Adnan Kassar
Adnan Kassar | |
---|---|
Minister of State | |
In office 9 November 2009 – June 2011 | |
Prime Minister | Saad Hariri |
Minister of Economy and Trade | |
In office 2004–2005 | |
Prime Minister | Omar Karami |
Preceded by | Marwan Hamadeh |
Succeeded by | Demianos Khattar |
Personal details | |
Born |
1930 (age 85–86) Beirut, Lebanon |
Nationality | Lebanese |
Alma mater | St. Joseph University |
Religion | Islam |
Website | Official website |
Adnan Kassar (Arabic: عدنان القصار; born 1930) is a Lebanese lawyer, businessman and politician, who served at different cabinet posts.
Early life and education
Kassar was born into a Sunni family in Beirut in 1930.[1][2] He received a law degree from St. Joseph University in 1951.[3][4]
Career
In addition to being a lawyer, Kassar is a businessman, dealing finance investments. He has founded and owns various companies concerning trade, shipping and travel, and industry. He is also shareholder with Walid Jumblatt in a cement manufacturing firm.[1] Kasser served as the president of the Beirut Chamber of Commerce and Industry for nearly thirty years; to which he was elected in January 1972.[5][6] In June 1997, he became the president of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Lebanon.[6] From 1999 to 2000, he headed the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) based in Paris.[5] On 1 January 2001, Richard McCormick, who served as his deputy at the ICC, succeeded Kassar as head of the ICC.[7]
In January 2003, Kassar was appointed member of the patrons committee of the Anglo Arab organisation.[3] In addition, Kassar and his brother are shareholders of Fransabank, a large Lebanese commercial bank. Kassar is chairman of the bank.[8] He is also chairman of the general union of Arab chambers of commerce, industry and agriculture and of Lebanon’s economic committees.[9][10]
In October 2004, Kassar was appointed minister of economy and trade in the cabinet led by prime minister Omar Karami, replacing Marwan Hamadeh as economy minister.[1][11] His tenure lasted until the year 2005, when Karami resigned from office due to the pressures exerted by Lebanese people as a protest over the assassination of Rafik Hariri.[12] Kassar was succeeded by Demianos Khattah in the post.[5][11] Later Kassar served as the minister of state in the cabinet led by prime minister Saad Hariri from November 2009 to 2011.[8] Kassar was one of the cabinet members appointed by the Lebanese president Michel Suleiman.[13]
Kassar has been regarded as a potential prime minister since the beginning of the 2000s.[1][5][14] After the resignation of prime minister Najib Mikati in March 2013, Kassar himself also announced that he is a "permanent" candidate for this post.[15] However, he was not supported by main factions such as the 14 March or 8 March alliances for the post.[12]
Awards
- Officier de la Legion d'honneur (France)[3]
- Officer, National Order of the Cedar (Lebanon)[3]
- Officer, National Order of Merit (France)[3]
- Knight Commander, Order of Merit (Italy)[3]
Kassar has also been given other awards, including, Commander of the Order of La Pléiade and the prize of the Crans Montana Forum (2000).[3]
Personal life
Kassar is married and has a daughter.[11]
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Lebanon Biographies of Potential Prime Ministers". Wikileaks. 3 March 2005. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- ↑ "Lebanon finally has a government Sulaiman's man seals the deal". Gulf News. 11 November 2009. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "His Excellency Mr Adnan Kassar". Anglo Arab. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- ↑ "Board of Directors". Fransabank Group. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
- 1 2 3 4 "Fatfat names Adnan Kassar as neutral Lebanon PM". Ya Libnan. 15 December 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- 1 2 Baroudi, Sami E. (22 September 2000). "Sectarianism and business associations in postwar Lebanon". Arab Studies Quarterly. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- ↑ "Former US West CEO Elected VP of International Chamber of Commerce; will Become President in 2 Years". PR Newswire. Geneva. 8 January 1999. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- 1 2 "Speakers". Fransabank. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- ↑ "Kassar warns against harming ties with GCC". The Daily Star. 8 March 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- ↑ "Stunted growth: Lebanon's economy at the mercy of political stability". Albawaba. 4 September 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- 1 2 3 "Former Ministers". Ministry of Economy and Trade. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
- 1 2 Hajj, Elie (4 April 2013). "Tammam Salam Likely March 14 Candidate for Lebanese Premier". Al Monitor. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
- ↑ "-Hariri Presents 30-Member Cabinet List to President Suleiman". The Daily Star. 8 September 2009. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- ↑ Shahin, Mariam (1 October 2000). "For liberty, prosperity, fraternity?". The Middle East. Beirut. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- ↑ "Kassar 'Permanent' Candidate to Premiership, Says Consensus Important". Naharnet. 24 March 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.