Antoun Sehnaoui
Antoun Sehnaoui | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 3, 1972 Beirut, Lebanon |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, film producer |
| Known for | Chairman of SGBL Group; film production including Clouds of Sils Maria and The Insult |
Antoun Sehnaoui (born 3 November 1972) is a prominent Lebanese figure in banking and film production. He holds the position of chairman at the SGBL Group, which encompasses Société Générale de Banque au Liban (SGBL), Société Générale de Banque in Jordan (SGBJ), and Fidus Wealth Management. Furthermore, he leads Compagnie Financière Richelieu, a European banking entity that includes Banque Richelieu France, Banque Richelieu Monaco, and Richelieu Gestion. Sehnaoui is also a board member of the Lebanese Banking Association and belongs to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Early life and education
Born in Beirut on November 3, 1972, Sehnaoui is the son of Nabil Sehnaoui and May Chehab Sehnaoui, who traces her lineage back to Emir Bashir Shihab II. His childhood coincided with the Lebanese Civil War. He completed his secondary education at Collège Notre-Dame de Jamhour before earning a degree from the University of Southern California.
Banking
In October 2007, Sehnaoui assumed the chairmanship of the SGBL Group. Under his leadership, in 2011, SGBL acquired the majority of assets from the Lebanese Canadian Bank. The bank broadened its presence in 2017 by launching a wholly owned subsidiary within the Abu Dhabi Global Market in the United Arab Emirates, as well as entering the US market through the acquisition of Pikes Peak National Bank in Colorado. Société Générale de Banque au Liban stands as Lebanon’s third-largest bank by both deposits and assets, ranking fourth in profitability. In 2018, Sehnaoui further extended operations into Europe by acquiring Banque Richelieu in France and Monaco.
Media
Sehnaoui established NewsMedia SAL in 1998, a publishing firm that later launched Executive, an independent business magazine concentrating on Lebanon and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The publication addresses economic and financial topics across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Since 2010, Executive has been affiliated with Business Publications Audit (BPA) Worldwide. Yasser Akkaoui serves as its editor-in-chief.
Film production
As a partner at Rouge International—a production company collaborating with French actress and producer Julie Gayet—Sehnaoui also founded Ezekiel Film Production. The 2014 film Clouds of Sils Maria garnered more than 25 nominations and secured 9 awards, including a César Award for Kristen Stewart. The 2017 movie The Insult represented Lebanon as its submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards and received a nomination at the 90th ceremony.
Philanthropy and sponsorships
Sehnaoui actively supports cultural initiatives such as the Beirut International Film Festival, Beirut Art Center, French Book Fair, along with over twelve other arts and cultural festivals each year. He lent an antique bed—acquired at a Bonhams auction in London—to Ordsall Hall for a period of five years.
He is also engaged in promoting Lebanese sports through collaboration with the National Basketball Federation and contributed US$7 million in 2017 to fund a new sports facility at the Lebanese American University (LAU).
In tribute to his parents, Sehnaoui donated the Saint Charbel Makhlouf Shrine to St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City; it was inaugurated in October 2017 with attendance from Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi and Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan. The shrine includes a mosaic of Saint Charbel, symbols representative of Lebanon such as the cedar tree, along with a relic of the saint.
Moreover, he provides support to animal rights organizations.
Controversy
In 2015, George Rif, a Lebanese national, was stabbed during a road rage altercation by Tarek Yatim, who is reportedly the bodyguard of Antoun Sehnaoui. Sehnaoui has publicly denied any involvement in the incident.
There have also been allegations connecting Sehnaoui to the right-wing Christian faction Jnoud al Rab, with claims that he financed the organization. Although he did not directly refute the accusations of support, he characterized them as "fabrications and false news."