Michel Chalhoub
{{Short description|French businessman (1931–2021)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Michel Chalhoub
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1931|10|09|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Damascus, Syria
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|7|30|1931|10|09|df=yes}}
| death_place = France
| nationality = French
| education =
| occupation = Businessman
| title =
| term =
| predecessor =
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| known for = Founder, Chalhoub Group
| boards =
| spouse = Widad Chalhoub
| children = 2
| website =
}}
Michel Chalhoub (9 October 1931 – 30 July 2021) was a Syrian-French billionaire,{{Cite book|last=Samet|first=Janie|title=Michel Chalhoub|publisher=Assouline|year=2008|pages=10–11}} and founder of the Chalhoub Group. As of August 2021, his net worth was estimated at US$1.1 billion.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/michel-chalhoub/ |title=Forbes profile: Michel Chalhoub |work=Forbes |accessdate=1 August 2021}}
Early life
Michel Chalhoub was born in Damascus, Syria, in 1931.
Career
Michel and Widad Chalhoub started their business in Damascus in 1955. After the successful military coup of Syria and the economic uncertainty, they were compelled to move to Beirut.{{Cite web|title=The Family Firms Ruling Fashion in the Gulf States {{!}} Global Currents, Market GPS {{!}} BoF|url=https://www.businessoffashion.com/amp/articles/market-gps/the-family-firms-ruling-fashion-in-the-gulf-states|access-date=31 July 2021|website=www.businessoffashion.com}} A decade later, due to the Lebanese Civil War, they relocated to Kuwait where the company flourished and their sons, Anthony and Patrick, joined the Group.
In 1990, after the invasion of Kuwait, followed by the Gulf War, they established an exile operation in order to keep the company going.
They ended up controlling about 20% of the region's market in luxury goods.{{cite web|url=https://www.thenational.ae/business/family-man-luxuriates-in-joint-rule-1.407354|title=Family man luxuriates in joint rule|website=The National|date=20 January 2012 |location=Abu Dhabi|accessdate=5 August 2017}}
Personal life
Death
Michel Chalhoub died on 30 July 2021, aged 89.{{cite news |title=Middle East luxury retail pioneer Michel Chalhoub dies |url=https://gulfnews.com/business/middle-east-luxury-retail-pioneer-michel-chalhoub-dies-1.1627805108787 |access-date=1 August 2021 |work=Gulf News |date=1 August 2021}} He is survived by his wife Widad and one son, Patrick.
References
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Category:French businesspeople
Category:French people of Syrian descent
Category:Syrian businesspeople
Category:French company founders
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