Louai Al Roumani

Louai Al Roumani – Leadership, Crisis Management Speaker and Author

Louai Al Roumani was part of the management team of one of the largest banks in Syria when the conflict broke out in 2011.  Over the next four years, as head of finance and strategy at Banque Bemo Saudi Fransi (BBSF) he would find himself navigating an almost impossible crisis in one of the most horrendous wars in modern times.

Many of the bank’s branches were rampaged by jihadists, mortar bombs rained down on Louai and his colleagues regularly and he was under constant threat of kidnapping.  They faced a currency depreciation of 500%, the bank went through 6 different CEO’s in 8 years and the default rate on loans skyrocketed.

In spite of all that, the bank thrived.  With creative, innovative thinking and a positive mindset the bank countered setback after setback.  For example, when customers rushed to withdraw their savings amidst fears that the money would run out, the bank stacked bills in the window so everyone could see there was no problem with supply.  And when rising costs of fuel and kidnapping threats effectively kept employees housebound, BBSF laid on buses to transport employees to and from work.

Louai Al Roumani shares his experiences and the lessons he learnt with powerful visuals and images from the war-battered streets of Syria.  He outlines his clear key steps on how to navigate a crisis and demonstrates how lessons learned in a warzone can help us today.

Louai is a regular guest of news broadcasters and wrote the bestselling Lessons from a Warzone: How To Be A Resilient Leader in Times of Crisis published by Penguin in 2020, which The Times called ‘A remarkable book telling business leaders what to do when disaster strikes’.

SPEAKING TOPICS 

Louai Al Roumani shares his powerful insights on crisis management, leadership under extreme pressure, and the importance of creative, innovative thinking during times of disaster. He will also offer tangible strategies for managing fear, risk, and the human side of leadership when facing unimaginable odds. 

• Insights from a Real Crisis: Louai will walk you through his experiences during the Syrian conflict and share the key steps that helped him and his team stay resilient.
• Practical Leadership Lessons: Learn how to manage crises and risk with a positive mindset and innovative solutions.
• Resilience and Perseverance: Discover how lessons learned in a warzone can shape effective leadership strategies in today’s uncertain world.