As the sibling duo behind Ghia Holding, Christian and Raissa Ghosn are giving Lebanese hospitality fresh energy.
From Abd El Wahab and DUO to Ahwak and Denye Hek, the pair continues to expand the family business while carrying forward their father Jean Claude Ghosn’s legacy of warm, authentic hospitality.
In this interview, they discuss growth, sibling dynamics, bold ideas and the bright future ahead for one of Lebanon’s most recognized hospitality groups.
Christian Ghosn, CEO of Ghia Holding
What were the biggest challenges you faced entering leadership at a young age?
First, earning credibility at 25 during Lebanon’s difficult years challenged me greatly, especially while leading such an established hospitality company.
What shaped your leadership style early on?
Watching my father operate within hospitality while gaining multinational experience taught me resilience, humility, structure and strong people-oriented leadership.
What leadership values did your father leave behind?
Generosity, humor and humility guided him daily. Indeed, he created unforgettable emotional connections with everyone he encountered throughout his remarkable journey.
What legacy do you hope to carry forward?
Like my father, I hope to create meaningful human connections while developing the company responsibly without compromising our original family values.
What would make your father proudest today?
First, seeing Raissa and me working harmoniously together. Additionally, evolving the business while preserving our values would certainly impress him.
Did you imagine Abd El Wahab would become regional?
Honestly, I was extremely young when Abd El Wahab was launched. However, growing up I became aware of people’s extraordinary emotional attachment to Abd El Wahab and its hospitality.
What makes Abd El Wahab successful on an emotional level?
Consistency, generosity, warmth and authentic hospitality are the reasons behind its success. It creates lasting emotional attachments. Additionally, passionate teams behind the brand have strengthened remarkable guest loyalty.
When did international expansion feel achievable?
Opening Abd El Wahab in Dubai changed everything completely. Immediately, overwhelming success confirmed that the concept possessed strong international growth potential.
What challenges did global expansion produce?
Every market differs significantly. Therefore, understanding local audiences properly and selecting trustworthy partners became essential throughout international expansion journeys.
How do you maintain consistency on an international level?
Regardless of country, guests should instantly recognize the brand. Consequently, consistency remains essential across hospitality, service, atmosphere and overall identity worldwide.
How differently do you expand concepts today?
Abd El Wahab remains a proven concept. However, newer brands now require cautious expansion strategies, stronger studies and deeper market understanding.
Which concept was the most challenging operationally?
During Lebanon’s 2019 crisis, Abd El Wahab became operationally challenging because multiple outlets required constant profitability and sustainability evaluations simultaneously.
What decision has transformed the company most?
Rebranding, redecorating and strategically re-expanding Abd El Wahab completely transformed the company’s trajectory while accelerating significant regional growth.
What can you reveal about upcoming concepts?
Currently, we are developing exciting concepts alongside existing brands. However, for now, I prefer to simply say that everybody should stay tuned.
What excites you about your Broumana and Faqra openings?
Faqra represents a new market with great potential. Moreover, Broumana already knows us well and deserves a strong brand like Abd El Wahab.
Why continue investing in Lebanon today?
We believe deeply in Lebanon. Therefore, we continue investing intelligently while concurrently diversifying regionally and expanding internationally across promising hospitality markets.
How do you and Raissa complement each other?
Raissa brings structure and balance while I embrace instinct and risks. Together, however, our differences create stronger business decisions consistently.
What do you personally bring to Ghia Holding?
I continued my father’s family spirit by always prioritizing teamwork, loyalty and genuinely taking care of people throughout the company.
How do you balance instinct with strategy?
Instinct matters greatly within hospitality. Nevertheless, successful decisions still require strong analysis, operational understanding and carefully studied financial performance numbers.
What defines success for you today?
Hearing that people genuinely love our brands feels incredibly rewarding. Honestly, being called “the Abd El Wahab guy” means everything today.
What upcoming project are you most enthusiastic about?
Currently, I’m feeling thrilled about the revamping of DUO locally and internationally. However, many key details remain confidential for now.
What excites you most about Ghia Holding’s future?
First, I dream of a peaceful Lebanon. Additionally, I envision strong expansion across promising markets previously unexplored by our group internationally.
Raissa Ghosn, marketing director and BDO of Ghia Holding
Why did you join the family business?
My multinational background taught me structure, organization and strategic thinking. Eventually, these skills became extremely valuable within hospitality and franchising operations.
What changes did you introduce first?
Initially, I focused on clearer structure, stronger organization, long-term planning and embracing change confidently without fearing innovation.
How do you carefully modernize iconic brands?
Repositioning established brands remains challenging because loyal guests naturally resist change. Therefore, preserving core identity is always essential.
How do you keep concepts distinct?
I view brands like people because every personality differs naturally. Consequently, each concept maintains individuality without emotionally overlapping another concept.
How do you balance Lebanese identity internationally?
Lebanese identity enjoys global recognition. Therefore, adapting concepts internationally should never compromise authenticity, warmth or meaningful cultural connection.
What matters most when building concepts?
Atmosphere, audience, storytelling and experience remain interconnected because each element naturally influences the concept’s emotional identity and direction.
Which concept feels closest personally?
Abd El Wahab feels deeply emotional because it reminds me greatly of my father. However, upcoming concepts excite me creatively too.
How do you balance timelessness with trends?
Trends disappear eventually. Therefore, brands require timeless foundations while allowing presentation, aesthetics and experiences to evolve naturally alongside contemporary audiences.
How do you balance innovation with identity?
Innovation remains essential today. However, reassuring people carefully while evolving concepts helps to preserve trust, familiarity and emotional brand connection.
How do global audiences perceive Lebanese hospitality?
International audiences consistently associate Lebanese hospitality with generosity, warmth and welcoming experiences that remain emotionally memorable and universally appreciated.
How do you reinterpret nostalgia for younger audiences?
Simply, you make nostalgia feel modern, cool and fun while preserving emotional authenticity and Lebanese cultural warmth for younger generations.
How would you describe working with Christian?
Professionally, we constantly challenge one another. Consequently, discussions and debates help us reach stronger and more thoughtful business decisions together.
How do you create emotional brand loyalty?
Building loyalty requires authenticity, strong identity and memorable experiences. Most importantly, people should feel genuinely and emotionally connected to your brand.
What surprises people about your personality?
I observe emotions carefully because understanding how people feel around spaces matters more than simply focusing exclusively on aesthetics.
