Eli Khoury: "Outspoken, Not Political"

 “Is this interview going to be aired visually or published in writing?” asks Eli Khoury, the chief executive of Quantum Holdings. In writing, I respond. “So it doesn’t matter if I have a smoke?”

The seasoned ad veteran, at ease despite his prominent role in Lebanon’s recent political discourse, casually lights a cigarette. He is at home in Achrafieh, a stone’s throw from Villa Mokbel on Sursock Street-- once home to M+C Saatchi Group, Lebanon-- and a remarkable blend of 19th century Tuscan and Ottoman architecture.

In conversation, and considering all that’s happened in the past year, Khoury’s optimism is striking. Despite the devastation caused by the Israel-Hezbollah war, he, like others, believes Lebanon is entering a period of renewal – one where a renewed sense of energy is at play.

“You see it in every walk of life,” he says. “But we must be cautious – we’ve learned this lesson many times. This time, however, considering all the geopolitical ingredients at play, such as the fall of the Assad regime in Syria and the fall of the Hezbollah leadership, Beirut finally has space to breathe again, to dream of being a peaceful place where people can do business without worry.” Khoury has not shied away from the spotlight, whether on TV or online at Al Arabiya, MTV, LBCI, New TV, This Is Beirut. He has also appeared on Beirut Time, Spot Shot, Elhaweyah and Al Mashhad, a privately owned TV channel and digital platform spearheaded by the Lebanese presenter Tony Khalife.

After a career dedicated to advertising, why is he being so political?

“I wouldn’t say political, but outspoken,” he responds. “I have no desire for a political career, but when conditions are so bad, any responsible citizen feels the need to chip in. And I believe I can contribute most through what I know best – communications, translating rhetoric, and breaking down complex issues in a way that makes them clearer for people… It’s not sound bites that people are looking for anymore, especially in such a brouhaha of rhetoric. They want explanations. And podcasts in particular allow you the luxury of explaining in detail and don’t require the same level of diplomacy you’d need on TV.”

Whether you agree with his politics or not, Khoury, who founded Quantum in 2000, has a deep belief in the power of communication.

“Rhetoric is a complicated issue in any field, but especially in politics, where propaganda and communication often overlap,” he says. “You have to sift through what is genuine communication or real news and what is merely propaganda or empty words. Most people don’t have the time, luxury, or knowledge to fact-check everything they hear or re-examine every concept they encounter. This is where I feel I can contribute – by breaking down rhetoric, statements, and even subliminal messages, and explaining what they really mean. You have to remember, I’m 65, so I’m an old geezer. I’m more on a ‘guru’ track than an executive one going forward. Of course, I have my own opinions, but I try to prioritise logic first and then add my own touch of perspective.”

This is a risky arena to enter. One person’s truth is another person’s propaganda, especially in a country as politically fractured as Lebanon. Khoury, however, dismisses this assertion, stating that the validity of truth depends on “what is the ‘objective’ of that ‘truth’, or what is the underlying individual’s need/posture/wish/hope that makes it a potentially collective one”. “Not to mention that people misbrand ‘honesty’ for ‘truth’ more often than not,” he adds. He has taken the decision to speak “what is considered unspeakable in times where the unspeakable is a must”. He appears unfazed by any dangers associated with such candour.

Beirut finally has space to breathe again, to dream of being a peaceful place where people can do business without worry.  

“As long as you are saying what most people want you to say, but they’re afraid to, you’re fine,” he believes. “Of course, you’re going to get a whole bunch of haters that will trash the hell out of you and will create stories about you, but that’s the nature of the work. No one will curse you if you haven’t done anything. You have to expect harsh criticism as well – most of the time unfounded – just because you have a different opinion. But guess what? That’s what a real citizen does. We cannot just sit back and watch the end of the world without doing anything, simply because we say, ‘Oh, we don’t want to “touch” politics’. Politics is everything in your life, what are you talking about? I keep on saying: ‘Politics is like your little kid, if you don’t raise it well, it will create hell for you.’”

Khoury, who began his career as an editorial cartoonist for underground newspapers during the Lebanese Civil War, entered the world of advertising in 1990. He went on to build Quantum Holdings, which is home to Quantum Communications, M Media, and M+C Saatchi Group, Lebanon, Qatar and Iraq- the three of which are currently being consolidated with M+C Saatchi Group Middle East, in the UAE. These companies operated out of Villa Mokbel until the port explosion damaged the building, injuring 26 of the agency’s staff, some of them seriously. The explosion caused the agency to relocate to the Holdings’ previous home, Quantum Tower. Although Quantum is alive and well, content will be a growing focus for Khoury as he gradually steps back from executive business leadership.

“You have to remember, I’m 65, so I’m an old geezer, ” he says with a smile. “I’m more on a ‘guru’ track than an executive one going forward. The people of Lebanon have a lot ahead of them in the coming year and beyond, with significant changes underway at every level, including elections. Beirut finally has space to breathe again, to dream of being a peaceful place where people can do business without worry. That means being more focused on issue-based content – that explanatory trend I mentioned earlier. I want to take each issue – whether national or global, when I have something to say – dissect it, and bring more reason and logic to the discussion. The people of Lebanon have a lot ahead of them in the coming year and beyond, with significant changes underway at every level, including elections. So yes, my focus will be on content. What I call enlightenment, although some might see it as deviation.” This content will be shared across various platforms, including the public affairs English language website Now Lebanon, which is published by M Media, a streaming and publishing service that has been dormant since its servers were destroyed in the port explosion. Social media will play an important role, too, given its reach and ability to drive engagement.

“That’s the beauty of this new era – it offers remarkable freedom and has powerful impact.” As for Lebanon’s advertising industry, well, maybe there is room for optimism. “Life continues, and it looks much better now,” says Khoury.

“We can begin to regain our energy. For the past few years, we’ve taken a cautious approach – focusing on survival and staying afloat as much as possible until better days arrived. One could say that, as of 2025, at least for our type of company or industry, we can start planning to re-energise and reorganise ourselves to face new realities and opportunities. The stars are aligning in our favour, and frankly, not through any effort of ours, but perhaps some providence wants this country to survive everything it has gone through, possibly because it wasn’t really the country’s problems we were facing – it was, in fact, other people’s problems.”