Beyond the Crown – Kassem Lahham's Role as Judge and Sponsor of Miss Universe UAE
Written by Kassem Lahham, Entrepreneur Guru
Mr. Kassem, as an entrepreneur, has contributed not only to the entertainment industry but also to the financial and banking industries and many more. He stands out with his radical client focus and broad experience with ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) individuals and their wealth management needs, gained through his work as a senior private banker since 1987.
Kassem Lahham’s involvement in Miss Universe UAE in 2024 brought together two strands of his professional life, evaluating potential and supporting creative enterprise. He served on the judging panel, and his company, BrightFlixx Entertainment, sponsored the event. Both roles supported a platform that placed women’s ambitions in the public eye.
Judge Kassem Lahham with the Miss Universe UAE contestants during the 2024 event programme.
The occasion also offered a different setting for an entrepreneur whose career has encompassed private banking, wealth management, education and entertainment. Alongside the ceremony and its photographs, his participation invites a broader conversation about how business leaders can support opportunities for women to be seen and heard.
His role on the judging panel
Lahham’s role as a judge placed him directly within the event’s evaluation process. This responsibility was separate from his company’s sponsorship. As a member of the panel, he evaluated contestants as they presented themselves and their ambitions.
A pageant gives participants a public setting in which to communicate under pressure. Confidence, preparation and the ability to express a point of view all contribute to that experience. The judging role therefore carries a responsibility to engage seriously with the women taking part and to recognise the effort behind their appearance on stage.
BrightFlixx Entertainment’s sponsorship
BrightFlixx Entertainment supported Miss Universe UAE as an event sponsor. Its involvement connected Lahham’s personal participation with the company he helped found, extending his contribution beyond his place on the judging panel.
Sponsorship is one way an entertainment business can participate in the wider cultural life around it. Events bring together performers, audiences and creative professionals while providing a setting in which new personalities can gain visibility. Supporting such a platform gives a company a practical role in bringing these experiences to audiences.
For the contestants, a public platform is a starting point. Its lasting value depends on what they are able to do with the experience, the connections they make and the audiences they reach. Business support can help make such occasions possible, while the participants give them their character and purpose.
From finance to entertainment
Lahham’s professional background spans more than three decades in international finance, with experience in private banking, wealth management and wealth and legacy planning. He has worked in Germany, Switzerland and the UAE with clients whose needs require planning for the long term and careful judgement.
Education is another part of that background. He has taught banking and finance and is associated with the Swiss Academy for Training and Evolution, bringing professional experience into a learning environment. His entrepreneurial interests also extend to technology and entertainment.
BrightFlixx represents the entertainment strand of that journey. In a published interview, Lahham described entering the film world as the fulfilment of a childhood ambition, with an interest in classic cinema that families and friends could enjoy together. His involvement in Miss Universe UAE adds an event setting to that wider engagement with media and creative enterprise.
Empowering the next generation
Women’s empowerment gains substance when visibility is accompanied by opportunities to learn, build relationships and pursue independent goals. A public event can contribute to that process by giving participants a setting in which to practise communicating their ideas and presenting themselves with confidence.
Lahham’s judging role and BrightFlixx Entertainment’s sponsorship form part of this story of participation and support. Beyond the crown, the women themselves remain central. Their ambitions, their work and the choices they make after the event give the experience its continuing significance.
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Kassem Lahham, Entrepreneur Guru
Mr. Kassem, as an entrepreneur, has contributed not only to the entertainment industry but also to the financial and banking industries and many more. He stands out with his radical client focus and broad experience with ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) individuals and their wealth management needs, gained through his work as a senior private banker since 1987. He has also played a key role in helping young people develop a business mindset and financial knowledge. One of the ways he has done this is by serving as a guest lecturer at the Gulf University of Science and Technology (GUST) and the American University of Kuwait (AUK) in Kuwait, and at the American University in Amman, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, where he gives lectures on wealth management.
