H.E. Nicolas Nahas is the founder of “EDAFI Value Partners”, a business development firm managing private equity investments focusing on several industries such as FMCG, construction material and clean energy in MENA region. Previously, H.E. Nahas was the CEO of Ciment de Sibline, a prominent Lebanese cement factory and member of Secil Portuguese cement group, from 1980 until 2009 to become later a Board Member. Early in his career, HE Nahas joined Amiantit, member of the Swiss Amiantus Group, as Head of the Construction Department. This role subsequently allowed him to become the CEO of Amiantit Jordan, a leading pipe manufacturing plant in Jordan.

H.E. Nahas also played an active role in the economical public life of Lebanon in his capacity as vice president of the Lebanese Businessmen Association (RDCL) from 1991 to 1995 and also as Member of the Board of the Lebanese Industrialists Association from 1992 to 2002. He was elected as Vice President of the Association in 2010. He was appointed as the Chief Economical Counsellor of the Prime Minister of Lebanon H.E. Najib Mikati during his mandate in 2005. H.E. Nahas was then appointed Minister of Trade and Economy of Lebanon from June 2011 to February 2014 under Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

H.E. Nahas earned a degree in Civil Engineering from Saint-Joseph University in Lebanon (ESIB) in 1972 and joined the postgraduate ISMP program in Harvard Business School in 1992.