Political Novice Turned Premier
Saad Hariri, who was propelled into the heart of Lebanese politics following the assassination of his former prime minister father four years ago, was himself named to the top job on Saturday.
After the murder of his popular father, Rafik, in a 2005 bomb blast, the young tycoon took center stage in the anti-Syrian opposition, and now has two parliamentary election wins under its belt.
Three weeks after Hariri”s March 14 alliance clinched 71 out of parliament”s 128 seats in the June 7 poll, President Michel Suleiman tasked Hariri with forming a new government.
The Saudi-born Hariri initially attributed his political success to the sympathy vote for his father and five-time ex-premier, who founded al-Mustaqbal movement that his 39-year-old son now leads.
Already a success of his own in the business world, Hariri was chosen to continue the "national and political mission" of his father, who was credited with rebuilding Lebanon after the devastating 1975-1990 civil war.
Forbes magazine put Saad Hariri”s net worth at 1.4 billion dollars in its 2009 list of the world”s billionaires, down from 3.3 billion last year.
Hariri was one of the main negotiators in the formation of the unity government in May 2008, bringing to an end a political crisis that had brought Lebanon to the brink of civil war.
Hariri is a business graduate of Georgetown University in Washington, and heads his late father”s Saudi-based construction firm, Saudi Oger. One of the largest companies in the Middle East, it employs around 35,000 people.
The Hariri empire, which Saad has managed since 1996, also spans banking, real estate and media through companies such as Saudi Investment Bank, Saudi Research and Marketing Group and Future Television.
He also has his own real estate company.
Saad Hariri, who also holds Saudi nationality, was born April 18, 1970, Rafik Hariri”s second son by his first Iraqi wife.
He is married to Lara Bashir al-Adem, who hails from a prestigious Syrian family, and the couple has two children.