The Beirut Port Discussion Series

Speakers' Bios

Jean-Christophe Carret is the World Bank Country Director for the Middle East Department where he manages the institution’s engagement and programs in Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Iran and Syria. Before moving to Lebanon, Mr. Carret was Country Director for the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Burundi and Sao Tome & Principe (2018 to 2022), Country Manager for Laos (2017 to 2018) and Country Manager for the Central African Republic (2015 to 2017). Before joining the World Bank, Mr. Carret worked at the Center for Industrial Economics at MINES ParisTech (formerly known as École des Mines) as a research economist specialized in environmental economics. A French national, Mr. Carret holds a PhD in economics from MINES ParisTech.

Anne-Cecile Souhaid is currently a Lead Transport Specialist at the World Bank, covering West and Central Africa, and is based in Washington. Since joining the Bank in 2011, she has worked extensively across Africa, the Middle East, and North Africa. Her areas of expertise include regional integration, urban transportation, and spatial development in fragile countries. Mrs. Souhaid led the World Bank's efforts in the reform and reconstruction of the Port of Beirut following the devastating blast on August 4, 2020. In this role, she coordinated a platform of donors and experts to facilitate the rebuilding process. A dual national of Lebanon and France, Mrs. Souhaid is an Engineer who graduated from the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées. She also holds a Master's degree in Architecture and Territorial Development.

Randa Abousleiman is the Managing Partner of Abousleiman & Partners Law Firm. Ms. Abousleiman is part of the team formed by the World Bank advising on the reform of the port sector in Lebanon and currently works on the new framework for the port sector law. Ms. Abousleiman is an expert in domestic and international commercial transactions, corporate restructuring, securitization transactions, establishment of mutual funds and joint ventures and the development of financial products. She has worked on numerous project finance transactions in Lebanon and the Middle East. Ms. Abousleiman has substantial experience in mergers and acquisitions in various several sectors. She also has extensive experience in capital markets transactions, namely in IPOs in Lebanon and the Middle East, the issuance of Global Depository Receipts, Deposit Certificates and Eurobond issues for both the public and the private sectors.

François Sporrer is a former student of the National Agronomic Institute of Paris-Grignon and the National School of Rural Engineering of Water and Forests, holder of a master of science in rural economics from the University of London, François Sporrer started his career at the office of foreign policy at the Directorate of External Economic Relations (DREE) (1993-1996). Commercial attaché at the economic mission at the French embassy in Indonesia (1996-2001), he was then deputy to the head of the economic mission in Hungary (2001-2003), before being head of the cabinet of the Director of Economic Relations (DREE), then head of the economic mission in Istanbul, Turkey (2005-2008). He was appointed Group Administrative and Financial Director of Business France, a French agency for international business development (2008-2010), then Near and Middle East Director of Business France (2010-2015), based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (2010-2012). He came back to the Ministry when appointed Head of the economic service in Peru, also responsible for Bolivia (2015-2017), then head of the regional economic service "West Africa", in residence in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, from September 2017 to September 2021. François Sporrer since then, combined the functions of inspector at the General Inspectorate of the Treasury and Secretary General of Choose France 2022 until his appointment as Head of the Regional Economic Service for the Middle East in Beirut.

Osanne Paireau, a project director in ARTELIA group, has twenty years of experience in maritime engineering and project management. She joined the Maritime Business Unit of Sogreah (now ARTELIA) in 2001 and she is involved in port and coastal development projects. Before joining Artelia she completed a PhD and held several research positions in France and the UK in the fields of fluid mechanics and estuary hydrodynamics. Her tasks include project management and business development in port development projects including design of marine structures, breakwaters and has specific experience in physical model studies.

Sylvain Bourgois is the Director of the Port Terminals Department at EGIS Group. He is a Project Director specialized in port terminals and port project management with more than 25 years of experience. His expertise includes team management, port planning, technical assistance and the delivery of passenger terminals, container terminals, bulk terminals and port masterplans.