Elie Khouri
Elie Khouri is a Lebanese-French businessman, entrepreneur, and art patron, who is the founder and chairman of Vivium.[1][2][3] Since 2019, he has been the chairman of Omnicom Media Group for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), having previously served as the CEO from 2006 to 2019.[4][5][6]
Khouri is also one of the main "sharks" on Shark Tank Dubai.[7]
Early life and education
[edit]Khouri was born in Beirut in 1964.[8][9] His early life was affected by the Lebanese Civil War, as his family was unable to relocate from the city.[8][10] He attended the American University of Beirut, where he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1986 and an MBA in business and finance in 1988.[8]
Career
[edit]After graduation, Khouri began his career with Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn (BBDO) in Cyprus.[8][9] In the 1990s, he held senior roles at Impact BBDO in Dubai and Beirut,[3] serving as associate managing director of the Beirut office from 1996 to 2001.[8][9]
In 2001, Khouri moved to Dubai and was instrumental in restructuring Omnicom's media operations into Optimum Media Direction (OMD), which became a leading media agency in the Middle East by 2005.[3][9] In 2006, Omnicom Media Group expanded its presence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) by launching PHD globally and opening a new office in Dubai. This expansion led to the creation of the Omnicom Media Group MENA, where Khouri transitioned from his regional managing director role at OMD to become the group's CEO.[3] He held this position until 2019, when he was appointed chairman.[11]
In 2017, Khouri founded Vivium, a single-family office that invests in real estate, design, ventures, and collectibles including art.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ Denman, Selina. "The UAE's collectors: 'an addiction' to contemporary art and design". The National.
- ^ Seaman, Anna (September 21, 2023). "Meet the Collector: Elie Khouri on Building a Global Collection in Dubai". Sothebys.com.
- ^ a b c d "GCC's Most Admired Executives - Elie Khouri - Arabian Business: Latest News on the Middle East, Real Estate, Finance, and More". www.arabianbusiness.com.
- ^ "Power List 500 - 31.Elie Khouri - Arabian Business: Latest News on the Middle East, Real Estate, Finance, and More". www.arabianbusiness.com.
- ^ "Power 100 - Elie Khouri - Arabian Business: Latest News on the Middle East, Real Estate, Finance, and More". www.arabianbusiness.com.
- ^ Nagraj, Aarti (June 15, 2021). "Omnicom Media Group MENA appoints new CEO".
- ^ "Shark Tank Dubai TV series to feature Faisal Juma Belhoul, Amira Sajwani, Elie Khouri, Noor Sweid and Yousef Hamad - Arabian Business: Latest News on the Middle East, Real Estate, Finance, and More". www.arabianbusiness.com. December 4, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Flanagan, Ben. "Elie Khouri: Successful brand in his own right". The National.
- ^ a b c d "Best of 2012: Elie Khouri, OMG interview - Arabian Business: Latest News on the Middle East, Real Estate, Finance, and More". www.arabianbusiness.com. December 9, 2012.
- ^ Cronin, Sean. "Dubai advertising guru looks for new Mad Men in changing times". The National.
- ^ "Elie Khouri: Pioneering business and real estate in the heart of Dubai - Arabian Business: Latest News on the Middle East, Real Estate, Finance, and More". www.arabianbusiness.com. July 1, 2024.
- ^ Greenberger, Alex (October 16, 2023). "Elie Khouri". Artnews.