Michel Arcouche

The son of a tourism veteran, and grandson of a cofounder of the Syrian Air Force, Michel Arcouche ventured into new territory, charting a career path for himself in banking at Bank Audi Syria, and community service, as a two-time board member of the Syrian Young Entrepreneurs Association (SYEA).

In 2005, Arcouche met President Bashar al-Assad while visiting the SYEA Job Fair. The brief encounter had a strong effect on the young banker: “I remember very well how friendly, modest, and appreciative he was. The interest he showed in the event injected us with grand inspiration.”

Involvement in SYEA is something Arcouche feels particularly passionate about. Ensuring that a marked development is made in Syria, a country he openly admits being obsessed with, is something he is serious about. “My involvement in SYEA takes a lot of my time, and people sometimes ask me why I’m doing it,” he says. “It’s simply because I believe in Syria, and I believe we can and should make a difference in it: It’s our duty to make that difference.”

Did you ever live abroad?

I lived in Kuwait from 1992 to 1995, when my father worked for Le Meridien Kuwait. In 1999, after finishing high school in Damascus, I went to the American University of Beirut to study Computer Science. I spent three exceptional years there, mainly on campus, where I met the majority of my closest friends. AUB holds a very special place in my heart; every corner has a memory engraved in it. I also went to Imperial College London to do an MBA degree and lived there from 2005 to 2006. This experience was different because my colleagues were diverse, with 22 nationalities in our class and I was the only Syrian.

What is the achievement you dream of establishing?

My dream is to make Syria the place everyone wants to visit, everyone is excited about, and ultimately make everyone know why we are extremely proud of being Syrian! Syria has been going through hard times since 2005, and this is mainly due to the continuous and systematic media attacks that distort our image. During my MBA, my thesis was entitled “Branding Syrian Tourism: A Strategic Framework,” and it analyzes the competitive advantages of Syria as a tourist destination. I believe that this was a first step towards my dream, as I analyzed how foreigners see Syria and how their perceptions change after visiting it.

Looking through your life, who is the one person that influenced you the most and why?

That would definitely be my father. In fact, my mother always accuses me of being a copy of my father. I admire in him the love of giving to family, friends, strangers, and even rivals! I have spent my life seeing my father giving even in the most difficult circumstances; never expecting anything in return.

If you could, what one thing would you change in Syrian society?

I would call for more respect for and appreciation of the other.

• I value: Friendship.
• I’m fascinated by: Old Damascus.
• I would walk a thousand miles to: make an abundant future for a unique Syria.
• My favorite quote: “It’s a mistake to look too far ahead. Only one link in the chain of destiny can be handled at a time,” Winston Churchill.
• My favorite author: Mario Puzo, author of The Godfather.
• Three things that make me smile: Syria, my family, AUB.
• Three traits I admire in people: Integrity, patriotism, education.