Lebanon - The Cross Roads Between East and West - Richard Haykel

Richard Haykel is the Chairman of Haykel Hospital S.A.L. in Tripoli, Lebanon and Executive Director of CARA Ventures, LLC.  Richie has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Tufts University, a Master’s of Hospital and Health Care Administration and Management from the University of Paris Cite. He is also a Harvard Business School Executive Program graduate and OPM 49. Richie is a member of the Young President’s Organization (YPO) and is home based in Tripoli, Lebanon. 

Show Notes:

• Lebanon has always been at the crossroads between East and West. "It plays a role much bigger than its geography."
• A $6 tax for What's App launched the Oct 2019 revolution.
• (11:30) The financial system collapse has led to 80% of the population in poverty, runs on banks, life savings wiped out for many. Prior to this, the poverty rate was around 20%. Overnight, a majority of the population was plunged into poverty.
• (20:00) "Morally, we needed to walk the talk with our kids." We came back to make a difference!
• "Everything rises and falls on leadership." - John Maxwell
• (22:45) What are the warning signs that this could be coming to your country?
• (30:00) Why are we starting to see a reverse migration from America?
• (31:00) Why are tenured professors at Columbia and Princeton afraid of losing their job?
• (37:00) There is no dollar alternative at the moment.
• (46:00) Bitcoin, crypto winter, FTX collapse and the future of cryptocurrencies...and real estate?
• (49:00) How did the pandemic impact the middle east and Lebanon? Lebanon has the ability to adapt.
• (54:00) How does Hezbollah impact everything in Lebanon today?
• (56:00) What is the impact of Saudi Arabia and MBS in the middle east?
• (1:04:00) The pivot to Asia has destroyed the trust of the United States in the middle east.
• (1:18:00) Why do you invest so much in advanced education and continued education later in your career?
• (1:24:00) Book Recommendations - Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, Deep Purpose by Ranjay Gulati, Glass Half Broken by Boris Groysberg Podcast "After Hours"
• (1:30:00) Leadership insights while leading during a crisis.
• (1:34:00) What would Richie say to the American people if he was asked to give a State of the Union address?