Adnan Kassar is a Lebanese banker, businessman and politician, who served at different cabinet posts.
16 Facts About Adnan Kassar
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Adnan Kassar's father, Wafiq Kassar, was a prominent diplomat who served as the ambassador of Lebanon in Pakistan and Turkey.
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At age 25 Adnan Kassar managed to build a business partnership with China in 1955.
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Adnan Kassar has founded and owns various companies concerning trade, shipping and travel, and industry.
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Adnan Kassar is one of the owners of the Banque Libano-Francaise together with Farid Raphael, his brother Nadim Kassar and Victor Kassir.
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Adnan Kassar served as the president of the Beirut Chamber of Commerce and Industry for nearly thirty years to which he was elected in January 1972.
7.
In January 2003, Adnan Kassar was appointed member of the patrons committee of the Anglo-Arab organisation.
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Adnan Kassar was chairman of the general union of Arab chambers of commerce, industry and agriculture and of Lebanon's economic committees.
9.
In October 2004, Adnan Kassar was appointed minister of economy and trade to the cabinet led by Prime Minister Omar Karami, replacing Marwan Hamadeh as economy minister.
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Adnan Kassar's tenure lasted until 2005 when Karami resigned from office due to the pressures exerted by Lebanese people as a protest over the assassination of Rafik Hariri.
11.
Later Adnan Kassar served as the minister of state in the cabinet led by Prime Minister Saad Hariri from November 2009 to 2011.
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Adnan Kassar was one of the cabinet members appointed by the Lebanese President Michel Suleiman.
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Adnan Kassar has been regarded as a potential prime minister since the beginning of the 2000s.
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Adnan Kassar has been given other awards, including, Commander of the Order of La Pleiade, Hungarian Order of Merit, and the prize of the Crans Montana Forum.
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Adnan Kassar is the recipient of the Business for Peace Award and was named as the honorary chairman of the Silk Road Chamber of International Commerce in 2016.
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Adnan Kassar married Raedaa Miskaoui on 14 June 1969, and they have a daughter, Roula Adnan Kassar.