Elie Khouri on his multiple career pivots, the joy of collecting art & having fun on ‘Shark Tank’

"When I see a few characters in a painting, I create my own stories."

Hashem catches up with the renowned art collector and CEO of Vivium Holding, his newly established family office. Elie, a self-made man who grew up during Beirut's civil war has had a fascinating career journey, pivoting to advertising early in his career and then building & leading ‪@omnicommediagroupmena4747‬ for 18 years. In 2017, he established Vivium Holding, a family office focused on all things Elie, a portfolio that includes real estate, tech and hospitality.

This wide-ranging conversation covers the evolution of advertising in the region, the current state of the Dubai art and design scene as well as his patronage and interest in art. Elie is also a "Shark" on the Dubai edition of the hit reality series Shark Tank ‪@dubai_tv‬ and shares key advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

As someone with a keen eye for detail, Elie also picks up on Hashem's unwavering commitment to wearing black!

Chapters
00:00 Preview
00:31 Introduction
02:14 Elie’s early years
04:51 Pivoting from finance to advertising
07:55 The evolution of #advertising & ‪@omnicommediagroupmena4747‬
12:05 Navigating the fear of failure
14:50 Launching his family office, Vivium
16:34 The design business & evolution of collectible design
19:52 The Real estate business - ‪@dubaisothebysrealty‬
21:47 Being a collector
27:57 Collectible design in Dubai
31:32 Feeling distant from Lebanon
32:50 The complementary role of the GCC
34:33 Shark Tank on ‪@dubai_tv‬
36:23 Advice for Entrepreneurs
38:33 The regional entrepreneurial ecosystem
44:21 Balancing different roles and verticals
48:57 Breaking out on social media