Christine Sfeir certainly puts in the hours. In between raising two young children, the 37-year-old Lebanese has also created one of the region’s most successful restaurant empires.
At the age of just 22, she persuaded Dunkin’ Donuts to hand over the company’s Lebanese franchise to her. “It was a huge risk because I was 22, I was female and the idea of American coffee and doughnuts was the last thing on people’s minds. But I had a hunch and a vision.” The rest quickly became, with the franchise becoming a huge success in Beirut. Four years ago, she added the Lebanese brand Semsom to the fold, and has expanded it into Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. New outlets are soon to appear in India, with six openings planned for 2012. She now manages a total of 400 staff.
Follow us on
