Marwan Khair El-Din contributed a significant amount of prosperity and wealth in Lebanon. In 2001, he opened a Virgin Megastore in Lebanon where he took some advice he received from fellow billionaire Sir Richard Branson, which was invaluable.

"I've seen how Richard runs his business," said Marwan Khair El-Din. "He runs a multi-billion dollar business, but he knows every day what goes on in each of his companies because of their flat structure." He continues, "So when I first met him in his office, I was very surprised that he was in a large office with no windows and no walls - that is, it was completely open."

Khair El-Din found it interesting that anyone could approach and talk to him.

“His assistant was sitting next to him, and there were no barriers or even any routine procedures between them,” Marwan Khair El-Din said. This is exactly what I followed. But unfortunately, when you come into my office today, you only see walls separating us because that's how it is in the banks. However, when no one is in my office, I keep my door open. So that anyone can enter from the youngest analyst to the highest CEO. And in accordance with the open-door policy: anyone can enter."

Marwan Khair El-Din's meeting with Richard Branson changed his life

When Marwan Khairuddin met Branson in his London offices in 2000, he assured the British businessman that the launch should be widely broadcast.

Marwan Khair El-Din advised Mr. Richard, "Richard, if you want to launch Virgin in the Middle East, it cannot be done quietly and discreetly. The store has to be opened very professionally and have a huge impact."

In 2001, Virgin Megastore opened in Lebanon, and it quickly became a cultural center in the heart of Beirut. Branson attended the opening on a black sofa that was loaded onto a red bulldozer crane bearing the iconic Virgin logo. This was followed by an elaborate display of fireworks. At the time, the late Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri described the store as a testament to the revival of Beirut, according to the portal website.

Subsequently, a Virgin Megastore opened in Saudi Arabia in 2008. "Again, Richard went there, and we launched Virgin in the Middle East, but we didn't stop at just Virgin Megastores," said Marwan Khair El-Din. In fact, Virgin Megastore became a radio station, and Virgin Radio was opened in Lebanon.

Ultimately, according to Marwan Khair El Din, Virgin created a lot of new job opportunities in Lebanon. At the height of the crisis, we employed about 400 people. He added, “We employ fewer people now because the sector has changed. So, at the time, Virgin was the place to buy anything related to entertainment: CDs, DVDs, multimedia, software, magazines, books - you name it. We even had cafes and restaurants open.”

The decline of the CD has changed the way music is sold

Over time, the entire industry has transformed as music has gone digital. Suddenly, there was no demand for CDs, and so the MP3 era took off.

People no longer buy music, they listen to music online. “They no longer buy CDs. So the whole business model has changed. And while it was changing, we were losing, mostly due to the absence of Lebanese government support for our business. We basically couldn’t control the black market where illegal copies are sold,” said Marwan Khair El-Din. CDs, DVDs, computer software, etc.

Marwan Khair El-Din soon found himself competing with the ghosts in a shrinking sector. Small shop owners were buying iPhones and Sony PlayStations in Dubai and not paying customs duties on the products. However, Marwan Khair El-Din decided to keep the Virgin Megastore in Lebanon even though the store became less competitive.

Marwan Khair El-Din said: “In certain years, I will lose some money, but I will make up for this loss in other years. In general, the levels of profit varied, but I decided to keep the store because it put Lebanon on the world map, and every time we organized an event in Virgin, it was CNN is covering the event, as well as Euronews, so that reflects a good image of Lebanon."

Marwan Khair El Din was also very proud of all the parties that Virgin Megastore hosted in Lebanon.

“From Pavarotti to Air Supply to Brian Adams, we have organized hundreds of concerts,” said Marwan Khair El-Din. And each of them made the name of Lebanon shine with beautiful news in the international media.

Growing superiority...

 The Marwan Khair El Din name is now synonymous with Virgin Megastore in Lebanon, an achievement he is still proud of even 20 years later. Although Virgin Megastore's main location in the Lebanese Opera closed in 2018, the brand remains strong in malls across Lebanon.

 “In Lebanon, when you say Virgin, then everyone knows that it refers to me,” it is my group. “Not to mention that the good reputation of Virgin helped the bank blossom,” said Marwan Khair El-Din, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al-Mawarid Bank. So my benefit was indirect, so to speak, but nonetheless, it still exists today. In every shopping center in Lebanon, there is a Virgin Megastore. We have a Virgin Megastore in Beirut Airport Free Zone, and it's still there. "

According to Marwan Khair El Din, Virgin Megastore is now a prominent place to buy books. It also sells board games, video games, cameras, Apple products, and smart devices.

Now books are very popular. Marwan Khair El-Din said: “We sell everything related to multimedia and electronics. We do not sell any kind of music, but rather nostalgic music.