Nadhmi Auchi
Nadhmi Auchi | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 11, 1937 Baghdad, Iraq |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, philanthropist |
| Years active | 1960s–present |
| Known for | Founding president of the Anglo Arab Organisation; creator and chairman of General Mediterranean Holding |
Nadhmi Shakir Auchi (; born 11 June 1937) is a billionaire businessman of British-Iraqi origin, recognized as the founding president of the Anglo Arab Organisation and the creator and chairman of General Mediterranean Holding (GMH), a diversified group consisting of 120 companies around the globe.
As reported by The Sunday Times Rich List in 2023, Auchi's estimated wealth stands at £1.182 billion.
Personal life
Auchi was born in Baghdad in 1937 into an Assyrian family affiliated with the Chaldean Catholic Church. His early education included Al Mansoor Primary School, Baghdad College, and Mustansiriyah University in Baghdad. In 1963, he married Ibtisam, with whom he has four children: three daughters and one son. Following an extortion attempt connected to Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti in 1979, Auchi and his family moved to London. His younger brother Naseer was executed by the Baathist regime after uncovering corruption involving al-Tikriti. Auchi acquired British citizenship in 1989 and currently lives in London.
Education and career
Auchi graduated with a B.Sc. in Economics and Political Science from Al-Mustansiriya University, Baghdad, in 1967. He began his career at the Iraqi Ministry of Oil, advancing to the position of Director of Planning and Development by 1969. In 1979, he established General Mediterranean Holding SA based in Luxembourg. Between 1996 and 2000, he held the role of vice chair at the Harvard Kennedy School of Harvard University.
Since 2002, Auchi has presided over the Anglo Arab Organisation (AAO), a charitable entity dedicated to fostering integration of British Arabs into UK society while maintaining their cultural identity. The AAO has undertaken various initiatives such as providing aid to families impacted by the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan, constructing a school in Hoceima, Morocco, and raising £35,000 for the Cancer Research Unit at Kingston Hospital in London. Auchi and AAO have also spearheaded delegations comprising Arab, British, and French officials advocating for hostage releases in Baghdad, successfully securing freedom for two French journalists and their driver in 2004.
In collaboration with the American University in Cairo (AUC) in 2007, Auchi launched the 'Nadhmi Auchi fellowship for young Arab leaders,' aimed at nurturing leadership skills among Arab youth. This fellowship covers full tuition and living expenses for ten students from Egypt and other Arab nations. The program was introduced during an annual event held at the Egyptian Embassy in London celebrating AUC accomplishments.
Honours and awards
In 1996, Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali honored him as Officer of the Order of the Republic. He was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of Independence by King Abdullah II of Jordan in 2002.
Auchi received the Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francis I (GCFO) distinction in 2003 for his efforts promoting interfaith dialogue. His English Coat of Arms gained approval from the College of Arms in 2004. That same year, Lebanese President Émile Lahoud bestowed upon him Membership First Grade of the Order of Merit (Lebanon), having previously appointed him Commander of the National Order of the Cedar in 2000. Pope John Paul II conferred upon him the title Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester (KSS) also in 2004.
In 2005, Brazil awarded him the Grao-Mestre da Ordem do Merito Anhanguera, and he was named Honorary Member of the International College of Surgeons headquartered in Chicago.
The American University in Cairo presented him with 'The Presidential Prize' in 2007 recognizing his support for higher education across the Arab region.
On 18 July 2013, Auchi was bestowed with the Freedom of the City of London. On 13 November 2014, he received appointment as Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of the Nation (KCN) from Antigua and Barbuda; however, this knighthood was subsequently rescinded by the Governor General amid controversy surrounding its awarding.
Controversies
In 2003, Auchi was found guilty of fraud connected to a $504 million corruption case involving the French energy firm Elf Aquitaine, recognized as one of the most significant political and corporate scandals in recent Western history. He was penalized with a $2.8 million fine and received a 15-month suspended prison term due to his involvement in the 1991 acquisition of Spanish oil refineries and service stations, where he was alleged to have channeled $118 million in unlawful commissions to Elf officials.
Following the judgment, Elf—subsequently merged with TotalFina and renamed Total—initiated legal proceedings against Auchi in France, while Auchi responded by filing a $327 million countersuit against Total in the UK.
See also
External links
- Pages with script errors
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- Living people
- 1937 births
- Businesspeople from Baghdad
- Harvard Kennedy School people
- British people of Iraqi descent
- British Christians
- Iraqi businesspeople
- British billionaires
- Iraqi emigrants to the United Kingdom
- Al-Mustansiriya University alumni
- Grand Cordons of the Order of Independence (Jordan)
- Knights of the Order of St. Sylvester
- Commanders of the National Order of the Cedar
- Recipients of the Order of Merit 1st Grade (Lebanon)
- People convicted of fraud
- Iraqi billionaires
- Iraqi Assyrian people
- Chaldean Catholics