Bahaa Hariri

{{Infobox person

| name = Bahaa Hariri

| native_name = {{nobold|{{lang|ar|بهاء الدين الحريري}}}}

| image = Bahaa Hariri, sawtbeirut - Aug 21, 2020.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Hariri in 2020

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|4|26|df=y}}

| birth_place = Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

| nationality = Lebanese, Saudi, French, Iraqi

| education = Boston University

| occupation = Businessman

| father = Rafic Hariri

| spouse = {{plainlist|

{{marriage|Amar Helal Shahab|||end=divorced}}
{{marriage|Donia Al-Baba|||end=divorced}}
{{marriage|Hassnah Abousabah|2014}}

}}

| children = 5

| relatives = Saad Hariri (brother)
Ayman Hariri (half-brother)
Fahd Hariri (half-brother)
Hind Hariri (half-sister)

}}

Bahaa El-Dine Rafic Al-Hariri ({{langx|ar|بهاء الدين رفيق الحريري}}; born 26 April 1966) is a Lebanese-Saudi billionaire businessman. He is the eldest son of assassinated former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, from his father's first marriage with Nida Bustani, an Iraqi national. He is the brother of former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

Since the start of the uprising in Lebanon in October 2019, Hariri has been vocal in his support of the protestors, speaking out about corruption in the political system and the failure of the state to support the people.{{Cite web|date=11 November 2020|title=The Hariri Brothers & the Future of Lebanese Politics|url=https://newlinesinstitute.org/lebanon/the-hariri-brothers-the-future-of-lebanese-politics/|url-status=live|website=New Lines Institute|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513131041/https://newlinesinstitute.org/lebanon/the-hariri-brothers-the-future-of-lebanese-politics/ |archive-date=13 May 2021 }}

He is currently listed at #1545 on Forbes' list of top billionaires.{{cite news|title=Bahaa Hariri|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/bahaa-hariri/|work=Forbes}}

Early years

Bahaa Hariri was born in Saudi Arabia on 26 April 1966. He holds a master's degree in business administration from Boston University.{{Cite web|title=Leadership Sponsor: Bahaa R. Hariri|url=https://www.ishdc.org/support-us/supporters/leadership-sponsor-bahaa-r-hariri/|url-status=live|website=International Student House|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929114245/https://www.ishdc.org/support-us/supporters/leadership-sponsor-bahaa-r-hariri/ |archive-date=29 September 2020 }} After completing his studies, he moved to work for his family Construction and Development company, Saudi Oger Ltd.

Business activities

In 2002, Hariri founded Horizon Group, a real estate holding company with investments in Lebanon, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.{{Cite web|date=4 March 2015|title=3 richest real estate tycoons in Middle East|url=https://gulfnews.com/business/property/3-richest-real-estate-tycoons-in-middle-east-1.1478927|url-status=live|website=Gulf News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150325201106/http://gulfnews.com/business/property/3-richest-real-estate-tycoons-in-middle-east-1.1478927 |archive-date=25 March 2015 }} He is the majority owner of Globe Express Services, a logistics company with a presence in more than 100 countries.{{Cite web|title=Hariri Family|url=http://lebanon.mom-rsf.org/en/owners/individual-owners/detail/owner/owner/show/hariri-family/|url-status=live|website=Media Ownership Monitor Lebanon|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200202234429/http://lebanon.mom-rsf.org:80/en/owners/individual-owners/detail/owner/owner/show/hariri-family/ |archive-date=2 February 2020 }}

He has invested in New Abdali, a planned commercial district of Amman, Jordan. The project, in partnership with the Jordanian government, focuses on the development of the old downtown district of Al-Abdali, including luxury shopping, residences, and offices.{{Cite web|date=15 June 2014|title=Developer reveals $5bn project in Jordan|url=https://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-28661-developer-reveals-5bn-project-in-jordan|website=Construction Week Online}}

In 2008, he sold his stake in Saudi Oger, the family construction business, to his brother Saad Hariri, the former prime minister of Lebanon.{{Cite web|date=12 June 2020|title=The other Hariri: Saad's brother Bahaa makes play for Lebanese prominence|url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/lebanon-bahaa-hariri-saad-brother-politics-return|url-status=live|website=Middle East Eye|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629100915/https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/lebanon-bahaa-hariri-saad-brother-politics-return |archive-date=29 June 2020 }}

In 2010, Bahaa made a pledge to create the [https://www.bu.edu/hic/ Rafik B. Hariri Institute for Computing and Computational Science & Engineering in Boston University], where Hariri is currently a member of the board of trustees.{{Cite web|date=6 December 2012|title=Trustee donates $15 million to BU for new institute|url=https://dailyfreepress.com/2010/12/06/trustee-donates-15-million-to-bu-for-new-institute/|url-status=live|website=Daily Free Press|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101215010538/http://dailyfreepress.com/2010/12/06/trustee-donates-15-million-to-bu-for-new-institute/ |archive-date=15 December 2010 }}

In May 2011, he inaugurated the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East at the Atlantic Council, a think-tank based in Washington DC. He sits on the Atlantic Council's international advisory board.{{Cite web|date=3 May 2011|title=Atlantic Council Launches Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East|url=https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/news/press-releases/atlantic-council-launches-rafik-hariri-center-for-the-middle-east/|url-status=live|website=Atlantic Council|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150408123908/http://www.atlanticcouncil.org:80/news/press-releases/atlantic-council-launches-rafik-hariri-center-for-the-middle-east |archive-date=8 April 2015 }}

In June 2017, "ABC Verdun", a shopping mall in Beirut, was launched as a joint development between Hariri's real estate company, Verdun 1544, and ABC.{{Cite web|date=19 February 2013|title=ABC comes to Verdun|url=http://www.businessnews.com.lb/cms/Story/StoryDetails/2703/ABC-comes-to-Verdun|website=Business News}}

Community support

In February 2021, Hariri made a significant donation to the Lebanese American University Medical Center (LAUMC) to help carry out its vaccination campaign to fight the COVID -19 virus.{{Cite web|date=16 February 2021|title=In Support of the National COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign|url=https://news.lau.edu.lb/2021/in-support-of-the-national-covid-19-vaccination-campaign.php|url-status=live|website=Lebanese American University|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210216153114/https://news.lau.edu.lb/2021/in-support-of-the-national-covid-19-vaccination-campaign.php |archive-date=16 February 2021 }} He also donated oxygen concentrators to the Lebanese Red Cross to alleviate the suffering of Lebanese citizens in the time of the pandemic.{{Cite web|date=29 January 2021|title=Lebanon launches online platform for vaccine registration|url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1800166/middle-east|website=Arab News}}