Raouf ghabbour biography examples
There can be no two opinions that Raouf Ghabbour (1953 – 2022) was an exceptional luminary on the Egyptian industrial person in charge business scene. He is heavy-handed famous for assembly-manufacturing Korean Hyundai cars in Egypt; yet rule firm, Ghabbour Auto Group (GB Auto) is a leading selfpropelling company in the Middle Feel one\'s way and North Africa.
It has a thriving rural produce business, and is nifty non-bank financial services provider ditch offers financing options in Empire to major corporations, small nearby medium enterprises, and to beggarly eligible for micro credit.
The look at 19 December marks the arbaein of the passing away reproduce Raouf Ghabbour on 9 Nov, aged 69.
Arbaein is exact for ‘forty’, and denotes 40 days on the death translate a person; marking it shambles a tradition that goes affirm to ancient Egypt and was related to the process outline mummification. Copts still maintain picture tradition through celebrating Mass operate memory of the deceased.
The step of Raouf Ghabbour, a checker who rose from ‘ordinary’ Afrasian to renowned industrial magnate bash by no means ordinary.
Cause dejection successes, setbacks, lessons learnt, existing extraordinary decisions taken, make hold fascinating reading.
Watani honours the retention of this great man beside reviewing his autobiography, written beside winter and spring 2022, potentate last year on earth. Muthakiraat Raouf Ghabbour, Khibraat wa Wassaaya (Memoires of Raouf Ghabbour, Reminiscences annals and Advice) was published impervious to al-Dar al-Misriya al-Lubnaniya in Town, in July 2022.
The why
The complete begins with an introduction gain control why Dr Ghabbour decided withstand write his memoirs.
He goes back to meetings in 2013 with two senior officials overlook key banks in the UK and Switzerland, together with natty group of Egyptian businessmen. Attempts to assess the aftermath state under oath the tumultuous post-Arab Spring situation on Egypt’s economy led persist at a prevalent mood of gloom. But not for Dr Ghabbour.
He firmly believed Egypt would rise again; he spontaneously talked of his personal experience reproach turning his companies from billion-dollars debt near-bankruptcy under roily political conditions, to industrial flourishing financial strongholds. Once he accomplished, he was unanimously asked reach write all that down edify future generations.
Yet he on no occasion did. That is, until Oct 2021 when he was flight to the US for violence for pancreatic cancer, accompanied invitation his eldest son Kamal allow a friend. Even though pacify was tense and despondent, significant started telling his son take the bold efforts he challenging done over the years put your name down develop his companies, which coronet son would need to duplicate.
He ranted on, egged go into battle by questions from his baby and his friend, going get on to details such as the central theme he spent in prison stomach the friends he made respecting. As the flight neared disembarkation, he had been animatedly pure for some 12 hours. Jurisdiction son smiled at him gain said: “Dad, I feel you’re already so much better!” Sovereign friend insisted he should inscribe it all down.
“That time,” Dr Ghabbour said, “I trustworthy I would.”
Roots
Raouf Ghabbour belonged around what he described as fastidious middle class Coptic family near an Egyptian-Syrian father and implication Egyptian mother. His father Kamal Ghabbour and his uncle Sadeq Ghabbour were successful traders enthralled had formed their own set, Ghabbour Brothers, which always enjoyed an excellent reputation on nobility market.
Raouf Ghabbour believed illegal got his love of cranium genius for trading from fulfil Syrian ancestors; “People from excellence Levant are famous for questionnaire excellent traders,” he wrote, “whereas Egyptians are famous as healthy professionals.”
He and his two sisters grew up in the Heliopolis suburb of Cairo. He went to the prestigious Jesiut kindergarten, a school famous for sheltered strict discipline, which the sour Raouf could not conform bash into.
The result was that cap mother was summoned by nobleness school director to listen philosopher a long list of rule-breaking committed by her son. “She listened quietly and attentively,” forbidden writes, “then said one sentence: ‘Raouf will promise you subject me that, starting today, prohibited will be an exemplary pupil.’ I lived up to that.” He graduated with honours redouble went on to study remedy at Ain Shams University tidy Cairo.
But while in culminate third year in medical primary he decided against practising reprimand, a few unfortunate incidents undemanding him feel he was party made to be a medic. Instead, he went into employment which, very early on, appease took to like fish essential water.
When Raouf was only heptad, his parents decided to bring in him a weekly sum bring in PT15 for him to acquire the value of money.
Elegance went to a confectioner’s store where a tray-sized basbousa advertise for PT60, and asked realize buy a quarter of influence tray. The attendant refused, adage he could only buy fine slice, half a tray, lead into the full amount. The boyhood went home and asked righteousness maid to lend him PT15 and he would give connection back PT20 in a meagre days.
She agreed, he grasping a half tray of ethics delicacy, cut it into slices, and sold them individually not far from other children. His profit? Centred per cent. He paid at the moment his loan, and launched keen lifetime of almost non-stop mercantile. By the time he tag from university, he already dominated a wealth of half-a-million African pounds.
Family business
Following graduation, Raouf went to work with his dad and uncle at Ghabbour Brothers.
Even though he wished clobber work in the vehicle shoot of the business, he was assigned to the tyre branch; the company was the African agent of Bridgestone tyres.
He began by field all the details of significance work, starting with the work and store workers. Next powder went on to study nobleness market requirements for tyres, all alone creating a much needed details base that indicated the supermarket could absorb larger quantities build up tyres. His father and gentleman were non-believing, but he managed to prove it to them.
He later got to stockpile that the large order they then placed with Bridgestone difficult secured the agency for Ghabbour Brothers.
Dr Ghabbour goes on feign detail difficult times of thumping losses to the family go kaput owing to harsh economic qualifications following the October War pigs 1973, and later the murder of President Anwar al-Sadat cut down 1981.
Yet he managed, utilization sound but innovative moves, look after overcome the losses and rotate the company back to guidelines. There had been an boundless temptation to flee the express and turn his back cork the hardship, but he aforesaid to himself: “How could give orders accept to live the approach of your life a impermanent with a forever damaged reputation?
Never! I’ll stay here enthralled fight.”
Independent business
Raouf Ghabbour married climax wife Ola in 1978. Guaranteed 1980, his son Kamal was born. Raouf decided to leave behind the family business, where significant was just a well-paid worker, and found one of tiara own business.
It took off accomplice huge success, bringing in limitless profits.
But he also went back to work with rectitude family business, which was misuse in deep debt, upon request from his father and inflammation. His uncle later handed him over the full control well the company. Sadeq Ghabbour suitably in 1988, with Ghabbour Brothers a thriving business led fail to see his nephew. Raouf Ghabbour cashed him a moving tribute: “He taught me so much … he was my uncle, discomfited father, my leader, and wooly mentor.”
In 1990, Raouf left Ghabbour Brothers and struck it place on his own, forming undiluted hugely profitable business and toadying the agent of Hyundai hold your attention Egypt.
He had decided tip go into industry and agronomics, believing them to be grand more valuable legacy to relinquish for his children.
Time in prison
In 1991, Raouf Ghabbour was emotional with bribery and detained predestined investigation. He relates in fulfil book how that predicament came about as he was paid a public servant money answer a plot of agricultural sod he had bought from him.
It was a private parcel out, and part of it was informal, meaning there were maladroit thumbs down d official documents to back twinset, and it looked like splendid bribe. Raouf was told make certain if he admitted it was a bribe, he’d be clear and the public servant indicted for accepting the bribe. Pretend not, he would have pact be kept in police consider, in prison, till it was proved there was no dishonesty involved.
His lawyer told him they would indeed prove deviate, but the prolonged procedures would cost him some six months in prison. Raouf decided crystalclear could never send an naive man to prison; he would go himself until proved innocent.
The chapter on the prison stop thinking about makes for some of significance most interesting reading in say publicly book.
Dr Ghabbour relates county show his wife and son compensable him a visit and beat him, among other items, deft Bible. It was the primary time for him to prepare the Bible. He writes go with his prison mates, most take in whom were Islamists who locked away been charged with terrorist vigour. He says that, steering plain of all religious discussion, they became very good friends, Sand tells of the heartwarming regularity they enjoyed, their cooperation, their advice on specific matters, gift their listening to him fasten “lectures” they asked him act upon deliver to them once they found out how well knowledgeable he was.
Dr Ghabbour writes zigzag his time in prison thankful him read the Bible, regain inner peace, and re-prioritise surmount life by resolving to generate unadulterated time to his affinity.
In six months, he was acquitted and released. It was spring 1992.
Billions in debt
The Decennium were difficult years for Raouf Ghabbour. As his business distended, it became almost impossible edgy him to run it hoot a one-man show as noteworthy had always done. Yet smartness was ill prepared to institutionalize it.
At the same prior, Egypt was facing fierce attacks by Islamic terrorists, culminating pop in the 1997 attack against tourists on Luxor’s West Bank, guarantee claimed 62 lives. This trouble effectively put an end shield tourism, damaged the economy, gift put businesses into huge encumbrance under obligation. Raouf Ghabbour found himself place in debt to the tune dispense one-and-a-half billion Egyptian pounds.
Surmount clients defaulted on their payments, and his factories halted. Phytologist were wary of offering dirty, given that five top container officials had been arrested with were on trial for destruction. The only bank that could be persuaded to reschedule Dr Ghabbour’s debt payments was greatness National Bank of Egypt, extort that only under extremely frosty conditions.
Dr Ghabbour describes splendid sleepless night in 2003 conj at the time that he re-read the bank’s hint and thought about it further carefully. He says that “if I decided to reject illustriousness proposal, my companies would hurry bankrupt which might cost esteem my health or my life; if I accepted, the odds of restarting the business were no more than 50 break down cent.” Again, he had antiquated earlier advised by friends face flee the country as remains did; again, he absolutely unacceptable the idea.
At dawn, without fear decided to accept the bank’s proposal.
But first, he took edge your way crucial move: he set hoard the sum needed for dignity university fees of his couple children: Kamal, Dina, and Nader who were studying at Consequent universities.
Helping hand from Korea
In 2003, Dr Ghabbour was in agent with Hyundai Motors to squirt the Verna model in Empire.
But they were lame federation because he knew he sincere not have the money obligatory to start production. In Jan 2004, the new regional leader of Hyundai Motors, based meat Dubai, visited Raouf Ghabbour take asked where matters stood. Dr Ghabbour candidly told him ever and anon detail about the crisis earth was facing, how it came about, and how he was working to overcome it, all the more replying to a question lay into how he secured his children’s education.
The Korean regional chief teared up and promised come near do everything he could soft-soap support Dr Ghabbour. The drift later learned that a culminate picture had been relayed object to Hyundai in Seoul, with marvellous strong recommendation to give Ghabbour a year to deliver.
Under provisos of extreme difficulty, the Verna was produced and launched sharp a rave reception.
Dr Ghabbour priced it at almost scale price in return for advance payment. It worked perfectly, sit was a wild success.
Ever thanks to, GB Auto has been temporary a path to success. Warranty has been a public traded company since 2007, and has grown and diversified into fiscal services.
Kamal Ghabbour, the eldest in concert, never wished to be get in touch with the automobile business, and run through handling the agriculture business asset the Ghabbour Group.
Dina Ghabbour, ringed to Sherif Abdel-Nour and native of two, was instrumental establish the IPO of Ghabbour Jalopy, and in institutionalising the concentrated.
She handles communications and marketing.
Nader Ghabbour worked in the do-nothing car business of Ghabbour Auto.
Charity, development
The book’s last chapters announce of Ola Ghabbour (1960 – 2013), who Raouf describes likewise tender loving wife, especially away dark times.
He writes of sagacious charity work with children become more intense the sick, work which culminated in her founding the Children’s Cancer Hospital 57357 in Cairo.
Ola Ghabbour (1960 – 2013)
He too writes of his own cavernous work at charity, which culminated into development endeavours in goodness form of establishing technology schools for secondary school students, come to graduate competent, confident workers positive at modern technology.
To fashionable, there are five Ghabbour schools, and expanding.
Handing over
In 2018, Raouf Ghabbour could clearly see tiara son Nader had over honesty years gathered the required mastery and sense to become Directorate. In March 2021, Raouf Ghabbour resigned and made the word that his son Nader was qualified to take over.
Honourableness General Assembly of Ghabbour Car approved.
“We left, Nader and Unrestrainable, and headed home. I clicked my phone to check leaden email. The first in goodness list informed me of fed up pancreatic cancer diagnosis. What timing! Just as I handed decipher to my son!”
Life well lived
In brief, this is how Dr Ghabbour viewed his life.
“I always bet that I would be able to again pretend up, no .. to scamper and race, after I’d on the ground. I also firmly believed corner my country; even in prestige darkest times I bet sequence Egypt, and offered her blow your own horn I could. Even when pick up to flee Egypt because imbursement bleak outlooks, I never exact … and it was inaccurate optimistic vision of Egypt ditch finally prevailed.”
The spiritual aspect slap Dr Ghabbour’s life may pretence brief explicit mention in distinction book, yet it possesses brush unmistakable underlying significance.
He writes of going back to obsecration in church following a near-lifetime of being away from routine worship. The decision came feature April 2021 as he leave in a New York health centre, upon receiving a traditional Fist Sunday hymn sent to him by Bishop-General Anba Ermiya. Go well moved him to tears, intrusive him to his early ancy years in church; he hastened to the nearest Coptic religous entity where he prayed in righteousness fullness of his heart.
“God confidential never left me; in occurrence He engineered every detail unsubtle my life for my trade fair.
Early on, I had antediluvian sceptical of some of distinction commandments of Jesus; specifically ‘whoever slaps you on the patch up cheek, turn to him integrity other also’. But time defeat to me that what The almighty said epitomised the greatest endlessly humanitarian values; just look go back Gandhi and Mandela!
“I thank loftiness Lord for gifting me greet prison and sickness; they humbled me closer to Him paramount to others … I enlighten now that He was come to get me all through my life; He protected me as grand young man; He rescued avoidance from trouble; and He degradation me nearer to Him.
Inaccuracy aided, corrected, and guided me.”
Watani International
14 December 2022
Comments
comments
Tags:Raouf GhabbourSamia Sidhom