Ahmed Fahour
Ahmed Fahour | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1966 Lebanon |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, CEO |
| Years active | 1990s–present |
| Known for | CEO of Gurner Group; former CEO of Latitude Financial Services, Australia Post, and NAB Australia |
Ahmed Fahour (; born 1966) is a businessman of Lebanese Australian heritage. He currently serves as CEO of Gurner Group and has previously held leadership roles including managing director and CEO of Latitude Financial Services, CEO of Australia Post, and CEO Australia at the National Australia Bank (NAB).
Early life and career
Fahour was born in Lebanon in 1966 and relocated to Australia with his parents, Abdel and Siham, in 1969. His family established themselves as successful entrepreneurs in Australia and have eight children.
His education includes attending St Joseph's College, Melbourne and Samaritan Catholic College, followed by earning a bachelor's degree in Economics from La Trobe University in 1987. While working at Boston Consulting Group, he completed an MBA at Melbourne Business School in 1993. He advanced to director at BCG in 1997 and later co-managed its joint venture investment firm, Iformation.
Fahour joined NAB in September 2004 as CEO Australia and member of the executive board, stepping down from the principal board and group executive committee in February 2009. His governance experience extends to directorships at Nasdaq Dubai and Rip Curl, trusteeship at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and serving as interim CEO of the Australian Business Investment Partnership upon invitation from the Prime Minister and Treasurer.
Australia Post
In December 2009, Fahour was named managing director and CEO of Australia Post, commencing his role in February 2010. He initiated the "Future Ready" transformation program aimed at adopting a customer-focused approach to capitalize on Australia Post's reputable brand.
During his leadership, Australia Post experienced profit increases in FY2011 and FY2012 following declines in FY2009 and FY2010, notwithstanding ongoing decreases in letter volumes. However, further declines led to reduced profits in FY2013 and FY2014, prompting Fahour to advocate for government reforms to the letter service to prevent future financial setbacks.
In March 2012, Fahour launched the "Australia Post Digital MailBox" as part of a broader strategy to create a sustainable communications platform integrating both physical and digital channels. The Digital MailBox became publicly available in May 2013.
In June 2014, Fahour faced public scrutiny over his $4.8 million remuneration amid workforce reductions totaling 900 employees. By 2016, he had become the highest-paid public servant in Australia with a total compensation package of $5.6 million, which included a $1.2 million bonus.
Australia Post recorded its first full-year loss in more than three decades in 2015, with half-year profits falling by 56%, largely due to a $151 million deficit within the letters division.
In February 2017, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull publicly criticized Fahour’s $5.6 million salary as excessive. On 23 February, it was announced that Fahour would resign as managing director and CEO of Australia Post effective July 2017.
Following his departure from Australia Post, Fahour took on the role of non-executive chairman for Asia-Pacific at BCG Digital Ventures starting July 2017.
Later career
In 2011, Fahour was appointed as the Australian Government’s special envoy to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
By 2014, he assumed the chairmanship of Pro-Pac Packaging Group (PPG), was named adjunct professor at La Trobe Business School, and earned fellowship status with the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In 2017, Fahour received recognition as an Officer of the Order of Australia for his distinguished contributions to business sectors including postal communications, banking, investment, and multicultural relations.
In October 2018, he was appointed managing director and CEO of Latitude Financial Services.
Views on extremism
Fahour supports combating Islamic extremism by creating employment and opportunities for Muslim youth, highlighting that extremists distort Quranic messages, including the principle that taking the life of an innocent individual is tantamount to killing all humanity.
Personal life
Living in Hawthorn, Melbourne, Fahour owns a historically significant residence valued at $20 million, which he acquired in 2013. This property boasts important heritage connections, having been originally constructed for Sir James Frederick Palmer and subsequently owned by businessman George Coppin.
Together with his family, Fahour has contributed generously to the Islamic Museum of Australia. The museum was established and is overseen by his brother Moustafa Fahour, who previously held an executive role at Macquarie Bank. His sister, Samira El Khafir—known for her participation in MasterChef—operates the museum’s café. Additionally, Moustafa’s wife Maysaa holds the positions of chairwoman and director.
Fahour is married to Hannah and they have four children. He also has seven siblings: four brothers and three sisters.