Governance Built to Last | 5th EcoSwitch Festival

What does it take to build an enterprise that can grow, attract investment, and stand the test of time?

Join "Governance Built to Last," an interactive thematic corner at the 5th EcoSwitch Festival, exploring the role of sound governance, strategic leadership, and organizational structures in building sustainable and resilient businesses.

Through expert insights and real entrepreneurial experience, this session will highlight the importance of governance in supporting business growth, managing risks, strengthening accountability, and preparing enterprises for their next stage of development.

Featured Participants

Expert: Lama Makarem — Lead Advisor at CSTouch

Lama Makarem brings 20 years of experience in banking, risk management, and strategy consulting across Lebanon and the GCC. She advises startups, SMEs, social enterprises, and boards on strategic transformation, investment readiness, fundraising, and governance.

Her experience includes advisory roles with Berytech, leading regional entrepreneurship programmes, and senior positions at Bank Audi and Boston Consulting Group.

Moderator: Talar Kokjian — Project Manager at Cewas

Talar Kokjian has over nine years of experience in sustainability, circular economy initiatives, marketing, communications, and fundraising.

At Cewas, she manages water and sanitation projects across the Middle East, working with public institutions, green entrepreneurs, and ecosystem partners to advance sustainable innovation.

Entrepreneur: Omar Itani — Founder and General Manager of FabricAID

Omar Itani is a Lebanese social entrepreneur and the founder of FabricAID, a venture addressing textile waste through circular economy solutions.

His entrepreneurial journey has received international recognition, including the Global Social Venture Competition in 2018 and the United Nations Young Champion of the Earth award for West Asia in 2019.

Omar brings practical experience in building and scaling a social enterprise while addressing environmental and social challenges.

About the Festival

Organized by the EcoSwitch Coalition, the 5th EcoSwitch Festival brings together Lebanese green entrepreneurs, industry experts, and ecosystem partners for knowledge sharing, collaboration, and networking.

The festival is part of Global Entrepreneurship Week Lebanon 2026.

Participants register for the overall festival and may select three of the four available thematic corners.