Elie Chahwan, Managing Director, Preciosa Lighting
Ever wonder what happens when generations of business-savvy people meet the blinding beauty of crystals? Meet Elie Chahwan, the Managing Director and the force guiding Preciosa Lighting’s expansion in Saudi Arabia. For Elie, the beauty of bespoke lighting transcends the mere composition of molten sand and chemicals. Rather, it has always been a living narrative of vision, purpose, and a rich heritage. While most children might’ve been reading fairytales at a time, Elie’s Middle Eastern childhood was filled with epic family sagas—tales of grandfathers and a father who built legacies. It was in these early stories of passion and principle that he discovered the ultimate alchemy: when business is crafted with heart, it becomes an art form that truly lasts.
Today, he carries this belief forward, not with bricks and mortar, but through light and design. At the helm of Preciosa Lighting’s branch in Saudi Arabia, Elie is helping shape a new design narrative for a Kingdom in transformation. This is his story of entrepreneurship and artistic guidance, highlighting how he’s merging heritage, vision, and innovation in a fast-evolving landscape.
Rooted in Tradition and Driven by Purpose
Elie’s entrepreneurial instincts were nurtured from a young age. “Entrepreneurship has been part of my story from the very beginning,” he reflects. Growing up in Lebanon, his home always exuded an aura of business excellence. After his schooling in Lycée Français, he began university studies in Canada, where he pursued a Bachelor’s in International Business and an MBA in Marketing from UQAM, broadening his global perspective. Yet, it was his family’s consistent practice and vision that truly shaped him into the leader he is today.
Even during his student years, Elie worked within corporate settings, sharpening his understanding of how strategy and leadership overlap across different markets. But no textbook could compete with the lessons he learned from simply observing his father lead with dignity in the construction industry. Those formative years, filled with wide exposure to ambition and business ethics, didn’t just influence Elie’s direction; they defined it.
From Passion to Position at Preciosa Lighting
Building on this foundation, Elie’s career led him toward Preciosa in Saudi Arabia. Here, his perspectives on luxury, specifically in the power of light, the magic of exquisite handiwork, and the emotion it evokes became clear. This intrinsic passion found humble abode in a brand globally recognized for its Bohemian crystal artistry and contemporary design.
He began his journey with the company first as a Business Development Manager in 2019, gradually rising to Regional Manager, and now serving as the Managing Director. This progression wasn’t just a career growth but an echo of an increasing bond between personal passion and professional goals. “What motivated me was the incredible momentum we built in Saudi Arabia. It wasn’t simply about expanding the business; it was about making a meaningful contribution to a country that’s redefining luxury, design, and culture on a global scale,” Elie explains. His vision is to establish Preciosa as the golden standard in luxury lighting across the Kingdom by blending heritage and innovation.
Honoring Legacy and Embracing Local Identity
With a 300-year-old legacy in Bohemian crystal craftsmanship, Preciosa Lighting carries a longstanding history in every aspect of its chandeliers, glassmaking, and installations. However, introducing this tradition to Saudi Arabia involved more than just logistics; it demanded cultural fluency and a conscious improvisation.
“Being Arab myself gave me a unique advantage,” Elie shares. With his utmost respect for local traditions and natural understanding of the region’s visual aesthetics, he was able to guide Preciosa’s evolution in a way that resonated with Saudi clients. By blending European artisanal techniques with Saudi cultural motifs, Elie and his team have created bespoke installations that feel timeless. And the result travels beyond beauty, with each piece representing a cultural dialogue expressed through light.
Viewing Challenges as Chapters in a Bigger Story
Every entrepreneur knows that achieving a perfect result means navigating, overcoming, and often transforming a series of challenges into growth. For Elie, one of the most defining moments came with overcoming the obstacles of managing a branch in Saudi Arabia in 2021. Until then, Preciosa Lighting had contributed remotely toward prestigious projects in cities like Makkah, Madina, Riyadh, and Jeddah from its headquarters in the Czech Republic.
But creating a local office away from the company’s headquarters, in a place with different customs and traditions altogether, demanded more than just operational expansion. It required cultural empathy, firm belief, and a relentless commitment to quality. “Winning client confidence and consistently surpassing standards shaped my leadership philosophy,” Elie notes. What once seemed like barriers—such as distance, heritage, and unfamiliarity—became bridges built through genuine partnerships and shared values.
A Leadership that Listens and Inspires
Elie anchors his leadership style in empathy and responsibility. He believes leadership is about showing up with transparency and integrity, while inspiring others to do the same. “Leadership is the art of weaving together diverse talents into a unified force,” he says. Each day, he cultivates a culture where every team member feels heard, valued, and inspired to contribute to Preciosa’s development. In today’s rapidly changing Saudi market, where luxury is no longer imported but shaped locally, Elie’s collaborative approach drives his team to not only deliver products but also co-author experiences together.
Lighting the Path Forward
Preciosa Lighting’s new office experience in Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) isn’t just a business milestone; it’s a standing symbol of persistence and vision. Meticulously designed to reflect the brand’s ethos of creativity and elegance, this new space positions the firm at the heart of the Kingdom’s design renaissance.
From lavish residences to national benchmarks, Elie and his team are working on a portfolio that vows to honor tradition and open up new avenues in the country. “We’re not just crafting light; we’re creating experiences that tell of transformative stories and evoke wonder,” he states. The company’s future is bright, not just in aesthetic terms, but in its impact on Saudi Arabia’s fluid identity as a hub for artistry, design, and innovation.
Elie’s advice and message for young entrepreneurs, especially those eyeing the luxury design and manufacturing sectors, is reassuring: “Don’t just aim to participate but dare to shape.” He encourages the region’s emerging talents to blend heritage with innovation, lead with intention, and build with meaning. “Let your work reflect your culture and ambition,” Elie adds. For him, designer lighting has always been more than simple illumination; it’s been a metaphor for vision, transformation, lasting impact, and the power of crafting something enduring. And in Saudi Arabia’s promising future, Elie Chahwan’s story is just one of many that will continue to shine on ever so brilliantly.