The appointment of Mr. Gabriel Abiad as Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Dear LAU Community,
I am pleased to announce that following an arduous search in keeping with due process, Mr. Gabriel Abiad has been selected as Vice President for Institutional Advancement for Lebanon and the Middle East.
Mr. Abiad stood out in a group of strong candidates by virtue of his work background and rich experience in the corporate world before distinguishing himself at LAU for several years as Assistant Vice President for Strategic Communication. In that capacity, he played a key role in planning and managing university internal and external communication often under difficult crisis conditions.
Mr. Abiad who is an LAU alumnus has earned an EMBA degree and has built an impressive career in the advertising industry before joining LAU at a time when communication became a major strategic function. With him in charge of Strategic Communication, our reach expanded into a multi-channel network covering all segments of our internal and external stakeholders. Our presence on social media was significantly enhanced and the power of our brand assumed new dimensions.
As Vice President for Institutional Advancement for Lebanon and the Middle East, Mr. Abiad will be overseeing four key units namely Development (Fundraising), Alumni Affairs, Strategic Communication, and Advancement Services. His role in fundraising will be particularly important to the university as we seek ways and means to lessen our dependence on tuition revenue and make new headways in the region. Sustaining and expanding our recent successes in fundraising will be a major challenge for Mr. Abiad and all of us.
In his new capacity, Mr. Abiad who will assume his position by May 1, 2023 will coordinate his work with a counterpart to be appointed in NY for Global Advancement. Both the Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Vice President for Global Advancement will report to the President and complement each other’s work in ensuring that LAU is resourced at a level commensurate with its mission and strategy.
Please join me in wishing Mr. Abiad all the success in his new role.
Michel E. Mawad, M.D.
President