News Highlights
Author:
Maha Al-Azar,
Media Relations Officer,
Office of Information and Public Relations,
ma110@aub.edu.lb
 President John Waterbury's speech
Dean George K. Najjar's speech
Dr. Kamal Shair's speech
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Olayan School of Business launches its Strategic Leadership Executive Program
 | Dr. Shair speaking with Dr. Waterbury
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The American University of Beirut's Suliman Olayan School of Business launched on April 4 the Kamal Shair Strategic Leadership Executive Program, thus pioneering into the world of leadership education in the Arab world.
"Business schools in the United States were quick to realize that the academic study of leadership is important for business success and academic scholarship," said OSB Dean George Najjar. "Leadership is what allows people to build institutions that last and to transform organizations in ways that could not have been possible otherwise."
Unfortunately, Middle Eastern business schools have neglected leadership training in their curricula, he added. " The Olayan School of Business at AUB is determined to be the first to do something about that."
Recognizing AUB Trustee Kamal Shair's vision and determination as being behind the realization of the executive leadership program, Najjar said that the program will allow the business school to host two prominent, world-renowned speakers who can share their experiences in leadership and success in business.
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 | Dr. Najjar: Leadership is a main staple of success
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AUB President Waterbury welcomed Shair's endorsement of a leadership program at AUB, emphasizing his own belief that leadership can be taught. "I don't believe in the old proposition that some are born leaders while others are born to be led," said Waterbury. "In fact, I would hope that our business school would teach leadership not only to those who want to become leaders but more to those who say they have an idea."
Dr. Kamal Shair, who founded Dar Al-Handasa, a Beirut-based multidisciplinary architecture/engineering consultancy firm, in 1956 Beirut, recounted how the firm was established after he realized that, with some leadership, regional talent could be better tapped into.
As a result, he and some colleagues established Dar-Al-Handasa with only $10,000 in capital. But the firm quickly started bringing in revenues and continues to be a global leader.
"I believe that a fundamental aspect of Dar al-Handasa's success has been the creation of a corporate environment which provides the motivation to realize leadership potential and mechanisms for the perpetual renewal of the firm's leaders," he said. |
Shair was the sole owner of Dar al-Handasa from 1956 to 1970, after which he gave away 60 percent of the company's shares to ten senior engineers and architects, as another means to further extend the development and growth of the company. By extending ownership to a small group of people, everyone became more determined to ensure the success of the company, said Shair. Indeed, the company grew very fast and now it has 8,000 employees.
Shair has held numerous high-level positions, especially in his native country, Jordan.
Among his achievements are: governor of the World Bank on behalf of Jordan, member of the Jordan Senate, member of the Board of Advisors of the World Bank and the chairman of the Hussein Fund for Excellence's Consultative Scientific Council.
Shair holds a PhD in engineering from Yale University.
He was awarded a plaque of appreciation for his contribution to AUB, following the launch of the leadership program. |
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