Salim Sfeir

Salim Georges Sfeir(Born 18 September 1944) is a Lebanese – Swiss banker and financier. He is the Chairman and Chief Executive of Bank of Beirut S.A.L in Beirut, Lebanon since 1993 and the Chairman of Association of Banks in Lebanon since June 29 2019.

Salim Sfeir was born in Sept. 18, 1944 and raised in Beirut. He received his B.S.S. degree in Economics from the Université de Montréal and his Masters of Business Administration from the University of Detroit Mercy.As an educator, Sfeir lectured at Lebanese University, Beirut University College, Haigazian College, l’Université Saint-Joseph and Le Centre d’études bancaires.

In the years to follow, he was appointed Trustee on the board of directors of The Lebanese American University (LAU), Beirut and Byblos, Vice-Chairman, Board of Trustees University of the Holy Spirit (USEK), Member of the Board of Trustees AMIDEAST and Vice-Chairman, American Friends of the Middle East, Beirut.

Sfeir has been associated with the newly commissioned Salim Sfeir Building at the School of Business Administration at USEK, The Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, being awarded Honorary degrees at both USEK and The American University of Science and Technology (AUST).

Salim Sfeir began his career in Finance with the Bank of Nova Scotia, (Years later he would acquire the Bank of Nova Scotia branch in London.) By 1980, he joined Bankmed in Beirut as Deputy General Manager. Only 3 years later, he formed Wedge Bank (Middle East) as General Manager, and in 1987 launched Wedge Bank Switzerland as Chief Executive and Vice Chairman.

The turning point came with the Management Buy-In of Bank of Beirut in 1993. This local Bank eventually expanded to 9 countries on 4 continents earning the trademark “Banking Beyond Borders.” Today, Bank of Beirut comprises more than 100 branches and strategic business units internationally.

Sfeir was committed to his Community, including particularly the Lebanese diaspora and the Bank of Beirut global network has been centered on and built around the diaspora of Lebanon.

In close association with His Beatitude Bechara Boutros Al Rahi, the Patriarch of the Maronite Church, Sfeir formed the World Maronite Foundation for Integral Development, whose mission is to harness the full potential of the Church and its adherents, to ensure funding from Lebanese nationals and the diaspora.

In 2019, Sfeir was unanimously elected as chairman of the influential Association of Banks in Lebanon

Sfeir has been recognized through many honors internationally, including:

• Inauguration of the Library of the Pontifical Maronite College in Rome

• Medal of Saint Maroun by Mar Bechara Boutros El Rai, Patriarch of Antioch

• Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters Honoris Causa, Lebanese American University (LAU)

• Knight Commander of the Pontifical Order of Pope Saint Sylvester

• Medal of the National Order of the Cedar conferred by President Michel Suleiman

• Medal of the Maronite Patriarchate, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch

• Bank of Beirut shrugs-off economic challenges
• War Chest
• People:Bank of Beirut SAL (BOB.BY)
• Lebanese Diaspora Energy Conference: Dispora in Action
• Getting the priorities right
• Bank of Beirut goes down under
• Board of Directors Bank of Beirut
• Towards positivity on Banks
• Sfeir: Tax hike on interest perilous
• Lebanese bankers warn of impact of new taxes
• Lebanon: State of play
• [1]