MOHAMMAD A. SAFADI
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Mohammad A.Safadi
Member of the Lebanese Parliament
Minister of Economy and Trade
On November 11, 2009 H.E. Mohammad Safadi was appointed for a second term as Minister of Economy and Trade. H.E. Mr. Safadi also serves as Member of the Lebanese Parliament, to which he was first elected in 2000.
Minister Safadi was born in Tripoli, Lebanon on March 28, 1944. He graduated from Brummana High School in 1962. He later attended the American University of Beirut, where he obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1968.
Shortly thereafter, he launched his business career and went on to establish the SAFADI GROUP HOLDING SAL, which maintains investments in diverse fields covering Real Estate Development, Hotels, Information Technology, Business Aviation and Airports.
During his 10 years as Member of Parliament, Mr. Safadi was influential on a number of key economic and fiscal issues. He served as Member of the Finance and Budget Committee; and the National Economy, Trade, Industry and Planning Committee. Mr. Safadi also played an active role as Head of the Lebanese–German Parliamentary Friendship Committee; a Member of the Lebanese–Kuwaiti Parliamentary Friendship Committee, and as President of the Lebanese Section of the Arab Common Market.
Mr. Safadi was appointed as Minister of Public Works and Transport between July 2005 and July 2008, as well as Acting Minister of Water and Energy between January 2007 and July 2008. He first assumed the post of Minister of Economy and Trade on July 22, 2008 and was re-appointed to serve a second term in 2009. In this current post, Minister Safadi also takes on duties as Lebanon’s Alternate Governor on the World Bank’s Board of Governors, and as Governor on the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency’s (MIGA) Board of Governors.
Mr. Safadi has also dedicated his efforts to civil society. He is founder and Honorary President of the SAFADI FOUNDATION, a not-for-profit non-governmental organization that deals with social, medical, environmental and educational issues. The Foundation focuses on the development and unique role of the individual.
Mr. Safadi is a Trustee of the Lebanese American University, the Al Jinan University, the American Community School in Beirut, and the Entrepreneurial Training Foundation. He is also a member of the Dean’s Council of the John F. Kennedy School of Government’s at Harvard University.
Minister Safadi has been awarded the Knights Cross of the National Legion of Honor of the Republic of France, as well as the Cross of the Order of Merit from the Federal Republic of Germany.