SGBL and Mastercard signed a partnership agreement with La Sagesse Beirut Sports Club. The signing took place in the Veterans Building of Collège La Sagesse in Achrafieh, in the presence of SGBL’s Executive Management, Mastercard Senior Representatives, the management and teams of La Sagesse Club, the schools and university directors, alumni and parents, as well as the media.
The partnership was signed by Habib Khoury, Strategy and Marketing Director at SGBL, Honorary President of the Club La Sagesse Father Jean-Paul Bou Ghazaleh and President, Maroun Ghaleb, and Basel el Tell, Mastercard’s General Manager for Levant & Saudi Arabia.
This strategic partnership between SGBL, Mastercard and La Sagesse Club is one of a kind in Lebanon. In addition to supporting the men’s first division basketball team, a range of SGBL, MasterCard and La Sagesse co-branded cards will be launched in the near future as part of this partnership and will be available to fans and Club members, offering their holders many privileges. These payment cards, which are available in all SGBL branches, operate like any other normal bank card offering their holder the possibility to attend the matches that will take place in Ghazir Stadium and access the court through private entrances. In addition, this card will serve as an identity card for fans and members of the club, and will also grant them access to the Club’s new website. This range of cards illustrates the great respect of the club towards its loyal fans who never failed to be at its side.
After sharing the blessings of His Eminence Mgr. Boulos Matar, Archbishop of Beirut and Patron of La Sagesse, Fr. Jean-Paul Bou Ghazaleh welcomed this strategic partnership, saying: “Welcome to the building where you will witness the strategic partnership of our Club, which has experienced glory , titles and history, La Sagesse Club, which is no longer the ownership of La Sagesse, but of Lebanon as a whole, both residents and expatriates, and which, with Societe Generale de Banque au Liban , one of the largest banks in Lebanon and with Mastercard, the international technology company in the payment industry, which we thank and appreciate the confidence put in the potential of La Sagesse Beirut Sports Club. This long-awaited partnership by the Club that will become independent, an institution that needs not only sponsors, but also hearts that value and believe in it. I greet all the former presidents and administrators, who aimed to turn the club into an institution based on self-financing, and today the dream has become reality. For this, we wish to thank all those who have helped transforming it to reality, a recognition from the heart of Sagesse to the great heart of Mr. Antoun Sehnaoui, the son of Ashrafieh, who wanted to support a club that belongs to all; a club that was launched from Ashrafieh with the independence of Lebanon in 1943. We would also like to thank the whole Sagesse family, this true community which has always supported its club and never gave up on loving it. An institution on which we rely for the success of the institutional work and the partnership with Societe Generale de Banque au Liban and MasterCard, as well as for all the strategic work we do for the interest of the club in order to succeed and prosper as long as Sagesse remains the inspiration of education in Lebanon.
Maroun Ghaleb then started his speech, saying: “We are gathered today with great joy that will not make us forget all the bitter lessons the club has witnessed. We have agreed with those who care about the club’s interest, and after hard work, to develop a long-term strategic partnership with one of the largest and most important banks , which we have the honor to consider as our partner.We are signing today a fraternity agreement rather than an ordinary support one, with SGBL and its management who have worked for the love of this club, and associated the banking cards’ giant, Mastercard to this partnership to upgrade together, as a unit, La Sagesse Club in particular, and sports in Lebanon in general, to a level of professionalism. Our meeting today is a celebration of the beginning of a long journey that brings together three giants, in their respective fields, committing ourselves with extreme professionalism and commitment. We begin today, once again, the journey of La Sagesse Club with a clear vision and a path full of hope. We fully open our organizational plans with the great responsibility through this partnership, while hoping to succeed in the journey of this great club and to bring back the smile on the face of the Sagessians all over the world, those devoted to the schools, universities, and La Sagesse Club, those who have so long loved “their Sagesse”, and wherever it may be a Sagessian, you will find the principles of Sagesse and love of Sagesse and its accomplishments. ”
Basel El-Tell then continued: “The SGBL-Sagesse partnership was carefully designed to cater for the specific needs and requirements of the Sagesse community and the variety of products offered provide special privileges to the cardholders and truly priceless gifts and experiences.”
For his part, Habib Khoury stated: “ Year over year, SGBL confirms its leading position in encouraging and supporting sports in Lebanon, through its partnerships with numerous clubs and sports teams, as well as tournaments and sports activities throughout Lebanon. Sport values are linked with our values as bankers. It is in sports that we live team spirit, self-excellence, as well as acceptance and respect for others, where we learn, as individuals and as a team, perseverance to overcome challenges and move forward. We are pleased at Societe Generale de Banque au Liban to support sports through the establishment of partnerships with clubs or sports teams, as part of our numerous social responsibility initiatives. Our strategic partnership today with La Sagesse Beirut Sports Club, and in particular our support of the men’s first division basketball team, with our permanent partner Mastercard, confirms SGBL’s encouragement for sport in Lebanon, for the Lebanese basketball in general, and La Sagesse Club in particular, which comes from our belief in this club and its long journey. Our partnership with La Sagesse Club is not only based on financial support, but is also an exceptional and unique partnership in Lebanon. Today, with La Sagesse and Mastercard, we are launching a new concept with the highest international standards and global technologies that we find in European countries and in particular in the most renowned European clubs. We are pleased to launch today a range of co-branded cards SGBL – La Sagesse Club and MasterCard, addressed to all fans of the club and which carry more than an ordinary partnership and a banking relationship. With our tagline “Let’s Get Things Moving”, we are moving forward with this partnership to bring our cooperation up to the local level.