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Coming from a small village in northern Lebanon, where opportunities for women were limited, Dr. Fidaa El Zein was led to believe that entrepreneurship and leadership were not paths for women. Yet growing up in a family of six daughters and facing financial strain fuelled her determination. “Instead of letting those challenges define me, I used them as fuel to move forward,” she says.
Driven by those challenges, Fidaa trained as a veterinarian and later completed a Master’s degree in Marketing and Communication, a combination that shaped her ambition to build a professional and scalable business. Today, she is the founder and CEO of VetPoint, a modern veterinary clinic that is redefining pet care in Lebanon.
Determined to create more than just a simple clinic, she launched VetPoint as a registered company, laying the foundations for growth. In just a few years, she expanded to two thriving branches in Beirut, supported by a team of nine.
VetPoint is positioned as brand designed for pet owners who consider their animals part of the family – built on innovation, prevention and compassion, offering not only treatment but also nutritional advice, diagnostics, continuous monitoring and online consultations. “Our clients are pet parents who see their pets as true family members,” explains Fidaa. “We want to give them the same quality of life they want for themselves.”
From challenges to opportunities: Digital transformation with the EBRD’s support
For Fidaa, running a veterinary business in Lebanon comes with its share of complexity. The prolonged economic crisis has influenced both costs and clients’ purchasing power, requiring resilience and careful adaptation. At the same time, Lebanon’s vibrant pet community is changing fast: more young owners are seeking preventive care and access to services online. To respond, Fidaa has accelerated VetPoint’s digital transformation, ensuring that the clinics continue to meet evolving expectations while navigating a demanding environment.
With support from the EBRD and the European Union, VetPoint undertook a digitisation project to build a full online service. Through EBRD’s Advice for Small Businesses programme, VetPoint launched a fully functional website offering e-commerce, digital reservations and online consultations, enabling the company to serve clients both in Lebanon and abroad. “The support from the EBRD made a real difference,” Fidaa insists. “We succeeded in digitising VetPoint and creating an online presence that allows us to continue serving our clients, even when they travel. It has enhanced our credibility, efficiency and growth prospects.”
Investing in people and innovation
Beyond digitisation, VetPoint is investing in technology and human capital, organising workshops for its employees on communication and client interaction, and encouraging participation in online seminars. Fidaa emphasises that employees are central to the brand: “Each employee has a role that contributes to the overall success of the company.” Looking ahead, VetPoint is participating in the EBRD Innovation Programme to assist with developing an AI-powered application to detect skin diseases in cats and dogs – a first of its kind in Lebanon and across the region.
Resilience, vision and inspiration
For Fidaa, resilience has been the key to overcoming challenges, from financial hardship to conflict. “In the hardest moments, I refused to give up,” she says. “That resilience shaped me as a businesswoman and a leader.” Her vision is clear: to strengthen VetPoint as a trusted brand in Lebanon, and expand regionally, combining veterinary expertise with technology and preventive care. By breaking barriers in a field where women leaders are rare, Fidaa is not only shaping the future of veterinary medicine in Lebanon but also inspiring a new generation of women entrepreneurs.