Aline Avak Kamakian

CEO and co-founder of FIG holding and owner and general manager of IIC sarl Beirut, Lebanon.
A food passionate, Aline Kamakian began her career as an insurance broker at the age of 18 to put herself into college. Graduated from Université Saint Joseph with a double major in Masters in Finance and Marketing. Her skills as an insurance broker allowed her to build one of Lebanon’s top 9 Brokerage Firms IIC – Insurance & Investment Consultant.
All through her successes, Aline never forgot her love for food but most importantly she never forgot her Armenian roots!
She opened in June 2003 “Mayrig” an avant guardiste traditional Armenian restaurant to introduce to all those who appreciate homely, healthy and tasty food, the forgotten flavors of Mother Armenia.
Since then, Aline has ventured into new concepts, catering in 2004, Batchig in 2013, Mayrig Boutique in 2014. She opened new branches of Mayrig in Dubai in 2013 and in Riyadh in 2016, in Maldives in 2017, Yerevan in 2018 and Cairo in 2022; with more projects to see light by the turn of the year… Aline also opened a dark kitchen and delivery brand to keep the front of the house employees in their jobs during COVID-19 quarantines. Lahmajun saw the light in 4 various locations in Beirut and in 10 kitchens in Dubai in 2020. 
Aline concentrated most of the years 2010 and 2011 to co-writing her first cook book “Armenian Cuisine” where her research for traditional recipes took her on a journey to Cilicia, present day Eastern Turkey, the ancient Armenia that her grandparents fled following the 1915 Armenian Genocide.
Throughout the Beirut explosion in Lebanon, Aline managed to keep her businesses afloat and all of her team members in their positions even though they did and are still battling permanent damages. Aline kept them all together with a moving forward spirit, while working closely with the World Central Kitchen and Chef Jose Andres to feed more than 1,000 families daily using her restaurants’ kitchens.
By the end of 2021, Aline created her own retail brand “Kamakian”, a line of high-quality Armenian products homemade by Armenian and Lebanese mothers. Kamakian engages with its products, more than 400 farmers all around Lebanon. From Anjar in the Bekaa valley to Jbaa’ in the South. From Bolonia in the Metn area to the pearly shores of Anfeh. These products are being sold in boutiques around Lebanon, Dubai and in the Maldives or at https://www.kamakian.store 
In early 2022, Aline successfully completed her corporate directors’ program by Excellence in Governance Lebanon chapter and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Aline was also voted Women Entrepreneur of the Year 2014 at the BLA – Brilliant Lebanese Awards organized by BLC bank. She is the treasurer and a board member of the LFA – Lebanese Franchise Association. Lately due to the economic situation Lebanon has been going through Aline co-founded the LPSN – Lebanese Private Sector Network with major Lebanese businesspersons to which she is the treasurer. Aline is also a board member of the LLWB – Lebanese League of Woman in Business and a successful candidate of the 2014 Vital Voices Fellowship Program.