L’Oréal Paris. Beirut, Lebanon, 24 September 2026
L’Oréal Paris marked a significant milestone in Lebanon with the fourth edition of its “Women of Worth” initiative, celebrating six exceptional Lebanese women whose work continues to create meaningful impact across different sectors of society. Held at the historic Résidence des Pins in Beirut, the landmark gala gathered more than 300 distinguished diplomats, ministers, community leaders, and civil society partners, reaffirming the importance of recognising women whose leadership contributes to social progress.
With this fourth edition, the initiative has now expanded its community to 25 celebrated Lebanese women across four consecutive editions, creating an enduring network of leaders whose stories reflect the many ways women are shaping Lebanon and contributing to its future.
At the heart of the evening was L’Oréal Paris’s enduring belief in the power of self-worth. The initiative is rooted in the brand’s founding philosophy that recognising one’s own value is a cornerstone of female empowerment. Through “Women of Worth,” L’Oréal Paris extends its commitment beyond beauty, highlighting women who are taking their rightful place in society and addressing some of Lebanon’s most critical challenges.
Opening the evening, Ms Emilie Wahab Harb, Managing Director of L’Oréal Liban, expressed the conviction that lies at the centre of the initiative. She said: “At the heart of Lebanon’s challenges, when so much comes to a halt, our women keep moving forward. For over fifty years, L’Oréal Paris has been telling women: ‘Because you’re worth it.’ Tonight, that conviction has faces, names, and stories. This is the true meaning of leadership: enabling another woman to say: ‘I can too, I am worth it too, and I can make a difference.’ When a woman owns her worth, she lifts an entire society with her.”
Her words captured the central message of the evening: that self-belief can extend beyond the individual and become a force for wider social impact. By giving visibility to women whose work responds to challenges across healthcare, fashion, culinary arts, technology, business, culture, and social change, the platform creates a space where leadership can be recognised, shared, and carried forward.
L’Oréal Paris Celebrates Women Shaping Lebanon
As part of the gala, the six honourees were celebrated through dedicated documentary portraits, each presenting a different dimension of leadership and contribution.
Ms Rima Bikhazi Azar – Healthcare & Community Impact
Rima Bikhazi Azar was recognised for her work modernising Beirut’s Fouad Khoury Hospital while navigating acute systemic crises. Her efforts have focused on protecting critical patient care while also championing healthcare sustainability on a nationwide level. Her recognition highlights the importance of leadership within a sector facing some of society’s most urgent and complex challenges.
Ms Gemy Maalouf – Fashion & Creative Vision
Gemy Maalouf was honoured for translating Lebanese textile heritage into an internationally celebrated luxury fashion house. Her work has carried elements of Lebanon’s creative and textile identity onto an international stage, with the fashion house showcased across global capitals. Her story represents the intersection of heritage, creativity, and international vision.
Ms Rouba Khalil – Culinary Arts & Entrepreneurship
Rouba Khalil’s journey reflects a remarkable professional transition. Moving from finance and engineering in Manhattan, she went on to build an acclaimed culinary and hospitality enterprise spanning Beirut and Dubai. Her recognition celebrates entrepreneurial vision and the ability to transform professional experience into a successful enterprise within the culinary and hospitality sectors.
Ms Tiffany Saade – AI, Cybersecurity & Global Policy
Tiffany Saade was recognised for her leadership at the intersection of cybersecurity, ethical artificial intelligence, and international policy. Her work contributes to efforts to build safe and resilient digital futures, highlighting the growing importance of responsible technology and global policy in an increasingly digital world.
Dr Zeina Zeidan – Business Leadership & Corporate Governance
Dr Zeina Zeidan was honoured for pioneering executive inclusion and for her role as the region’s first signatory of the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles. Her work has focused on opening boardroom doors for female leaders and advancing greater inclusion within corporate leadership and governance.
Ms Zeina Daccache – Drama Therapy & Social Change
Zeina Daccache was recognised for pioneering drama therapy and documentary cinema inside correctional institutions, using both fields as tools to restore human dignity and catalyse landmark legislative reform. Her work demonstrates how creative practice can intersect with social change and contribute to wider institutional transformation.
L’Oréal Paris and the Power of Women of Worth
Together, the six women represent different professions, experiences, and approaches to creating impact. Their stories demonstrate that leadership can emerge in many forms, whether through protecting healthcare, preserving creative heritage, building businesses, shaping technology policy, advancing corporate inclusion, or using art to support social transformation.
The fourth edition of “Women of Worth” therefore extends beyond an evening of recognition. Through national visibility, institutional support, and an enduring collective network, L’Oréal Paris provides a platform for women addressing some of Lebanon’s most critical challenges. The initiative also reinforces the idea that celebrating one woman can create an opportunity for another to recognise her own potential.
By spotlighting women who shape Lebanon from within, L’Oréal Paris continues to connect its longstanding message of self-worth with tangible examples of leadership and social contribution. The gala ultimately reaffirmed the belief that fostering self-belief can create meaningful impact across society, while reminding audiences that true beauty can be found in the courage to act, lead, and inspire collective progress.
About L’Oréal Paris
L’Oréal Paris, the world’s leading cosmetics brand, makes the best of beauty accessible to everyone. Its extensive offering spans makeup, skincare, haircare, and hair color, while its pioneering spirit continues to drive scientific excellence and restless innovation.
For more than 110 years, the brand has remained committed to safety, efficacy, and quality. Throughout its history, L’Oréal Paris has also championed women’s empowerment, challenging stereotypes through a modern vision of femininity.
With its legendary tagline, “Because You’re Worth It,” the brand supports women on their journey toward self-realization. Through initiatives such as “Women of Worth,” this longstanding philosophy takes on a broader social dimension, celebrating women whose work, leadership, and determination contribute to progress across their communities and beyond.
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