Lebanese Business Council Launches Melbourne

Australian Lebanese Business Council Officially Launched in Melbourne

Business leaders unite to celebrate connection, collaboration, and community

Melbourne – Prominent members of Australia’s business community gathered to mark the official launch of the Australian Lebanese Business Council (ALBC), an organisation dedicated to strengthening trade and cultural ties between Australia and Lebanon.

The launch took place on Thursday, 23 October 2025, at Tarator Restaurant in South Melbourne, hosted by Chairperson Bernadette Chahwan Khoury and Vice Chair and MC Rosanna Baini OAM, alongside the ALBC executive and board members.

In her address, Bernadette Khoury expressed gratitude to the evening’s sponsor Robert Asbiridonne for his generosity and hospitality, noting that his spirit of leadership and community truly reflects ALBC’s core values. Quoting Lebanese philosopher Khalil Gibran, she said, “Work is love made visible,” adding that “behind every small business, every trade agreement, every late night and early morning, there is passion, belief, and love — for family, for progress, and for the communities we serve. Robert, this is you.”

Rosanna Baini described the night as “an honour and a privilege” to stand beside her dear friend Bernadette Khoury and the ALBC committee members. She said, “The response from our guests was incredible, and we were deeply moved by the video messages of support from His Excellency Joseph Aoun, President of Lebanon, General Rodolfo Haykal, Commander in Chief of the Lebanese Army, and His Excellency Rami Hamadi, Lebanese Consul General in Victoria.”

Among the distinguished guests were Federal Liberal Senator Paul Scarr, Broadmeadows MP Kathleen Matthews, and numerous business and community leaders, who praised the initiative as a powerful new platform for multicultural collaboration.

The ALBC aims to promote empowerment, innovation, opportunity, and trade, and to strengthen the social and economic connections between Australia and Lebanon.

Mustafa Yilmaz, Editor for Dünya Newspaper Australia, who attended the launch, commented:

“It was inspiring to see leaders from diverse communities connecting through business, culture, and friendship. There was great energy, great people, and a strong vision for collaboration between Australia and Lebanon.”