World Cup Pot Guarantees Arab Teams at Least $100M
FIFA will distribute a record $871 million to the 48 teams at the 2026 World Cup, and eight Arab nations are among them.
FIFA has raised the total payout for the 2026 World Cup to a record $871 million. Every one of the 48 teams is guaranteed at least $12.5 million, and the winner earns $50 million in prize money. A record eight Arab nations qualified, putting a combined nine-figure sum within reach of the region's football federations.
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The End of Traditional Search: Navigating the Shift from SEO to GEO and AIO.
Optimise your brand for AI answer engines, LLMs, and conversational search before your organic traffic disappears.
Search Engine Optimisation is giving way to Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) and AI Optimisation (AIO) as AI answer engines replace traditional search. Large language models now retrieve and synthesise information into a single answer, and data shows the rapid rise of zero-click search. Brands can take clear steps to stay visible and cited inside AI-generated answers.
Cedar Waves Launches Weekend Beirut to Batroun Ferry Route
The scenic weekend service starts July 19, running Saturdays and Sundays between Zaituna Bay and Batroun Port.
Ferry operator Cedar Waves is opening a domestic weekend route between Beirut and Batroun, with the first sailing set for July 19. The one-hour ride runs every Saturday and Sunday, with one-way tickets at $20 and round-trips at $40.
Zaarour Club is Running a Four Day Summer Event
Zaarour Vibes runs July 16 to 19 with live bands, food outlets, and kids shows at the mountain resort's lake.
Zaarour Club is running a four day summer event called Zaarour Vibes at its lake from July 16 to 19. The lineup includes daily live bands, kids shows, food and beverage outlets, and more than 70 exhibitors. Entry costs 500,000 LBP, with free admission for children under eight.
Lebanon's Dawlati Portal Goes Live With 12 Government Services
OMSAR's unified state platform opens with tourism, agriculture, investment, and South Lebanon compensation services.
Lebanon's administrative reform ministry has opened Dawlati, a single online portal for government transactions. The first phase covers 12 services across tourism, agriculture, the Council of the South, and the investment authority IDAL. Officials say it is the base for connecting every ministry and moving state services online.
Lebanon Bans Heavy Trucks From Roads During Weekend Rush Hours
Decision No. 791 keeps trucks over 7.5 tons off main roads on Friday and Sunday evenings to ease weekend traffic.
Lebanon's Interior Ministry has issued a decision restricting trucks heavier than 7.5 tons from driving on major roads during peak weekend hours. The rule sets specific blackout windows on Fridays and Sundays, with exemptions for fuel, food, medical, and emergency vehicles. It also adds new lane and safety rules for the trucks still allowed on the road.
Scalini Brings Its London Italian Menu to Downtown Beirut
The Chelsea restaurant, open since 1988, adds Beirut to a list that already includes Dubai, Doha, and Cannes.
Scalini, the Italian restaurant founded in London's Chelsea in 1988, has opened a branch in Downtown Beirut. The menu centers on handmade pastas, seafood, pizzas, antipasti, and classic desserts. Beirut joins a group with locations across the Gulf and Europe.
FIFA Turns World Cup Final Pitch Into $450 Collectibles
Football's governing body could earn more than $11 million selling turf from the July 19 final near New York.
FIFA is selling fragments of the pitch used for the 2026 World Cup final as encased memorabilia, with prices running from $450 to $3,000. The governing body is reported to earn more than $11 million from the sale. Each price tier is capped at 2,026 pieces, and orders ship only after the final.
Lebanon Ties Driving School Fees to a Mandatory Skill Test
New Ministry of Interior rules cap what schools can charge and link the total bill to how much training you need.
Lebanon's Ministry of Interior has issued Decision No. 825, setting a unified fee structure for driving schools nationwide. The bill is now tied to a mandatory skill evaluation that sorts students into five levels, with total package caps ranging from 11.25 million to nearly 23 million pounds. The decision also puts limits on paperwork and transport fees that schools previously priced on their own.
