Hassan Ballout.

Hassan Ballout is a dynamic entrepreneur and visionary leader, serving as the CEO and Co-Founder of Limestone Lab, a pioneering experience design and consultancy firm transforming hospitality, F&B, and leisure across the Middle East.

At Limestone Lab, he leads a multidisciplinary team of designers, architects, and hospitality experts, reimagining how destinations are designed, operated, and experienced. The firm’s growing portfolio includes innovative concepts such as Peaches & Cream, August, Helipad by Frozen Cherry, and Social Distrikt.

With more than a decade of experience in hospitality, brand development, and investment, Ballout is recognized for his disruptive approach to traditional models and his ability to scale groundbreaking concepts.

His leadership extends beyond Limestone Lab, having co-founded AAO Consultancy in 2023, a full-service F&B consultancy, and partnering with the lifestyle brand Monkeys Everywhere, marking his first foray into fashion.

Prior to Limestone Lab, Ballout was the Chief Growth Officer at Seven Management, where he spearheaded the regional expansion of Beirut’s beloved F&B brands, securing major franchising contracts and bringing concepts like Seven Sisters, Antika Bar, and B018 to Dubai. He also co-created multiple new brands and helped shape the regional nightlife and dining landscape.

A serial entrepreneur, Ballout co-founded Leap Nation in 2016, one of the first digital culinary platforms in the region, which developed 22 virtual restaurant brands before being acquired at a >50x return. He was also an early investor in Kitopi, the world’s leading cloud kitchen platform, achieving a 20x return on his initial investment.

His portfolio includes advisory roles and co-founding ventures such as Kitch-In (in partnership with Accor, Bulldozer Group, and Chef Izu Ani) and Kanzi, an e-commerce platform.

Beyond his ventures, Ballout is also an author and certified NLP and life coach, bringing a unique blend of strategy, creativity, and leadership to his work. A business graduate of USJ in Lebanon, he combines his academic foundation with real-world experience, having consulted for over 500 clients and brands across industries.

Today, Hassan Ballout continues to push the boundaries of hospitality and lifestyle design, building concepts that inspire communities, drive growth, and set new benchmarks for innovation.