On Monday November 20, 2017 at the Beirut Campus the School of Business, MIS department with the support of Ms. Lina Shouman and coordinator were privileged to have the presence of Mr. Bassel El Fakih and the program manager of Beirut Marathon Association to share with students the knowledge and experiences acquired within the BMA.

The guest speaker Mr. El Fakih is the IT/MyLaps Lebanon Timing Manager and has been with the association since it was founded in 2002. Within his position at BMA he has worked extensively in ensuring that the web, mobile and timing technologies reflect the unprecedented sports management of a globally recognized marathon association. With endurance and perseverance, BMA was awarded in 2014 the Silver label road race by the International Association of Athletics Federation. The association continues to provide know-how and assistance in planning and organizing events to many local and regional running organizations on a national and Middle Eastern level.

Mr. El Fakih emphasized on the imperativeness of information systems within BMA to integrate the diverse functional areas involved in managing and developing sporting events. The evolvement of sports management strategies and the interdependence with technological advancements over the last 15 years were discussed to depict the challenges and successes perceived by the association in recording the most essential element for runners, which is the time results.

As students develop within their major, Mr. El Fakih discussed the numerous internships that were provided by BMA within various departments and the importance of gaining work experience to intertwine practicality with academic curriculum.