APJ

Invited to speak at his former school, Collège Notre-Dame de Jamhour, Philippe Jabre delivered a powerful message about leadership.

According to him, success isn’t just about building a career abroad — it’s also about giving back, returning, and contributing to Lebanon’s growth.

Drawing on his personal story — that of a young man who left Lebanon during the civil war — he emphasized the importance of mobility: leaving to study, to fight for opportunities, to build something new. “Those who succeed the most,” he said, “are often the ones who step away from their familiar environment.” At the same time, he cautioned against leaving by default: “You don’t have to go abroad if the career you want exists here.” His message: choose consciously, not reflexively.

Speaking to a generation that will enter a fast-changing job market, he urged students to stay curious. Half of today’s jobs will disappear — and half will be created. Fields like artificial intelligence, crypto, computer science, and quantum engineering — including a $1 billion contract he cited between Qatar and the U.S. — will drive many of tomorrow’s transformations. “Look at all the jobs that exist, and try to guess which ones will matter in the future,” he advised.

He also stressed a key, often overlooked, skill for getting into the right university or career path: the ability to present oneself fully and authentically. Beyond technical know-how, what matters is who you are as a person. Music, sports, art, personal projects — “Do what you love, and do it well: it will help you later.”

Jabre also warned against overvaluing what’s said online, pointing out that anyone can post anything — what he called “the revenge of the idiots.”
Finally, he reminded students of a truth that will shape every career: whether you become an engineer, a doctor, or an artist, you will have to work with technology and AI. Not to suffer from it — but to understand it, master it, and use it as a tool. Being flexible, open to change, and constantly moving forward — that, he said, is one of the keys to the future.