Jean-Pierre Lafon, France’s ambassador to Lebanon from 1994 to 1997, was the driving force behind the creation of the École supérieure des affaires (ESA). Acting as a bridge between Jacques Chirac and Rafik Hariri, he quickly secured their backing for the establishment of a business school, which he considered essential in a country of seasoned businesspeople. That was all it took for plans to sell the site where ESA now stands to be abandoned, allowing Lafon’s vision of helping rebuild Lebanon to take shape. At the ESA offices, Lafon, now aged 85, recalls his memories with remarkable clarity.How did the idea of establishing ESA come about?Jean-Pierre Lafon: I came to Lebanon purely by chance. Dominique de Villepin, then principal private secretary to the foreign minister, gave me 12 hours to decide whether to accept the assignment and...
Jean-Pierre Lafon, France’s ambassador to Lebanon from 1994 to 1997, was the driving force behind the creation of the École supérieure des affaires (ESA). Acting as a bridge between Jacques Chirac and Rafik Hariri, he quickly secured their backing for the establishment of a business school, which he considered essential in a country of seasoned businesspeople. That was all it took for plans to sell the site where ESA now stands to be abandoned, allowing Lafon’s vision of helping rebuild Lebanon to take shape. At the ESA offices, Lafon, now aged 85, recalls his memories with remarkable clarity.How did the idea of establishing ESA come about?Jean-Pierre Lafon: I came to Lebanon purely by chance. Dominique de Villepin, then principal private secretary to the foreign minister, gave me 12 hours to decide whether to accept the assignment...
1 p.m. recap: Hezbollah offers extensive aid package for the displaced; ICRC warns of 'disaster' in Middle East; explosive device found in the Bekaa