Saint Joseph University of Beirut (USJ) is pleased to announce that Dr. Walid Yazigi has been appointed Director of the Higher Institute of Banking Studies (ISEB), effective September 1, 2020.

Dr. Walid Yazigi holds an MSc in Biochemistry from the University of Lorraine, an MSc in Economics and Management, specializing in Human Resource Management from Paris Diderot University (Paris 7) and a Ph.D. in Human Resource Management from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Throughout his professional career in France, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon in the financial, banking, industrial and insurance sectors, ISEB’s new director has participated :

• In the launching of CEB/ABL academic programs.
• In the Islamization of insurance products and policies for Saudi Arabia.
• In the development and delivery of educational programs and professional certificates at ARAMCO in view of receiving candidates for the programs.
• At the professional training at the Petroleum Training Center (PTC) in Kuwait.
• In consulting in professional negotiation with various Lebanese, Kuwaiti and Saudi banks.
• As a consultant commissioned by the World Bank, in the context of the reform imposed by the Paris III Conference of Donors, to review and implement all the job descriptions of the Ministry of Finance’s positions, as well as its short- and medium-term training programs.

Since 2000, Dr. Yazigi has been a part-time lecturer at various Lebanese universities. He has published two books on insurance: “Insurance Guide for Sales People” and “Insurance Foundation”, two books on human resources: “Human Resource Certification Program Textbook” and “Negotiation Is Not Persuasion”, and three plays including two for the French Institute of Lebanon (IFL).

According to Dr. Yazigi, ISEB, just like all other institutions in Lebanon, is challenged by a number of difficulties. However, the challenges it has to overcome are tailor-made for ISEB:

• As a result of the crisis, banks no longer subsidize banking studies.
• The banking sector, which was up to now considered as a prime sector in Lebanon, has unfortunately lost its original appeal.
•  For right or wrong, the public equates banking degrees with a narrow window of opportunity, albeit open to the labor market, but limited to unstable jobs in the banking sector in Lebanon.

In order to tackle current and emerging challenges, Dr. Walid Yazigi, plans to revamp education at ISEB, to give it a new impetus by strengthening its partnership with USJ, more specifically with the Faculty of Business Administration and Management and with Lebanese banks first and foremost, and to broaden the spectrum of its degrees to better meet the needs of the financial sector in Lebanon and the region.