Grassroots knowledge, firm solutions.
FACT brings forth a boutique advisory platform to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) providing exclusive, in-depth political risk insights. We identify our clients needs and tailor them to provide concrete and effective policy recommendations.
We deliver custom research based on hyper-local understandings to provide
concrete and actionable solutions to their problems.
How we do it by:
- Using our extensive range of experts working within the MENA context right now.
- Applying the appropriate methods to best address client needs.
Crucially, we know that the work does not end with a report but we work with clients
to devise the appropriate implementation through training and advisory follow-up.
The Team
Drew Mikhael, PhD.
Drew is a Lebanese-Northern Irish political anthropologist with over 15 years of experience working with both international and local organisations on violence-to-peace transitions both at grassroots and national levels in MENA and East and Subsaharan Africa. He regularly contributes scientific articles reflecting on institutional conflict management architecture and peacebuilding development practices. Drew brings a wealth of experience applying different methodologies to help clients develop the correct responses to the challenges they face.
Michel Douaihy, PhD.
Michel is an extensively published academic researcher and consultant with over 20 years of experience in teaching, training, advising, and conducting qualitative research focusing on identity politics and historical social and political transformation in Lebanon and the Arab World. In addition to his academic work, Michel has led and been part of numerous civil society initiatives in Lebanon for over 15 years. Since May 2022, Michel has been a member of the Lebanese Parliament representing the caza of Zgharta; he won his seat running on an opposition “Change” electoral list, which he co-founded, in North Lebanon’s third district. Michel is currently a member of both the foreign affairs and human rights committees in the Parliament.
Ayman Mhanna
Ayman has been the Executive Director of the Beirut-based Samir Kassir Foundation (SKF) since September 2011. SKF is the leading freedom of expression and media development NGO in the Levant region. From January 2016 to February 2017, Ayman was also the Executive Director of the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD). He is a Visiting Professor at the College of Europe – Natolin, Warsaw, teaching a course on global challenges for media freedom. He previously served as Senior Program Officer for the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (2007-2011) and was a lecturer on the Master’s program at Saint Joseph University’s Faculty of Economics, teaching Policy Development and Communications (2011-2016). He is a member of Friends of Europe’s European Young Leaders program – MENA chapter (class of 2017).