General News Media Training Event - 1/1/2009 Author: arpacnetwork.org On March 19th 2008, the Lebanese Transparency Association (LTA), LCGTF and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) organized a media training event at the Habtoor Grand Hotel, on the role of the media and the importance of Corporate Governance to Lebanese companies and the National Economy. The workshop was launched by a welcoming speech by Mr. Gerard Zovighian (Vice Chairman of LTA and Chairman of LCGTF). Mr. Gerard Zovighian started by thanking the participants and IFC for their support in the corporate governance project. He then introduced the mission of LTA, LCGTF and IFC to promote the principles of corporate governance and their application in Lebanon - stressing on the importance of the awareness and engagement of the media. Badri El Meouchi (co-executive director at LTA) introduced the corporate governance project that the IFC is undertaking in partnership with LTA, and how this media training workshop is an important component of the Lebanon CG project. He also stressed that the media has an important role to play – not only in raising awareness on the subject of Corporate Governance, but also in being prepared to write more in-depth articles on the status of corporate governance in Lebanese companies. The workshop started with a presentation by Mr. Mohamad Alem (corporate lawyer and LCGTF member) on ‘what is corporate governance and how can it serve the interests of enterprises, including SMEs and FOEs’. This was followed by a presentation by Dr. Fouad Zmokhol (LTA board member and head of RDCL’s CG Committee) on the benefits of corporate governance to companies, to shareholders and to the national economy. Finally, Me. Nada Abdelstater AbuSamra presented on the many components of Corporate Governance, with specific focus on the questions that journalists and the media in general should focus on – particularly when interviewing owners or officers of companies. The workshop concluded with an open discussion during which the participants had the opportunity to address particular concerns with regard to the application of CG principles in the Lebanese market. View Count: 958 times