Said Khoury
Said Tawfiq Khoury | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Safed, Mandatory Palestine |
| Died | October 15, 2014 (aged 91) |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, philanthropist |
| Known for | Co-founder of Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) |
Said Tawfiq Khoury () (June 6, 1923 – October 15, 2014) was a distinguished Palestinian businessman and benefactor, who co-established Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC), based in Athens. He launched the enterprise alongside his cousin Hasib Sabbagh in Beirut in 1952.
CCC stands as the leading construction corporation in the Middle East and is ranked among the top 25 global contractors, generating revenues of US$5.3 billion in 2013. The firm has operations spanning more than 40 countries and employs upwards of 130,000 individuals. Khoury was recognized as a billionaire by Forbes and was ranked tenth among the wealthiest Arabs worldwide by Arabian Business in 2013. In his later years, he dedicated himself to philanthropy through The Bethlehem Development Foundation, which supports various development initiatives in Bethlehem.
Personal life
Khoury was born into a Palestinian Christian household in Safed, Mandatory Palestine in 1923, where he was nurtured with deep-rooted family principles and cultural identity. He completed his education at St. Luke's School in Haifa before pursuing engineering studies at the American University of Beirut, where he studied alongside his cousin Hasib Sabbagh. Initially, both cousins operated small-scale construction firms within Palestine.
After the creation of Israel, they moved to Beirut and started undertaking construction assignments, including work on Tripoli airport. One of their early projects involved building an oil pipe storage facility in Homs for the Iraq Petroleum Company, which led to collaboration with the international construction leader Bechtel Group. This alliance played a crucial role in transforming CCC from a modest subcontracting company into a global powerhouse.
Khoury was a father to three sons and two daughters and had fourteen grandchildren. He was notably active in supporting philanthropic causes across Palestine.
Achievements
Throughout his career, Said Khoury was honored with the Legion of Merit by Lebanon’s President and the Legion of Unity from Yemen’s President, alongside numerous other prestigious international distinctions.
He funded the Said Khoury Information Technology Center of Excellence (SKITCE) at Al-Quds University located in Abu Dis. Additionally, Khoury received the HCEF Palestinian Diaspora Award recognizing his dedication to preserving Palestinian heritage.
Positions and awards
- Three medals awarded by the Lebanese Government (1976, 2004, 2013)
- Medal conferred by Lebanon’s President (2014)
- Bethlehem Star Award granted by President Arafat
- Jerusalem Star Award presented by President Mahmoud Abbas
- Two honors from the Russian Orthodox Church, including Cesar Daniel Boskoy's medal bestowed by Patriarch Alexei II
- Medal of Peter the Great (first class) awarded by Russia
- Decoration from the Orthodox Church in Jerusalem
- Golden Medal from the General Maronite Council
- Merit Award from AUB
- Medal of St. Catherine's Order (Sinai)
- Archon Depurates Medal from Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
Honorary Doctorates
- American University of Beirut
- Lebanese American University
- Birzeit University
- Russian Federation Academy of Security, Defense, Law & Order
- Medical Foundation of Kazakhstan
Held Positions
- Governor representing Palestine at the Arab Monetary Fund
- Chairman of the International Business Group (IBG)
- Chairperson of the Board for Al Iktissad Wal-Aamal in Lebanon
- Chairman of the Palestine Electric Company based in Gaza
- Head of the Palestinian Student Fund
- Honorary Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Welfare Association, Geneva
- Honorary Chairperson of the Board of Trustees at the Institute of Palestinian Studies, Beirut
- Honorary Chair of the Board of Trustees for Al Sakakini Cultural Center
- Trustee member for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Antioch in Western & Central Europe
- Trustee member at the Palestinian Initiative for Global Dialogue & Democracy – Miftah
- Member of the Board of Trustees for the Bethlehem Foundation, Washington, D.C.
- Board member of Trustees at the Institute of Palestinian Studies, Beirut
Board Directorships
- Bank Audi, located in Beirut
- Canvest Corporation N.V., based in Canada
- Deputy Chairman, Arab Life & Accident Insurance Company, Jordan
See also
External links
- People from Safed
- American University of Beirut alumni
- Palestinian businesspeople
- Members of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch
- Eastern Orthodox Christians from Palestine
- Palestinian Christians
- 2014 deaths
- 1923 births
- Arab people in Mandatory Palestine
- Palestinian billionaires
- 20th-century Palestinian people