BEIRUT: The self-titled "Father of Lateral Thinking," Dr. Edward de Bono, arrived in Beirut on April 6 at the request of Starmanship and Associates to share his thoughts on the potential of creative thinking to help in the economic downturn. His talk at the Phoenicia was followed by an intimate reception upstairs at luxurious French restaurant Eau de Vie. Among the guests fortunate enough to hear de Bono's pearls of wisdom were Aline Sfeir, Najib Saab, Amine Khoury and Raja Haddad.