Higher education programs in business serve best their stakeholders (students, community, society, government, industry, humanity) when universities constantly calibrate what they do to integrate and incorporate the ever-changing trends, standards, expectations, and best practices of industry and the community.

The added value of a college advisory council derives from its nature and structure as a bridge between the college and industry. It serves as a vehicle to channel external input and feedback into the strategic planning and decision making processes of the college.

Meet the current members of the College of Business Administration’s College Advisory Council

 

Mounir Bissat

Managing Director-Partner of Mounir Bissat Factories, Chairman of the Lebanese Association for Barcoding and Lecturer.
Building on strong education in Engineering and business, Mr. Bissat has developed and maintained a prosperous career in manufacturing, coupled with proactive involvement in the country’s commercial and industrial scene. His impressive track record includes serving as an elected board member of the Lebanese Food Industries, where he currently leads the Envrionment and Halth Committee, elected board member of the Saida & the South’s Chamber of Commerce, Inudstry and Agriculture, where he served as Vice President, and elected board member of the Lebanese Association of Industrialists, where he currently serves as General Secretary of Foreign Affairs –Head of Export Promotion Board.

 

 

Fouad Chaya

Fouad Chaya had a remarkable and illustrious career in the banking sector from 1981 until his retirement in 2021. As a branch manager at various locations of BBAC bank, he left a lasting impact on the institution. His exemplary leadership led him to hold different positions of leadership, including Secretary-General of the Banking Employees Union from 1995 to 2005 and membership in the Executive Council of the General Labor Union from 1997 to 2003. Fouad Chaya also played an active role in politics as a member of the Lebanese Green Party's political bureau and co-founded the ENSAN Association for environmental preservation. In addition, he contributed his expertise to the Development Association for Forestry Wealth.

 

 

Lina Hammoud

Strategic Image Coach Consultant, born in 1968 and had been coaching organizations and public figures since 1996.
Lina graduated from the American University of Beirut and was licensed for professional Image Coaching Consultancy by Oxford University as a member of The Association for Coaching – UK. Her diverse and rich, over twenty five years of experience encompasses communications, public relations, strategic image coaching, media relations, campaign and events management, crisis management, and business development.
Lina’s background in Public Administration, Political Science, and international affairs together with her involvement with multicultural international organizations helped her build her experience that can improve an individual's effectiveness, productivity and satisfaction, as well as the organization's ultimate image

 

 

Arij Kaissi Hout

Entrepreneur, Educational Psychologist, Executive & Leadership Coach
As the founder and owner of Progressive Energy, Ms. Kaissi Hout oversees two registered brands under its umbrella. The first is The Coaching Platform, a consultancy, coaching, and training firm specializing in leadership enhancement, capacity building, and cognitive and behavioral transformation. The second brand is Cocovie la couture du chocolat, an online chocolate and gifting boutique that specializes in customized chocolate gifts, souvenirs, and table setups for various occasions.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Ms. Kaissi Hout is a dedicated humanitarian who focuses on empowering women and youth, and a proactive civil society activist. She is a member of the Lebanese League for Women in Business, the Women Leaders Association, the Women in Business Network, and IRADA.

 

 

Yusra Sidani Balaa

Partner at Sidani & Co, member of Alliot Group, a worldwide network of independent firms, Board member of the Lebanese Association of Certified Public Accounts (LACPA) for the second time and the organization’s representative in the Exam Committee since 2014, elected member of the Beirut Municipality Council, and a holder of IFRS diploma from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
Mrs. Sidani Balaa is a career oriented woman, who has been engaged in the field of auditing, taxation and accounting for more than 35 years with extensive experience in auditing. In 2005, she was the first woman to be elected on the Board of the Lebanese Association of Certified Public Accountants where she has represented Lebanon through the LACPA in the annual International Accounting Standards Board (UK) meetings. In the year 2006, she was the first woman in Lebanon to pass the ACCA exam and gained a diploma in IFRS. During that year, she also passed the entry course in The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

 

 

Khaled Smaili

Dr. Khaled Smaili is a professor at the Department of Applied Mathematics in the Lebanese University, where he has published and presented numerous scholarly papers in international journals and at international conferences. In addition, he directs the BYO Educational Center in West Bekaa, which gained impressive quality reputation and credibility in the area, during a short period of time.
Aside from his professional work in education, Dr. Smaili is proactive and involved in a number of civil society causes and organizations, one of which is the Bekaa Youth Organization, where he serves as the Vice President. His connection with the College of Business Administration at Rafik Hariri University has been very fruitful, as he regulalrly participates in the college’s events, provides constructive feedback, and proposes innovative initiatives and ideas.