Staff and alumni in Beirut and Dubai closed the book on 2011 at glamorous year-end events held at The Palace Hotel, Dubai, on Dec. 15 and at Biel Pavillon Royal, Beirut, on Dec. 16. More than 80 alums and their significant others took part in this year’s celebrations.

In Beirut, guests received the celebrity treatment as they arrived, entering the venue on the red carpet with a horde of paparazzi hailing them and taking pictures. Alumni in attendance were Joseph Abou Rjeily, Samir Chreim, Omar Christidis, Samer Dada, Amal Daher, Charles El Hage, Lea El Khoury, Mohamad El-Ansari, Mazen Ferzly, Rima Ghanem, Ghassan Hasbani, Tarek Kabrit, Mazen Khater, Pascale Lattouf, Giliane Maalouf, Walid Mansour, Imad Moujaes, Gaby Moukarzel, Michel Nehme, May Noureddine, Hadi Roumanos, Leila Sawaya, Jessica Semaan, Rola Tamim, and Natasha Younes, among others.

Alumnus Imad Moujaes noted: “I really appreciate these events since they keep us connected even if our paths diverged. I enjoyed seeing Booz colleagues and other alumni members who positively impacted my work and life balance. Thank you for this effort and hope to see you next year,” he added.

In Dubai, an air of mystery and romance prevailed at an enchanting masquerade ball, where stylishly masked guests were photographed and dined and danced incognito. Among the alumni who attended the event in Dubai were Omar Al-Bahiti, Mussaad Al-Razouki , Dania Alsammarae, Joelle Boustany, Samer Choucair, Daniel Clarke, Ibrahim El Bitar, Mohamad El-Hage, Ziad Fares, Sohail Gondal, Tala Itani, Hicham Lahlou, Jalil Laraki, Omar Merhom, Koray Ozturk, Mattia Pipino, Andre Popov, Rami Shaama, Firas Sleiman, Philip Sweens, Karim Tabbouche, and Daniel Zywietz.

Alumnus Sohail Gondal asserted that the masquerade theme was a great idea, and “superbly executed—the highlight for sure was David Tusa’s cape… very Count Dracula! On a personal level, the friendships made at Booz are priceless. Professionally, managing a diversified portfolio of operating investments is made easier because if you have a question, one of your Booz colleagues from the different practices will know the answer. It never hurts having smart friends,” he added.

Live bands and DJs provided thrilling entertainment at the gatherings. Guests at both parties immediately received a copy of their photos in branded frames as a party favor to memorialize the event. Speeches by Chairman Joe Saddi and Senior Partner Karim Sabbagh were equally stirring; they offered messages of gratitude for the year just past and invoked the vision, motivation, and inspiration of the Booz & Company community for 2012.

During the holy month of Ramadan, Booz & Company organized Iftar gatherings for more than 100 staff, alumni, and clients in Dubai and Kuwait. The events were an excellent opportunity for the firm to maintain relationships with these core constituents in a social setting.

At the One & Only Royal Mirage in Dubai,
Booz & Company seniors in attendance were George Haimari, Ahmed Youssef, Jad Bitar, Moncef Klouche, Golnaz Bahmanyar, Marcalbert Hamalian, Faisal Sheikh, Haroon Sheikh, and Adham Sleiman; alumni included Abir Al Khalily, Jean-Pierre Aramouni, Lana Ghandour, Alain Hani, Hicham Lahlou, Fahd Malek, Firas Sleiman, and Ibrahim Tadros.

Booz seniors at the JW Marriott Hotel in Kuwait City were Georges Chehade, Peter Vayanos, Sean Wheeler, and Adel Belcaid, while alumni included Dr. Mussaad Al-Razouki, Ehsan Haghighi, Mohamad Qureishi and Hani Saadi.

The events were a great networking opportunity and the locations provided a good setting and an atmosphere for bonding on a personal and business level. Alumnus Ehsan Haghighi affirmed the importance of networking with other alumni, sharing perspectives on the business environment, seeing friends and former colleagues, and strengthening relationships. “Booz & Company has nurtured an outstanding reputation in Kuwait thanks to the salient value created for key clients,” he said. “I am proud of being part of the alumni network and I look forward to the next gathering.”

On July 28, Middle East alums had the chance to enjoy a cultural get-together at the Robert Mouawad Private Museum, which provided an evening of inspiring conversations with friends and valuable networking with former colleagues.

In attendance were more than 20 alums and significant others, as well as 10 Booz & Company colleagues. The alums included Maria Abou Khalife, Joseph Abou Rjeily, Fadi Arbid, Omar Christidis, Gilles De Clerck, Ziad Fares, Mazen Ferzly, Rima Ghanem, Salim Ghazaly, Ghassan Hasbani, Tarek Kabrit, Mazen Khater, Pascale Lattouf, Leila Sawaya, Abdo Tayar, Hady Touma, Coralie Zaccar, and Ziad Zakharia.

As the idea was to combine fun, culture, and networking, this alumni reunion featured a private tour of the museum, which offered an opportunity to experience the fascinating mix of Oriental and Occidental cultures via the museum's unique collections of books, ceramics, antiquities, sophisticated jewelry, and rare precious stones. The guide gave fascinating insights into the art and architecture, pointing out specific details of the items on display.

The guided tour was followed by a cocktail reception in the cozy atmosphere of the museum’s historical garden area, where the guests walked around and enjoyed the beautiful setting. The atmosphere was social, with the alums mingling with each other as well as the staff.

Partner Bahjat El-Darwiche commented: “The alumni enjoyed the cultural and relaxed atmosphere of the event, which gave the staff and the alumni the chance to renew and strengthen their bonds with the firm".

Please click here to view the full picture gallery from the evening.

On April 6, Senior Partner Richard Shediac welcomed Booz & Company staff and alums to his house in Abu Dhabi, in an effort to stay connected with the alumni community and keep alums connected with each other.

More than 17 alums and 50 Booz & Company colleagues were present at the event. Among the alums were Nassar Al Mubarak, Hany Bishr, Sami Boustany, Karim Daoud, Ibrahim El Bitar, Ahmad El-Bsat, Ziad Fares, Jonathan Fiske, Saif Ghobash, Paul Hamilton, Mona Hammami, Maher Hammoud, Jihane Kfoury, Faysal Mokadem, Nathan Kennedy, Sascha Rodenberg, Karim Sarkis, and Firas Sleiman. In addition to Richard, partners in attendance were Ramez Shehadi and Chucrallah Haddad.

“Alumni gatherings are great occasions to catch up with old colleagues and friends,” said Richard. “They allow us to affirm our strong ties with our alums and provide opportunities to continue to build our global family.”

Attendees agreed. “We had a chance to see what’s going and reconnect with former colleagues,” said Saif Ghobbash. “We all lead busy lives but always want opportunities to catch up. In addition, the Booz alumni network offers us unrivalled access to the best consultants in the region.”

Alumnus Firas Sleiman noted that the get-together combined a friendly and warm house setting with the usual top-notch intellectual caliber of the Booz crowd. “Add to that some great food, and you have a winning formula for networking, meeting new people and potential prospects for future business, and catching up with old friends,” he said. He also commented on the difference between this event and other alumni get-togethers, which usually feature alums and current Booz seniors but not current staffers at otherlevels. “As we are used to having Booz alumni events generally separate from other Booz events, I arrived to Richard’s house thinking this was an alumni get-together,” he said.” It was refreshing to see that the ex, old, and new faces of Booz were all present, and it is great for us veterans to mingle with the current soldiers who are still out there in the battlefield.”

A company's right to win in any market depends not just on external market positioning and not just on internal capabilities, but on a coherent strategy that aligns these factors at every level. As a firm, we've come to understand that most strategies fail to give sufficient attention and weight to capabilities and disregard how these capabilities should fit together to form a mutually reinforcing system.

"Capabilities-driven strategy” is Booz & Company's platform for strategy. It is based on our view that superior returns accrue to what companies do, or more specifically, what they do better than anyone else.

As part of the firm-wide initiative to promote capabilities-driven strategy (CDS) and our flagship publication The Essential Advantage: How to Win with a Capabilities-Driven Strategy, Cesare Mainardi, senior partner and co-author of the book, visited the Middle East during the week of March 7.

His trip took him to Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, where he visited with ME-based partners, staff, clients, and alumni. He met with top executives at clients’ premises to discuss the firm’s groundbreaking new approach. Cesare also hosted evenings of strategy in Abu Dhabi on March 7 and Riyadh on March 8 to introduce The Essential Advantage.

The receptions gathered more than 50 clients and alumni, in addition to 20 partners and principals to receive the guests. Richard Shediac opened the reception at the Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan by Rotana in Abu Dhabi, and extended a warm welcome to the distinguished audience. In Riyadh, Ibrahim El-Husseini delivered opening remarks at the Four Seasons Hotel, also addressing a number of public- and private-sector leaders.

Several alumni attended the events as well, including Rabih Abouchakra, Ahmad El Bsat, Ziad Fares, Maher Hammoud, Karim Sarkis, and Firas Sleiman.

The events offered an opportunity for the firm to present the key messages of The Essential Advantage, which argues that many companies need to reset the way they develop strategy. Cesare showed how a capabilities-driven strategy that leverages a company’s strengths can lead to a measurable performance premium.

“Successful companies excel in a focused, well-defined set of capabilities that they continually refine to strengthen their advantage; these companies also earn a premium in terms of higher revenue, faster growth, and higher shareholder value,” said Mainardi. “When companies chase opportunities outside their core areas of advantage, they find growth isn’t sustainable and they’re hit by what we call the ‘incoherence penalty,’ which is significant and damaging.”

The receptions adjourned with a Q&A session and a networking cocktail when Cesare took the time to sign copies of the participants’ books, leaving attendees with a personalized souvenir.

To learn more about CDS and capitalize on the wealth of information available on this topic, please visit the CDS pages on the Booz & Company website.

Booz & Company's Middle East offices commemorated the end of 2010 in fine style, with lively, memorable gatherings on Dec. 16 in three locations:

• Byblos and Sidon Grand Ballroom at the Phoenicia Intercontinental Hotel in Beirut

• The Nappa Grill restaurant at the Fairmont Nile City Hotel in Cairo, followed by a soirée at the Tamarai restaurant

• The Palace Hotel in Dubai

All of the gatherings featured live entertainment, surprises, and celebrations. In Beirut, the partygoers enjoyed a sumptuous buffet with a live jazz band; they also participated in a farewell tribute to May Noureddine, who has decided to spend more time with her family and enjoy a well-deserved break. In Cairo, people enjoyed a dinner at the Nappa Grill restaurant, followed by a soirée at the Tamarai restaurant in a relaxing atmosphere with lounge music. In Dubai, staff members and their significant others enjoyed live music by the pool, a lavish buffet, and dancing in the festive environment of the Palace Hotel.

Among the attendees in Beirut was alumnus Friedrich Portner, who attested that the event brought special memories to mind. “I saw many friends and colleagues I haven't seen for years, within just 15 minutes of arriving,” he said. In Dubai, alumnus Eddy Skaff was happy to learn that Booz & Company now has 22 partners in the region: “I can't but feel proud to have been part of this journey,” he said. “I want to attend events in the future. It's always great to see the faces you know, respect, and appreciate, and get to meet the new people who are helping keep Booz the top management consultancy in thought leadership in the region.”

Attendees had the chance to win door prizes including iPads, but the real reward was the opportunity to spend time with colleagues and celebrate a successful year.

During the holy month of Ramadan, Booz & Company organized iftar gatherings for alumni in Cairo, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, reaffirming its dedication to promoting close ties between alumni and the firm.

Alumni and Booz & Company staff spent memorable evenings at the Fairmont Nile City Hotel in Cairo, Atlantis the Palm Hotel in Dubai, and the Shangri-La Hotel in Abu Dhabi. More than 35 alums attended and socialized with more than 100 current staffers.  Among the attendees was alumna Hana Habayeb, who attested that the iftar provided a great opportunity to see people with whom she worked closely for many months, but hadn’t seen since her departure. “It was nice to hear about all the diverse fields the alumni are working in,” she said.

Partners George Atalla, Karim Sabbagh, and Richard Shediac, among others, were there to receive their guests and extend Ramadan wishes.  Also among the receiving seniors was principal Leila Hoteit, who confirms that the firm values its alumni and views them as an extension of the firm. “These events serve as forums to demonstrate our commitment to our former colleagues, with whom we aspire to strengthen ties and areas of collaboration,” she explained.

As a token of appreciation, the firm presented copies of its latest published book, Leading Outside The Lines. Authors Jon Katzenbach and Zia Khan make the compelling case that top-level organizations must balance the informal and formal elements of their culture to achieve outstanding long-term results. It is a concept very much in evidence at alumni gatherings, where formally organized events offer the opportunity for informal relationships to flourish.

On July 29, Booz & Company organized an alumni get-together at Le Gray Hotel in downtown Beirut. The event was part of the firm’s continuous commitment to keeping alumni connected with each other and with the firm’s work, culture, and ideas.

Partners and staffers reconnected with their former colleagues over drinks and appetizers, enjoying a terrace with a view of the city, the sea, and the mountains. Attendees networked and exchanged ideas and updates about their work as well as catching up with friends about their personal lives. Commenting on the event, alumnus Serge Cherfan noted, “I get to see many friends that I would otherwise lose touch with, as well as maintaining a professional relationship with the firm, given the various projects and areas of common interest we share.” Fellow alum Patrick Jabre agreed, saying, “Booz has always been about finding the right balance between professional work and social fun."

Along with the newly designed alumni portal and the regular alumni newsletters, these events help alumni keep up with former colleagues and learn about Booz & Company news and our latest intellectual capital. Partner Bahjat El-Darwiche, who oversees alumni efforts for the Middle East, explained that maintaining these relationships develops supporters within existing or potential clients, broadens job opportunities for current and future alumni, and extends our network of promoters in the region.

This gathering, along with the Iftars that were held in September in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, is among many get-togethers in store for Booz & Company alumni.