At the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, Tony Haddad, the Founder and General Manager of Technica in Lebanon, discusses how he initially started and slowly grew his automation equipment manufacturer company over the last 30 years, as well as his plans for handing it over to the next generation.

Recently ranked 7th in Lebanon by the Arabia500, Technica currently employs 140 people, covering 32 countries with 7 branches from Nigeria to Cyprus. They sell their equipment to major international companies, including Procter & Gamble, across the Arab world, India, Mexico, and other countries around the world.

Haddad started the company by first meeting the needs of the local Lebanese market, but during the Gulf War, when most U.S. and European manufacturers left Saudi, he began serving the local market there as well, gaining a reputation as a company that works during both peacetime and political uncertainty. “It’s not about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain,” says Haddad.

Since they have scaled over the last 30 years, the company now looks to a successor. Check out the video for some of Haddad’s experiential advice and to hear how Technica plans to change leadership in the next 5 years.