Ayman Asfari

Ayman Asfari
Born	(1958-07-08) July 8, 1958 Syria
Occupation	Businessman
Years active	1991–present
Known for	CEO of Petrofac (2002–2020)

Ayman Asfari (born 8 July 1958) is a businessman holding dual Syrian and British nationality. He served as the chief executive officer of Petrofac, an international oilfield services firm registered in Jersey that caters to the oil, gas, and energy sectors, from 2002 until 2020. After stepping down as CEO, he assumed the position of non-executive director.

Early life

Born in Syria to a diplomat father, Asfari spent his upbringing outside his home country. His initial professional experience was in Oman, where he worked as a consulting engineer with expertise in soil analysis.

He earned his undergraduate degree from Villanova University and completed a Master of Science in Civil and Urban Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. Additionally, he holds an MBA from the Wharton School at the same university.

Career

Prior to joining Petrofac, Asfari was the managing director of a prominent civil and mechanical construction company based in Oman. He became part of Petrofac in 1991 when the company operated only one facility located in Tyler, Texas. In 2001, he took ownership of Petrofac and subsequently led its initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange in 2005.

In February 2015, Forbes valued Asfari’s fortune at approximately $1.2 billion. He was honored with the UK segment of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2011.

During 2019, his remuneration from Petrofac was decreased by 45%, amounting to £980,000 compared to £1.8 million in 2018. He resigned as CEO on 31 December 2020 and began serving as a non-executive director starting January 2021.

Charity

Established in London in 2006 by Ayman and Sawsan Asfari, the Asfari Foundation is financed by their family and governed by five trustees. The foundation supports initiatives aimed at strengthening civil society, delivers urgent humanitarian aid, and provides scholarships for academic pursuits.

Politics

Between 2009 and 2017, Ayman and Sawsan Asfari contributed a total of £794,000 to the British Conservative Party. In May 2017, they made a donation of £100,000 shortly before Asfari was interviewed by the Serious Fraud Office concerning its investigation into Unaoil.

Following the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, Asfari voiced his backing for opposition forces and held discussions with President Ahmed al-Sharaa in January 2025. Media sources reported that he was considered as a potential candidate for Prime Minister within Syria's proposed technocratic transitional government.