Born in Jal El Dib on February 27, 1952, George Zard Abou Jaoude was brought up with traditional and hard working family values that incited him to dedicate himself to his studies.
He graduated from the American University of Beirut with a BA in architecture and followed his calling by moving to Saudi Arabia in 1976, where he put his knowledge and connections to good use and kick-started his career in real-estate.
Abou Jaoude feels passionate about giving back to his society. He remains known for his famous foresight and successful financial flare and has his heart set on philanthropy.
Abou Jaoude then acquired the majority of shares at the Royal Bank of Canada in the Middle East in 1988 and thus the Lebanese Canadian Bank came to exist. He became the Chairman and general manager of the LCB until 2010 and effectively raised its standards to meet the Alpha Banks Group. Moreover, in order to have always remained up-to-date on the latest financial developments during his years at the LCB, Abou Jaoude regularly attended courses at both INSEAD and Harvard.
As a successful businessman and financially savvy entrepreneur, Abou Jaoude banked on his knowledge and experience which had helped him acquire his reputation as a real estate magnate; building, renovating and developing projects.
Over the years, he collaborated with Lebanese investors and entrepreneurs and created a flow of job opportunities for Lebanese living locally and abroad.
Aside from BeitMisk, co-developed with EMAAR and totaling over 650,000 sqm, Abou Jaoude is currently involved in over 30 cutting-edge residential, commercial and mixed-use developments and resorts.
Further down the line, his business ventures took a more diversified turn when he anchored himself in the automotive and media industries by acquiring the majority of shares of both Lotus cars in Lebanon, as well as Virgin Radio Lebanon. Abou Jaoude is a man of many interests and is driven by his ambition to fulfill his vision. He’s also deeply established as a real-estate investment manager on top of knowingly being recognized as a reference in the fields of asset management and financial management.
Last but not least, because he is so invested in his country and feels passionate about giving back to society, Abou Jaoude has sponsored a range of charitable activities over the years, all aimed at improving Lebanese living standards. Moreover, he is currently setting up his own foundation that aims to encourage and guide entrepreneurs, who will all eventually contribute to building a brighter Lebanese future by stimulating economic growth.