Raymond Audi
{{Short description|Lebanese businessman and politician (1932–2022)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
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| name = Raymond Audi
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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1932|10|6|df=y}}
| birth_place = Sidon, Lebanon
| nationality = Lebanese
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| death_date = {{death date and age|2022|07|15|1932|10|6|df=y}}
| death_place =
| occupation = Businessman, banker, politician
| networth =
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Raymond Wadih Audi ({{langx|ar|ريمون عودة}}) (6 October 1932 – 15 July 2022) was a Palestinian banker, politician and businessman. He was the co-founder of Bank Audi.{{cite web |date=15 July 2022 |title=Raymond Audi, esthète et architecte de Bank Audi, est décédé |url=https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1305794/raymond-audi-esthete-et-architecte-de-bank-audi-est-decede.html |website=L'Orient-Le Jour}}
Career
Raymond Wadih Audi was born in Sidon, Lebanon.{{Cite web |title=H.E. Raymond Wadih Audi, Former Lebanese Minister of Displaced People |url=https://www.melkitecouncil.com/Catholics/h-e-raymond-wadih-audi-former-lebanese-minister-of-displaced-people/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Melkite Council |language=en-US}} His father was a banker and his mother a painter, the family banking business go back to his great-grandfather who had founded a house exchange in Sidon in 1850.{{Cite web |date=2005-12-01 |title=Raymond Audi : l'homme aux chantiers permanents - Nayla Abi Karam |url=https://www.lecommercedulevant.com/article/9529-raymond-audi-lhomme-aux-chantiers-permanents |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Commerce du Levant |language=fr}} Raymond completed a two-year internship at Banque Misr Liban, then he moved to Kuwait.{{cite web|title=وزارة المهجرين: ريمون عودة|url=http://www.ministryofdisplaced.gov.lb/Cultures/ar-LB/ministry/minister/Previous%20Ministers/Pages/ريمـــونعـــودة.aspx|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200109134355/http://www.ministryofdisplaced.gov.lb/Cultures/ar-LB/ministry/minister/Previous%20Ministers/Pages/ريمـــونعـــودة.aspx|language=ar|archive-date=9 January 2020|website=Ministry Of The Displaced}} In cooperation with his family, he founded Bank Audi in Lebanon in 1962,{{cite news |date=11 April 2017 |title=Raymond Audi steps down from bank he founded |work=An-Nahar |url=https://en.annahar.com/article/568956-raymond-audi-steps-down-from-bank-he-founded}} followed by opening two branches in Europe in the 1970s. He was the director of the bank since its founding and the chairman since 1998. He was also the chairman of the bank's Corporate Governance and Remuneration Committee. He stepped down from his position as chairman in 2017 and was succeeded by Samir Hanna.{{Cite news |date=2017-04-10 |title=BRIEF-Bank Audi says Samir N. Hanna to succeed Raymond W. Audi as chairman |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/brief-bank-audi-says-samir-n-hanna-to-su-idUKFWN1HI0DV |access-date=2023-02-01}}
Audi served in the Lebanese government as Minister of the Displaced from 11 July 2008 to 9 November 2009.{{cite web|url=http://www.pcm.gov.lb/arabic/subpg.aspx?pageid=4963|title=الوزراء المتعاقبون على وزارة المهجرين|language=ar|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215224849/http://www.pcm.gov.lb/arabic/subpg.aspx?pageid=4963|archive-date=15 December 2019|url-status=dead|access-date=11 October 2021}}
He established the Audi Foundation, which is dedicated to the promotion and preservation of traditional craftsmanship in Lebanon.{{cite web|date=22 October 2012|title=Enduring commitment {{!}} LAU News|url=https://www.lau.edu.lb/news-events/news/archive/enduring_commitment/|access-date=3 October 2021|website=Lebanese American University|language=en}}
Awards
Audi was elected the president of the Association of Banks of Lebanon in 1993. He has received awards, among them, the Euromoney's Lifetime Achievement Award,{{cite web|date=12 July 2006|title=Lifetime {{as written|Acheivement [sic]}} Award: Raymond Audi|url=https://www.euromoney.com/article/b1321zzqmw7c54/lifetime-acheivement-award-raymond-audi|access-date=24 September 2021|website=Euromoney|language=en}} and an honorary doctorate from the Lebanese American University.[http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArchiveDetails.aspx?ID=50704#15 Raymond Audi, Minister of the Displaced (Catholic, Independent)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120312030659/http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArchiveDetails.aspx?ID=50704#15 |date=12 March 2012 }}, [http://www.nowlebanon.com/ Now Lebanon].
Death
He died on 15 July 2022, at the age of 90.{{cite web |title=وفاة الوزير السابق ريمون عوده |url=https://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/lebanon/655390/%D9%88%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%B2%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%82-%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%85%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%87/ar |access-date=2022-08-21 |website=LBCI Lebanon |language=ar}}{{cite web |title=صحيفة عمون : وفاة أحد مؤسّسي "بنك عوده" ريمون عوده |url=https://www.ammonnews.net/article/693570 |access-date=2022-08-21 |website=Ammon News}}
Personal life
Audi was married and had two sons and a daughter: Pierre, Paul, and Sherine.
His brother, Paul Audi, is a writer and philosopher.{{Cite web |last=Bloch-Lainé |first=Virginie |title=Paul Audi, la traversée des appartenances |url=https://www.liberation.fr/culture/livres/paul-audi-la-traversee-des-appartenances-20220831_H2JOMQVPVNEYVL6Y6KYVU7Y3LQ/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Libération |language=fr}}
References
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Category:Lebanese Melkite Greek Catholics
Category:Lebanese businesspeople
Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour
Category:Officers of the National Order of the Cedar