Together We Rise
TEAM AND COMPANY PROFILE
The Levant Group
Abboud Barakat
Entrepreneur · Founder · Investor
Abboud Barakat is the Founder and CEO of GENELLE and an entrepreneur-investor whose career spans consumer genomics, biotechnology, AI-enabled health intelligence, real estate master developments, maritime logistics, commodities, and public-market investments. He holds an MBA from Regent’s College London and began his career with banking training at Arab Bank across London and Jordan, building an early foundation in corporate governance, cross-border operations, and institutional finance.
Abboud later joined the family-owned Barakat Trading Group, working across luxury retail, wholesale, and distribution in Jordan and the UAE, and gaining direct experience in European sourcing and manufacturing through Loro S.R.L. in Florence. Abboud’s development and advisory track record includes involvement in City Mall in Amman (operated within a publicly listed structure), regional representation mandates for international engineering and construction groups, and design-led real estate initiatives including a Middle East mandate for YOO (Philippe Starck / John Hitchcox).
Abboud subsequently built and exited consumer and biotech platforms across Asia and the U.S., including Salome Skincare and the genomics platforms GENEUS and MAVIE (acquired in 2021 in a transaction valued at approximately USD 20 million). Today, he continues to scale GENELLE as a privately funded, debt-free, founder-owned multi-omics platform integrating genetics, biomarkers, microbiome data, AI, wearables, and lifestyle inputs to deliver personalised longevity and performance solutions globally.
Amro Barakat
Managing Director
Amro Barakat manages global business operations for the Levant Group. His professional background is defined by the ability to bridge the gap between international partners and operational execution, ensuring that diverse assets from East African developments to luxury residences adhere to the highest standards of excellence. He holds a Master’s degree in Property Development and Valuation from Bond University in Australia, a specialised qualification that informs his technical oversight of the group’s real estate portfolio.
As a founding member of the group’s consumer genomics division, Amro was instrumental in establishing the operational framework for Genelle, overseeing the transition from genomic research to the delivery of personalised wellness solutions. He manages the operational complexities of the group’s technology interests while simultaneously driving development projects in the Seychelles and Zanzibar. His leadership is characterised by a hands-on approach to project management and a commitment to ensuring that the group’s international operations remain efficient and commercially resilient.
Dr. Victor W. Nee, PhD
Technical & Strategic Advisor
Dr. Victor Nee is a scholar-practitioner who provides technical and
operational leadership for the group’s global initiatives. A trusted partner and advisor to the founder for over twenty-five years, Dr. Nee was the pivotal figure who first introduced the group to the Chinese market, facilitating long term commercial relationships in the region. His career is rooted in bridging the gap between advanced engineering and international commerce, drawing on his background as a Professor Emeritus at the University of Notre Dame and his experience on the boards of NYSE listed corporations.
Dr. Nee specialises in the execution of complex cross-border collaborations across the Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and the Americas. His distinguished career includes facilitating the use of foundational technologies and serving as a strategic advisor to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Within the Levant Group, he remains a vital link between industry and innovation, ensuring that large-scale ventures in healthcare, energy, and infrastructure are turned into high-performing operations that meet global standards.
Stephen Hsu
Board Member and Legal Advisor
Stephen Hsu is a senior legal professional and board member who
provides critical strategic and regulatory oversight for the Levant Group’s Asian operations. As a lead lawyer at the Zongying law firm, he possesses extensive expertise in navigating the complex legal and corporate landscapes of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Since joining the group’s advisory board, he has played a central role in structuring international business agreements and ensuring robust legal compliance across diverse jurisdictions.
Based in the Asia-Pacific region, Stephen facilitates the group’s
cross-border initiatives by aligning international business models with regional regulatory requirements. His deep understanding of corporate law and institutional frameworks allows the group to execute high-value partnerships and investments with confidence. Within the board, he serves as a trusted advisor on corporate governance and strategic planning, helping to safeguard the group’s interests as it continues its expansion into new international markets.
“I’ve always believed that true success in business is about relentlessly focusing on exceptional quality, thoughtful design, and bold innovation.”
Company Profile
Overview
Levant Group is a diversified international platform built around long-term asset creation, operating execution, and strategic investments across multiple sectors. The group combines development-led businesses (real estate and master developments), asset-intensive operations (maritime logistics and ship management), trading activities (commodities), and technology-enabled wellness platforms (consumer genomics and health intelligence). Its operating model is defined by cross-border structuring, partner introductions, and disciplined governance practices developed through experience spanning family-controlled assets and public-market environments.
Geographic Footprint
Levant Group’s activities and partnerships span the Middle East, Europe, North America, East Africa, and Asia, with notable operational hubs and interests linked to Athens and Hong Kong, and development initiatives connected to Zanzibar and Seychelles. The group is built to operate across multi-jurisdiction environments—balancing local delivery with international standards, reporting discipline, and institutional counterpart expectations.
Governance & Operating Philosophy
Levant Group’s operating style is grounded in cross-border execution and governance discipline shaped by public-market exposure, including experience linked to the Amman Stock Exchange through Jordanian Specialized Investment Company. The group’s activities reflect a practical, execution-oriented approach across the full lifecycle of its business areas—from development planning and delivery, to asset operations and ship management, to commodity trading flows, to the build-out and scaling of data-driven health intelligence platforms.
Real Estate & Master-Planned Developments
Development Platform
Levant Group’s real estate strategy focuses on large-scale, master-planned projects with phased delivery structures and integrated mixed-use planning (residential, hospitality, leisure, and enabling infrastructure). Real estate development activities in East Africa are conducted through Levant Real Estate and Levant Properties, both actively engaged in projects across East Africa, with a particular focus on Zanzibar and Seychelles.
Flagship Development Focus — Zanzibar Master-Planned Island
A core initiative is a large master-planned island project in Zanzibar, structured across four development phases.
Key characteristics include:
• Island location adjacent to Zanzibar
• Approximately 15 minutes from the nearest access point to Zanzibar International Airport
• Integrated mixed-use planning (residential, hospitality, leisure, infrastructure)
• Long-term, phased delivery strategy
Architecture & Design-Led Real Estate (2005–2008)
Levant Group’s broader real estate and advisory experience also includes design-led development exposure. In 2005, Abboud Barakat signed an agreement to represent YOO (the development company founded by Philippe Starck and John Hitchcox) across the Middle East. This mandate resulted in direct involvement in landmark design-led developments, most notably Starck Tower in City of Arabia, Dubai, after which the partnership was exited. During the same period, Abboud also acted as an advisor to Siraj Capital, a Saudi real estate investment fund, contributing to projects across the GCC.
Core capabilities in this division include:
- Master planning and phased development structuring
- Consultant and contractor coordination (architecture, engineering, project management)
- Procurement facilitation and delivery oversight across borders
- Mixed-use programming aligned to long-term destination development
Maritime Logistics & Ship Management
Ship Management Platform — Levant Marine Group SAL
Levant Group operates a specialised maritime division through Levant Marine Group SAL, headquartered in Athens, Greece. The company was established to oversee and manage maritime assets connected to cement shipping and cement-related logistics, and later expanded into third-party ship management, managing international cement carriers.
Asset Origins, Financing Structure & Fleet Expansion
In 2014, Abboud extended a loan of approximately USD 10 million to CTI. The loan was repaid through the transfer of shares in CTI International, which holds a shareholding in Bosowa Batam, a cement manufacturing facility in Batam, Indonesia, owned by the Bosowa Group, one of the largest conglomerates in Indonesia.
As part of the repayment structure, ownership of specialised cement carrier vessels was established to support cement shipping and onboard packaging operations across multiple regions. Abboud continues to hold his shareholding in CTI International.
Levant Marine Group SAL:
- Initially managed vessels acquired through CTI
- Subsequently acquired additional cement carriers: Levant Suez, Levant Horizon, Levant Orient
- Expanded into third-party ship management for international cement carriers
- Remains active today as a third-party ship management company focused primarily on cement carriers and cement-related maritime logistics, headquartered in Athens
Core capabilities in this division include:
- Technical and commercial ship management (cement carriers)
- Third-party management mandates
- Cement-related maritime logistics and operational governance
- Multi-region vessel deployment oversight
Commodities & Bulk Trading
Trading Arm — Levant Resources (Hong Kong)
Levant Resources (Hong Kong) was established in 2017 as the group’s commodity trading arm. The platform is active in cement and bulk commodity trading, with a strong focus on Southeast Asia.
Market Positioning
Levant Resources works with major global cement producers including Lafarge and Holcim, supporting commercial flows where reliable logistics execution and cross-border coordination are critical.
Core capabilities in this division include:
- Cement and bulk commodity trading execution
- Southeast Asia trading focus with international counterparties
- Coordination with maritime logistics to support delivery performance
- Commercial structuring for repeatable supply relationships
Health Intelligence, Consumer Genomics & Biotechnology
Platform Evolution
Levant Group’s technology and biotech track record is built through multiple consumer and genomics platforms that progressed from distribution-enabled consumer models to more advanced, data-driven health intelligence offerings.
Salome Skincare (2010–2014)
Founded in 2010, Salome Skincare was a mineral-based skincare brand built on rare minerals sourced from Jordan, including Dead Sea minerals, and processed and manufactured in China. Salome established extensive distribution networks across China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. In 2014, Salome was exited through a licensing and distribution agreement with K-Link Group, enabling regional scale while Abboud pivoted toward genomics and biotechnology.
GENEUS — Consumer Genomics Platform (2012–2017)
In 2012, Abboud co-founded GENEUS with Dr. Marius Kambouris. GENEUS provided DNA testing, predictive and preventive wellness reports, and personalised supplements and skincare, leveraging Salome’s Asian distribution network. Due to operational complexity and limited automation at the time, the consumer-facing model was later phased out, while the platform continued in a B2B capacity.
MAVIE — Advanced Consumer Genomics Platform (2017–2021)
Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Singapore, MAVIE was developed in Boston and Concord, USA, by teams including scientists and engineers from MIT and Harvard. MAVIE delivered advanced DNA-driven health and wellness reports with corrective-action guidance, alongside ultra-premium personalised supplements and skincare. The company expanded into nine countries, achieving particularly strong traction in South Africa, Taiwan, Sweden, Hong Kong, and Singapore. In 2021, MAVIE was fully acquired by Arix, a publicly listed U.S. company, in a transaction valued at approximately USD 20 million, representing a full exit.
Current Platform — GENELLE (2021–Present)
Abboud is the Founder and CEO of GENELLE, a multi-omics health intelligence platform integrating genetics, biomarkers, microbiome data, AI, wearables, and lifestyle inputs. GENELLE delivers highly personalised health, wellness, nutrition, skincare, fitness, and longevity solutions.
Key attributes:
- 100% founder-owned
- Debt-free
- Privately funded
- Global operations
Core capabilities in this division include:
- Multi-omics integration and personalisation frameworks
- AI-enabled interpretation of biomarker and lifestyle inputs
- Operational delivery of personalised wellness outputs across markets
Platform-building from consumer-scale distribution to advanced health intelligence models
Private Equity, Public Markets & Strategic Investments
Public Markets — MMC Telecom (2015–Exit)
In 2015, through Grand Sino Ltd, Abboud acquired a 37.5% controlling stake in MMC Telecom, a company listed on Bursa Malaysia, specialising in application development and telecommunications services. The investment was held for over two and a half years and exited in full through Macquarie (Australia) in a fully disclosed public-market transaction.
Private Equity — Intermena LTD Holdings
Through Intermena LTD, Abboud has held private equity investments including:
Food & Beverage Platform — AWJ Group
AWJ Group is a large food and beverage group operating across the Middle East, North America, and Europe, controlling brands including Operation Falafel, Awani, Smoky Beach, and Cloud Kitchens. AWJ Group was exited in 2023 through a transaction with Ketopi, at an approximate valuation of USD 98 million.
Core capabilities in this division include:
- Listed-market governance familiarity and disclosure discipline
- Control and minority investment structuring
- Multi-year value creation with defined exit pathways
- Cross-sector investment evaluation spanning operations and assets
Advisory, Market Entry & International Representation (2000–2008 and beyond)
City Mall & Public-Market Exposure
Abboud was involved in the development of City Mall in Amman, a landmark mixed-use commercial project that was family-owned, with the family holding the controlling share. City Mall was listed on the Amman Stock Exchange through Jordanian Specialized Investment Company, a publicly listed entity, combining family control with public-market governance and disclosure requirements.
This created direct exposure to:
- Large-scale commercial real estate development
- Governance and reporting within a publicly listed structure
- Engagement with international construction companies
- Collaboration with architecture firms, engineering consultants, and project managers
- Contractor selection, procurement, and consultant coordination
Construction, Engineering & Agency Representation
Building on this foundation, Abboud began advising and acting as a commercial agent/representative for major international construction and engineering groups active in the region, including:
- Bouygues Construction (at the time the largest construction company in the world)
- Bouygues Offshore
- JNP (Cyprus) and other European engineering groups
Responsibilities included market entry support, strategic and commercial advisory, partner introductions, and project facilitation across the Middle East.
Catering, Infrastructure & Acquisition Advisory
In parallel, Abboud represented COMPASS Group (the world’s largest catering company) across Jordan and Iraq, advising on market entry and regional strategy, supporting bids related to the privatisation of Royal Jordanian Catering, and advising on the potential acquisition of the largest catering company in Jordan at the time (including market assessment and stakeholder considerations).
Asia & China Engagement
Abboud expanded advisory activities into Asia, collaborating with major Chinese conglomerates including:
- China Commodity Exchange
- China Putian
- NORINCO
- China State Construction
- COSCO Shipping
These engagements covered infrastructure development, mechanical engineering, commodity trading, and logistics across Gulf, Levant, and Asian markets.
Core capabilities in this division include:
- Market entry strategy and partner introductions
- Commercial representation and stakeholder alignment
- Bid and acquisition advisory support
- Cross-border coordination across complex counterpart ecosystems
Cultural Assets & Global Art Advisory
Barakat Gallery Ecosystem
Barakat Gallery is a five-generation family institution founded and established by Fayez Barakat, widely recognised as one of the world’s most prominent collectors and dealers of ancient art. The gallery holds a collective art collection valued at approximately USD 1.5 billion, spanning museum-grade ancient artefacts, antiquities, and contemporary art.
Barakat Gallery operates major galleries in:
- Los Angeles
- London
- Hong Kong
- Seoul (considered the largest gallery in Asia)
Abboud Barakat plays an active and ongoing role in global advisory and business development, advising on institutional strategy, global expansion, and new footprints in Africa and the Middle East.
Legacy Retail, Distribution & Manufacturing Foundations
Levant Group’s operational discipline is informed by earlier commercial experience within the family-owned Barakat Trading Group, operating across luxury retail, wholesale, and distribution in Jordan and the UAE. The group represented leading international brands including Canali, Loro Piana, Hugo Boss, Zegna, and Stefano Ricci, alongside high-end Italian furniture and lighting brands such as B&B Italia and Targetti.
The group also owned Loro S.R.L., a procurement and manufacturing company headquartered in Florence, Italy, where Abboud lived and worked for a period, gaining hands-on exposure to sourcing, production, quality control, and European manufacturing practices.
Our Locations
Levant has a network of office across the globe supporting its various business units.
Asia
Middle East and East Africa
The Meaning of Levant
The name Levant was chosen to reflect the geographic and cultural origins of the group, derived from the term for Orient, which signifies the area where the sun rises. Historically one of the most significant regions in the world, the Levant represents a foundation of heritage and energy. For the founder, the name resembles the sun’s rays expanding from the East, serving as a symbolic boost for a brand that originated in a historical heartland and expanded to a global scale.
The name embodies the concept of an object that produces energy out of one region to reach the entire world. This transition from local roots to international expansion is a central theme of the group’s identity. The founder’s personal affinity for the strength and sharp lines of the letter V in the spelling further reinforces the brand’s image of a precise, upward trajectory in the global market.
