The MENA Startup World Remembers Emile Cubeisy

Some of Their Stories of a Pioneer, Mentor and Friend

Jordan and the Middle East lost a great leader and human being yesterday. Emile was a pioneer in the tech/startup ecosystem there, but you will note that is not how I just described him. His life and work overall touched everyone he touched well beyond any one category.

I have asked some people who knew him well to share a memory or two as I wanted his three amazing daughters, wife Jida, parents and family to have them.

But as I re-read what follows, it is clear that they are reflections, lessons and priorities in life and business to which we should all aspire.

Emile’s was a life of wonder, with an unrelenting hopefulness and dedication to making things better and helping others to actualize their plans of impact. He gave seeming infinite time to everyone he touched, with little expectation other than somehow whatever they wanted to do or build would be better and could happen. To a person who reflects upon him, they left every encounter - if even tough or direct - feeling better about themselves with concrete ideas on what to do next.

In the wonderful reflections below are guide posts for us all - as builders, mentors, investors... and as human beings.

Please DM me if you have a story to share and I will happy to add it.

Ahmed Alfi - Co-founder Flat6Labs; Chairman Sawari Ventures; Founder the GrEEK Campus (Cairo)

“One of my favorite people in the world” was my response today when asked about Emil Cubeisy. What do you say about someone who managed to make you feel better at the end of every meeting or conversation with him than you did at the beginning. The sparkle in his eyes when he spoke about a cool project was full of amazement and wonder. The kindness and empathy he showed to people especially the many he mentored were a reflection of the essence of his heart. The incisive penetrating questions he asked in conversations or meetings revealed how sharp and perceptive he was about people and business. We almost never planned to meet, was usually by chance and we just went off to the side or met after an event to have a discussion/catch up. The topic was rarely about business and always gravitated to family, the love and pride he felt filled the conversation. I will truly miss him, as will everyone who had the pleasure and honor of spending time with him.

Ronit Avni - Founder and CEO, Localized (Washington, DC)

This is written for his daughters:

As I write this, there is an outpouring of shock and grief from the Young Global Leaders Network of the World Economic Forum because Emile made such an impact on so many people over the years. We are so deeply sorry for your loss.

Emile had an incredible knack for establishing rapport instantly. He was smart, kind, articulate, gracious, self-effacing, upbeat and funny. He always wove in stories of you—his family--into conversations or meetings. Everyone knew about Emile’s daughters and wife because he was so incredibly proud of you. 

Emile insisted on picking up guests to Jordan. Over the last few years, every time I would pass through Amman Emile would insist on picking me up and taking me to some new funky coffee shop that was locally-owned and excellent. And I know it wasn’t just me—I saw him do so with other YGLs. He wanted friends to feel welcome. He also wanted them to see what he saw of Jordan—a dynamic place with lots of creativity, opportunity and growth. 

Emile described himself as a tough investor. He was fiercely committed to improving the Jordanian entrepreneurial and business ecosystem. Emile was a connector; he always extended himself to make sure that the people he cared about knew one another and could be of support to one another. When COVID first hit, Emile immediately began helping Jordanian startups navigate unprecedented terrain.

Almost every email in my inbox from Emile is an introduction. He was that thoughtful and generous. 

I wish you strength and comfort during this time. May his memory remain a blessing.

Zaid Ayoub - CEO, Falafel Inc./SAAJ Street Eats (Menlo Park)

We are all very saddened by Emile’s departure, the eternally positive, kind, generous and humble man. I have known Emile for many years on both social and Professional levels, he is one of the most patient inquisitive mentors I have ever met. Always polite and supportive. He is a big loss for MENA entrepreneurs and Ecosystem. He was so positive that he would support and guide and would want to invest time and money in people and startups for the benefit of the founders, community and humanity, even if was not a good business decision. He is that kinda guy.  

I enjoyed his company anywhere we met, in Amman, San Francisco or elsewhere, the more I saw him the more respect I had for him. Below are 2 pictures that I've taken with Emile, One was in 2016 in a conference in Qatar where Emile was a speaker, making his usual passionate gestures. The Second was in San Francisco - Palace of Fine Arts with his lovely Family during their visit in the Summer of 2018. 

He was a very thoughtful person with lots of empathy, and in his own way lots of fun, with his smirks and short giggles.   

May his Soul Rest in Eternal Peace. Emile, we will all miss you.

Samar Dudin - Regional Director and Head of Programs/General Director Jordan of Ruwwad (Amman)

Emile was unlike anyone I know , he had contagious positivity, I always felt his sincere appreciation of everyone and everything around him even when things got tough . I used to call him every time I needed someone to help guide young people to work specifically those with an appetite for startups and business . He always took the call, made time to meet the Youth came back to me with feedback and pushed the extra miles to help. When he spoke he had the free flowing language of possibilities, when he celebrated he uplifted everyone around him with his exceptional capacity to love and forgive . 

My heart goes to Jida his lifelong partner he always spoke of her strength and resilience and exceptional wisdom. 

My heart goes to his beautiful daughters who have his heart and spirit. 

My heart goes to his mother and sister and his family ... 

He left us too soon and I wish I could have visited him more... Rest in peace Emile, the stars are your home my friend ... a man of dreams and visions and love.

Hala Fadel - Founder, Leap Ventures (Geneva, Switzerland; Beirut)

I don’t know where to start. Over the past few months, I felt I was “floating” through life, with a very blurred line between the virtual world and reality, as if I was part of a slow motion movie. In this context, hearing of Emile’s sudden death shook me to the core, and made me realize that while our bodies are ephemeral, our actions leave an eternal impact on the people around us. 

Everybody ran out of superlatives to describe Emile Cubeisy. A truly inspiring and dedicated human who gave to the entrepreneurs of the Arab region more than he would ever take. A simply extraordinary person who was passionate about his community and always ready to share his time and wisdom with people. 

Over the years, as chair of the MIT Arab Startup competition, I was lucky to interact with Emile on multiple occasions. The below actual email exchanges can give you an idea of who he really was.  

(Actual email exchanges within just one week)

ME: Emile, can you be a final judge for the MIT EF Arab startup competition this year?

EMILE: Of course!

ME: Emile, we are also organizing “Innovate for refugees” this year, a startup competition for refugees. Can you judge that too?

EMILE: With pleasure.

ME: Emile, this entrepreneur who was on your panel, wants feedback. Can you get in touch?

EMILE: Absolutely!

We have had over 300 judges for the MIT EF Arab startup competition over the past 14 years, and Emile Cubeisy is the one who attended most events and got one of the best feedbacks from participating entrepreneurs on his advice and mentorship. 

It is this combination of a brilliant and sharp mind with dedication, smile and enthusiasm that made him unique in the Arab entrepreneurship ecosystem. He was a friend and mentor to everyone. Everyone felt he/she was special to him. He commanded respect and inspired love.

ME: Thank you Emile for your continuous support.

EMILE: “My favorite event. My favorite award. My favorite team. Well done! A privilege!” 

We felt special, while in fact HE was the special one.

Rest in peace Emile. You are still alive through all your mentees and friends. 

Usama Fayyad - Founding Executive Chairman, Oasis500; Executive Director; Institute for Experiential AI, Northeastern University Chairman & Founder, Open Insights (San Francisco)

I woke up this morning in the San Francisco Bay Area to some very sad and shocking news. A good friend, colleague of many years, and probably one of the nicest people I have had the pleasure to work with had passed away in Amman, Jordan. How could it be? Emile Cubeisy was young at heart, young in spirit, and young in age... Emile was a tremendous positive force and a huge believer in entrepreneurship and early stage tech investment in the Middle East. He was generous with his time, advice and passion for mentorship — to a fault. He saw the hope in every new venture and he nurtured every (would-be) entrepreneur who reached out to him for help. He was a rare treasure of positivity for Jordan and the Region.

Emile was there when the idea of Oasis500 was just a brief glimmer and just a proposal of an idea. I vividly remember how not only did he latch onto the idea, but how he challenged me in his uniquely gentle style to step up and lead it myself instead of just proposing it. In fact that is about the time the photo below was taken. All this at a time when Emile (and his partner Fawaz Zu’bi), were one of the very few early stage VC’s in the Region. A time when we were faced with cultural challenges so basic that they made the vision of an Angel Network, Mentor Network, and seed-stage investment Hardly qualify as a mirage in Jordan. We did not even have a name for “angel investor” in Arabic, and no words for “venture capital”, let alone “seed investment”! But Emile was there saying “trust me, it will happen”, and “believe in the power of social transformation.” Every time I would meet him with a new challenge we discovered, he would listen with focus, and then come back with the most positive, thoughtful, pragmatic view possible. He somehow always found the ray of light in the darkest of circumstances. And always with a smile. 

So many memorable moments with Emile. One of the earliest is when we started our very first Oasis500 entrepreneurship boot camp and had Emile visit each day. He would walk up to me and say that every team and every idea was amazing. When it was time to select our first few investments, Emile did not want us to say “no” to anyone. When I had to reject some of the teams, he insisted that our answer should never be no, it should be “go improve this idea or this team and come back”. Emile lived this principle and I caught him many times trying to help ventures that I considered uninvestable. I would counsel him to conserve his valuable time, but he just could not say no. It was actually inspirational and challenging. He was happy just to help and let others take credit. A true definition of generosity. 

Emile, you will be missed by so many, and you have touched the lives of many. A huge loss for all of us. Your positivity will stay with us for a long time.

Reem Goussous- Managing Director, Endeavor Jordan (Amman)

Emile was always our go-to sounding board whenever we wanted to design a new program, initiative, or event. We engaged with him as a mentor, advisor, and a long-time supporter of our mission (helping entrepreneurs scale their ventures). A rock we could always count on. 

But for Emile, it was never about work. It was always about connecting with friends and trying to find ways to lend a helping hand. Chats with Emile always started with him asking something like: 

‘Tell me first, how are YOU doing? Are you ok?’ 

Or,  

‘How is your son’s college application process going? Please let me know if I can be of ANY help.’ 

Or, 

‘You sound overwhelmed. How can I help?’

And so on.. 

He did this with everyone. Always seeking a personal connection.

It was genuine. It was pure. It was warm and very endearing. 

Work without Emile will never be the same again! 

Habib Haddad – Founder, E14 Fund (Boston)

Little did I know that my first interaction with Emile some 13 years ago would lead to long time friendship. In retrospect however, it's hard to see how it could not. One can't help but fall in love with this beautiful soul at the first interaction. his contagious energy, his uncanny ability to see the positive in everything and his relentlessness to build a better region. I was 27 when I first met Emile and had just started Yamli. I was living in Boston and I didn't know much about the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the region. Without hesitation Emile invited me to Amman and shepherd me into meeting everyone. Over the weeks and months to follow he would offer advice, without asking anything in return, saying that he is invested in my success as a person and that enough is worth it. You rarely come across people like that in your life, people that truly care about others, people that can lift others no matter what, I am so proud to have been Emile's friend of the years to have known him, to have seen what a wonderful proud husband and dad he was. His legacy will live forever through all the people he touched and through his wonderful family. I will miss you brother 

Donna Harris – Partner, 1776 Ventures (Washington, DC)

When I think of Emile, the word that comes to mind is kindness. We first met in 2014 by phone when he offered to help me navigate the Jordan startup and investing world. All it took was one call for that professional connection to turn into a friendship. He was always warm and friendly, quick to smile and laugh, easy to talk with, and generous with all he had (including welcoming a near stranger to come to his home). He was honest in an authentic way that you knew you could trust him because he had your best interests at heart. I’ve met thousands of people traveling to startup communities around the world, and there are very few people like Emile. He was a rare generous soul in a world (and industry) where focusing on ourselves is the default mode. It’s unfathomable to me that he’s gone. 

Nour al Hassan - Founder and CEO Tarjama (Amman)

In 2018 when I was joining Endeavor in Amman ISP my first meeting was with Emile, he asked me about Tarjama and where I want to go. I still remember his dreamy words. How far can you take this Nour? If you think of going so far with this and you can do it! I’m proud of you. I remember his big warm smile giving me advice on how to handle the ISP and how to say my story... 

Heather Henyon - Founding Partner, Mindshift Capital and Founder, WAIN

Still hard to believe and accept that Emile has left us.  Emile was a gem and one of my favorites.  I first met him almost 10 years ago when I was working in microfinance in Jordan.  Emile was a believer in the good with a heart of gold – always positive, always encouraging and always smiling.  He went out of his way to do the little things that you realize as you get older are actually big things because they are an investment of his time, a finite resource for us all – things like driving you to your next meeting, sitting with you for coffee and always listening, always engaged.  Whenever I asked him for anything, he immediately said yes – to be on a panel, to have a call with a founder, to review a deal.  He was a champion of women.  He referred many Jordanian women founders to our women’s angel group for investment and was always so proud of them.  He spoke with pride and respect about Sima Najjar, who pitched her start-up eKeif to him with a newborn slung across her – even years afterwards.  He always saw the potential and the possibility in every person and start-up; he approached life with abundance that is rare.  My sincere condolences to his family and to everyone who knew and worked with Emile.  He was one of a kind.  Allah yerhamo.

Lama Hourani – Lama Hourani Jewelry (Shanghai)

Emile had something no other had.. he was great at showing up.. he saw beauty in everything, he was the eternal optimist and solution finder. He was one call away, wherever I was living whatever it was he was ready to listen and find solutions. Work or personal problems, celebrations and milestones he was there. He made it seem so effortless and I really counted on him in major situations to give me advice.

I had met Emile more than 20 years ago at one my Father’s conferences on civil society & social history I was kind of forced to attend these conferences as you’re never too young to be politically aware.

We became friends in 2012 after he decided to nominate me to become a YGL (Young Global Leader) which literally changed my life. He introduced me to the YGLS he loved and paved the way within the community.

I was talking to my husband Ramon yesterday about Emile and the first thing that came to mind is that he always always talked about Tara, Nadine & Maia with so much pride and love... Their achievements, interests even character developments and the beautiful strong women they were becoming. And Jida an amazing Mom & life partner.

The other thing is that he was always so generous with his love, I truly felt cared for and I honestly know no other man who was as emotionally intelligent and connected as he was. He is a friend I will cherish forever. 

Lastly, I’m putting a picture of Emile on my dream wall. This wall has our dream house, trips, artworks, places & milestones we want to accomplish. Emile will be there so I can aspire to be as giving as loving and as present to others. Emile set a high bar and I want his wisdom and positivity to accompany me as I parent, create and dream. 

Fouad Jeryes - Co-founder and Director of Business Maqsam (Amman)

After being back in Amman for a couple of years, we were all feeding off of the Yahoo!'s acquisition of Maktoob. Amman was really trying to position itself as a tech-hub in the region and was just buzzing with far too many events, panels, activities, and meetups for my taste. Investor funds and accelerators were popping up left and right...and Emile was everywhere. A master networker that seemed to just connect with everyone, and a believer in Jordan as well as the region at large. Being a wide-eyed young professional who just left the US, I was excited about the possibilities, but still doubtful of what might become of the region.

 I remember being on a small accelerator's evaluation panel with Emile and he asked me to step outside to chat as he had a cigarette. I vividly remember how we stood on that neighborhood street corner and how curious I was about what he wanted to tell me. "I'm going to invest in you" he said. I was perplexed, "What? I don't even have a startup yet, Emile." Then before I knew it, I was going to experience what my friends and I in the industry coined as the "Emile Storm,” which was a torrential downpour of compliments, love and mood-boosters to motivate me and instill some urgency on starting SOMETHING that we could be proud of in the region. I was flattered and unsure of how to take such a slew of care and emotion from a guy that I barely knew, but that's the person Emile was. He was an older brother that delivered just the right dose of motherly care for the possibilities i could play a role in. I do remember that moment as one where my belief in myself, and more importantly my belief in what our region might become, had turned a little more real in my mind. 

Reem Khouri - Co-founder and CEO of Whyise (Amman)

Emile didn’t give up. Ever. When the news was depressing, he would find a beautiful angle to look at. He would help us find beauty when going through pain, he made us see love in the midst of devastation. Every time the world felt that it was going to crash, he would smile and tell us it wasn’t it is just tilting :)  

He never gave up on seeing the best in a human being, in a startup, in Jordan, in the Arab world even when they made it hard... 

I remember a conversation with him about creating an innovation design journey for public sector employees in Jordan. I was skeptical and told him I don’t think it will be impactful. He started by saying: Try to look at it from a different angle and then spent 3 hours discussing how impactful it can be and that we cannot give up just because it is hard. That our duty is to refuse the status quo and our responsibility is to do our part and continue to do our part regardless of how long it takes to see the outcomes we want. 

I, of course, gave in after 3 hours and asked him what he needed me to do. He asked me to give two sessions to 50 public servants on impact and human centric design. And while I wasn’t convinced, I did it. I did it for Emile and by default for Jordan. Because anything Emile asked for, was never for him, it was always for the greater good. For the youth, for the ecosystem, for the country, never for him.  

It was the most humbling experience I have had the privilege to have. I met 50 public servants who were hungry for change, eagerly listening to understand the problems we are facing in the ecosystem and how we can come up with alternative solutions. I walked out and called him to thank him for the most rewarding experience. I knew that the process might not change yet, but meeting 50 public servants who were all believers in a better Jordan restored my faith and hope for a better future.  

Since then, I never said no to anything he asked for.  

A lot of who I am today, my achievements, my perseverance, my not giving up is thanks to him. There is no one that can restore my faith in humanity the way he did. The glass might not always be half full, but he taught me to tilt my head to see it isn’t empty. 

Rasha Manna - Impact Advisor SDG Impact Jordan-UNDP (Amman)

I’m stumped. Have been all day. literally don’t know what to say or how to express what I’m feeling.

I’ve never not been able to comprehend someone’s passing as the case today. I don’t understand what it means to say we have lost Emile Cubeisy. What does that look like? What does it mean to not have Emile around. How do we function without his contagious energy, his inexplicable positivity, his unique creativity.... his constant unquestioning support of EVERYONE.... how did he make the time for all of us AND still be there fully the loving and doting husband and father that he is.

First day I started work at Endeavor 8 years ago, I got a call from Emile welcoming me to the ecosystem and offering his help to get me acquainted with the space and the players and then... he ends the call with an ‘I love you’. I was baffled and tell the team this guy just said I love you, and they laughed and said “that is Emile”. I couldn’t make him out. I kept waiting to see when will I see another side of him. Never happened. I’d poke him and say come on Emile, there must be someone you don’t love. I’d egg him on to say something bad about anyone, but nope never a bad word to say, always saw the good in people. I’d keep questioning him how could he always be so optimistic. How do you continue to believe so unquestionably about where we were going as a community. Which he did, never did his belief in Jordan’s talent waiver. He genuinely loved everyone. He wanted to help everyone. Always generous with his time and his ideas.

There is no event I organized or project I initiated that didn’t start off with a brainstorming session with Emile. We launched many a projects together... including Beyond Capital. We locked ourselves up for 10 days designing, and drafting out ambitious dream to up lift Jordan’s ecosystem.

My last exchange with Emile was on Dec 27th and he signed off with his usual sending of love. Emile.... I can’t imagine doing this without you there to make me think bigger, think out of the box and try and leave an impact in everything we do. I love you Emilio. 💔 I send my condolences to all who knew him. I know we are all suffering a collective loss.

Nasser bin Nasser - Middle East Scientific Institute for Security (Amman) 

It’s remarkable to see how people from all over the world have the same thing to say about Emile...that he saw the best in everyone, believed in their potential and made everyone feel hopeful about the future. 

He was always supportive of me and encouraged me to be bold in the pursuit of my ideas. 

Jordan mourns his untimely passing.

Ennis Rimawi - Managing Director Catalyst MENA Clean Energy Fund; Catalyst Investment Management (Amman)

I’ve known Emile for over 30 years now, what an amazing person, so warm, full of life and positive!

Emile was one of the first persons I met at ACS, when we were around age 16 upon moving back from the US. It was clear he loved life and lived it!   Complete coincidence that he married our first team member at ONEWORLD Software about 14 years later, the amazing Jida! And 16 years later we meet again, when he was at the Ministry of ICT, and I just moved back to Jordan. His warm and out of the box approach is what facilitated players like Cisco investing in Jordan! 10 years later we are fellow YGL’s and venture capital / private equity fund managers! Just a couple months ago we were on the phone while he was visiting his daughter in Princeton, where he had a remarkable apartment in the forest, and we discussed his amazing daughter, and what can be done to encourage more venture capital in Jordan!! It’s clear he was an amazing father! Cheers my old friend, you will be missed by everyone you touched! God bless his soul!

Christopher Schroeder - Co-founder Next Billion Ventures; Network Partner Village Global (Washington, DC/San Francisco)

Every time I visited Amman, or been in the Middle East where Emile was, he simply showed up. Every time. He wanted to make sure I had what I needed, that I was understanding clearly what I was hearing, that I had a safe place to ask any question, that an introduction was easy if I wanted some follow up. Every time. 

Some years ago I was asked by a dear friend at the Aspen Institute to fly out to California and moderate a panel with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. This was interesting, but what got me to go was that Emile was her co-panelist. I knew she was about to see a lens on the region that would blow her mind, and he did not disappoint. With his characteristic enthusiasm and wonder, he told story after story of another woman building this, or young man raising capital for that - filled with also with hard data and statistics. At the end she said, “I’ve been to the Middle East countless times and I had never known any of this.” She has spent much of her work since actively supporting activities of youth and entrepreneurship in the region and pushed people around the world to turn attention to its potential.

Emile spoke no differently with famous figures than he did with a struggling entrepreneur. People who wanted to make impact were all the same to him. His endless curiosity meant he wanted to learn more; his passion to make change meant he wanted to help anyone succeed; his compassion meant he would always have time, thoughtful and considerate time, for anyone who asked. 

Dina Shoman- Founder & CEO of Nahji (Amman)

Emile and I met through Oasis500, where we mentored entrepreneurs. I could always tell he was different - Never negative, always encouraging and positive… and always available to help if he could! He didn’t hesitate joining the board of Oasis One for Training when I became Chairwoman and needed help. He was the first one I thought of to include on the board. Emile called me one day and say that he is nominating me to be a Young Global Leader with the WEF. He always saw what I was truly about and my potential, and was forever encouraging.

Whenever he would come to New York, he would always send me a message, mostly starting it by “Hey Lady!” He never imposed, and always made sure to never make me feel obligated (although I never ever was). Whenever we did meet, it was a special time. I am so thankful to have met Jida and the girls with him in New York in 2016. We had dinner at Rosa Mexicana and then went to Eataly for some yummy gelato. The kids enjoyed it greatly! I say kids because they were still young then… I know they are young ladies now. We then walked by the park close to my place, and I remember their delight at seeing fireflies… it was the first place I saw one, too.

Emile was so excited to help me test out my financial literacy games with Maia. I knew he had a busy schedule and somehow stupidly doubted he wouldn’t make it, but he did… he always said “I’m proud of you” and “I love you” at every communication we had. He was so full of love and support, and could always, always see the specialness of each person. That is a rare trait.

It was always a treat running in to him at events, and always made me feel like “now this will be worth it.” The last time I physically saw him was in New York in November 2019. We had a YGL brunch with a few others, then we headed to Eataly where we met Tara. He was always so proud of his daughters and so admiring of Jida. He always spoke about them with pride, and one thing I so admired about him is how he identified the different personalities and characteristics in each one and nurtured it yet. He was an ideal father and husband, forever supporting the women in his life and in the world. I really truly mean it when I say he was one in a billion.

I remember how happy he was when I told him I was getting married. He was so genuinely excited that I met my person, and about starting the adventure of marriage and starting a family. He raved about Jida and the kids, and what an adventure it has been. Like nothing else. He knew my fiancé’s mother, and was telling me what special people they are.

We had a call around 2 months ago or so, because he truly believed I would benefit and do great things through is program IFADA. I was skeptical, because I was so far off from FinTech and wasn’t sure it would be a fit. But he insisted, and said that I have a unique angle, and would be seeing it from a completely different perspective and would benefit everyone there as well as myself. I agreed. Secretly, I was more excited to have more Emile time, even if it meant through the program. It was a complete and utter shock to me to hear of his passing. I guess it is true they say you never realize how impactful someone has been in your life until they no longer are. I only say this because I wasn’t not lucky enough to spend more time with him - something I was looking forward to in 2021. More painful was that just the day before, I was thinking of who I may reach out to for advice on a sticky problem I was experiencing in a project… and of course, I said the most person I would trust and would truly have my best interest at heart while balancing logic and professionalism would be Emile. I made a mental note to call him this week… I wish I called him in the moment, I would have at least heard his voice one last time.

May he Rest In Peace. May he be in a better place, happily looking upon us and still showering us with his love and guidance. May we treasure our memories with him and his many gifts to us. May we carry forward his spirit and give a little bit of him to those we know by being there, encouraging, listening, helping, mentoring and supporting. May we remember his warm smile when we are sad, and his positivity when we lose our optimism and feel that everything is negative. May we all be more like Emile, may his spirit and purpose continues through us.

My heart still hurts, but what comforts me is that he lived a good life, an amazing life, as a good man, and touching so many people’s lives and hearts. I have no doubt he will live forever through us all.

Jida Tara, Nadine, Maia, and all of Emile’s family, know you have an extended global family. We are all with you and we are all here always and whenever you need anything. You have lost a light, but you have gained a huge family and so much love. Emile’s death is tragic, but it connected us all together as one to continue his legacy. I love you all and hope it gets easier with time.

Muna Abu Sulayman - Philanthropist, Social Impact Investors (Saudi Arabia)

Dear Nadine, Tara and Maia,

There is a reason so many people are writing to you. This amount of grief from all corners of our region and the world is not normal. What it means is that Your dad's genuine niceness and positivity and generosity of heart were truly extraordinary. 

I have known him for years through the YGL community and through Aspen Middle East Fellowship and have always been impressed by how he knows how to intuit the most important issue that must be resolved. And offer a great solution. 

He has mentored many, and done so much and I am sure there will be emails and letters about how his life touched so many... he always had an amazing outlook on our region and had so much faith in it. And as you go through these testimonials, and you feel proud of the extraordinary person your father was, remember that he his proudest achievement was you girls. 

He loved you so much and always mentioned all of you in any conversation. 

The brightest stars never fade, they always shine in different forms.... He will always be one of the very brightest. We all miss him beyond words. Love to you and your mother...

Khaled Talhouni - Founder, Nuwa Capital (Dubai)

I was very fortunate to have worked with Emile at Accelerator Technology Holdings, a precursor to Silicon Badia. Emile was one of the region’s earliest believers in the power of innovation and entrepreneurship in reshaping the lives of young people desperate for positive change well before it became du hour. He embraced this mission without an iota of cynicism and saw this as his life’s calling. Perhaps what I will miss most about Emile was his uncanny ability to bring positive energy to every conversation, no matter how difficult or challenging the subject matter may be. He had time for everyone and anyone who knocked on his door. I’m very thankful for the short time we worked together. He challenged me in the best possible way, both professionally and personally.

Toni Verstandig - Verstandig Family Foundation

The overwhelming energy and essence of Emile leaps of the page.  As I read through the amazing tributes, they were not about the past, but about what Emile stood for and what he would urge us to do, embrace new ideas, partnerships, mentorships and innovation.  I read the story of our road to San Francisco as though it was reviled only yesterday. It was bringing the Middle East to the heart and soul of the venture capital world, and Emile’s representations were compelling and real and persuasive as to why this community should care, take the leap to invest in this region that all to often isn’t seen through the lens of promise.  Today, we are seeing more tectonic shifts, and yes positive change.  Emile would have been at the epicenter and we need to join together to embrace his energy and dreams. As a respectful tribute to someone I have enduring respect for, I will step forward and hope others will join!

May he rest in eternal peace and his family have comfort in knowing how very much he was loved by all.