FED Global Thought Leadership 2016

Global Brands, Opportunities for Worldwide Impact


Global brands have the ability to shape the world and the communities in which they operate. It’s about being good stewards and having community-minded businesses. But what does it truly mean to be a global brand focused on philanthropic impact? Discover how companies are leading this discussion and implementing this philosophy.

Selim Bassoul, Chairman & CEO, Middleby Corporation

Selim Bassoul has led Middleby to tremendous growth through innovation. Under his leadership, Middleby has grown to a $2 billion global company with 60-plus brands and three business platforms.

Featured on the 2016 Nation’s Restaurant News Power List, Selim and his effective, unconventional management style has been featured in The Wall St. Journal, Fortune, Forbes and CNBC. He is The Motley Fool’s “best CEO of all time.”

Central in Selim's life is giving back. In response to the needs of 50 million refugees in the world, Middleby developed an intuitive and affordable stove that can not only cook food and purify water but also charge a cell phone without electricity. The Bassoul Dignity Foundation works to deliver the ovens to refugee camps globally. For his philanthropic work, Selim was honored with the 2016 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the World award.