Fabien Faure

Fabien Faure is a brilliant example of someone who makes things happen.

I recruited Fabien in 2000 as a sales executive at my previous company. At the time, Fabien had no sales experience, but during the interview, I liked his character … I can still remember sitting around a big table in the London office interviewing him … he was 24 years old … a kid from Lyon, France.

At my previous company, I was a General Manager … but the job was really just a big sales director role.

For new recruits … I would do a week long training school and then on the last day, Friday … I would sit down privately with each recruit and see how they took “rejection” … often times I would tell someone …I do not think this job is a perfect fit for you … just to see how they would react.

If they said, “yea, me neither”… I saved us both time .. and told them they did not pass … as well as for the people that did not convince me, I would not pass them either …. Fabien”s Friday meeting … I can remember perfectly.

“Fabien, do you think you can do this job”… long pause … French kid biting his nails nervously, looking at the ground replies, …to be honest Scott … I don’t know…. Instantly, I stood up and shook his hand and said “the job is not for you” and I tried to push him out the door …. “wait! give me two weeks and I will prove to you that I can do this job”… Aggressively, to further test him – I replied, …I don’t need to give you 2 weeks because I know you can not do this job … it is too hard for you … so we will take a pass, but it has been nice to meet you …

Needless to say, Fabien came to work the following Monday …he sold a 79,000 euros deal on his 2nd day and within 2 months became the number one sales person in Europe.

I sent him to Chicago office for 2 weeks to experience America as well as another office
… and he sold during that period … which was exceptionally rare.

His passion was incredible … and he led his team of 4 to come to the office every morning by 6am to research and be ready for the day … this was in Nice, France. This team of 4 is probably still the most exceptionally focused team of 4 that have ever worked for me.

After 9 months or so, my boss informed me that he no longer wanted to open an office in Monaco – therefore, I was being transfered from Nice to become the GM of the office in Barcelona, thus I had to convince all staff to drop their lives and move to Spain (17 staff in total) … everyone excitedly agreed … but Fabien.

Fabien and I went for a coffee and he explained that he had a serious girlfriend and his life was in France – not Spain … on that day, I shook his hand and we parted ways…

A year later, October 2002, after being pushed out of my previous company for reasons discussed in the … naseba… section of this blog … I met Fabien for lunch in Monaco and shortly there after – Sophie, Fabien and I launched naseba.

During the past 5 years, Fabien has developed into the ultimate Managing Director. I have seen him develop from a very …French… (social) person … to someone that is nearly, if not more strict and demanding of his team than I am.

He moved permanently to Dubai in 2005 and has developed the Dubai office into a great army – the best revenue generating office in the company.

Last week in Dubai, Fabien took me to the best Iranian restaurant in Dubai (his wife is a gorgeous Iranian)… as naseba’s 5th year anniversary is nearing … we discussed the 4+ years … and all that we have achieved … all that we have learned …but we both mentioned, nearly at the same time … we still have a long way to go until we summit this mountain.

I am very proud of the man Fabien has become … and I consider Fabien to be one of my closest friends.

Fabien Faure is definitely one of the best managers/leaders I have ever worked with.