Tarek Ben Halim

Tarek Ben Halim (4 December 1955 – 11 December 2009) was a Libyan investment banker who worked in investment banking before focusing on philanthropic work and advocating for justice and democracy in the Arab world. He left the banking sector in 2000. In 2004, Ben Halim founded ''Alfanar'', which describes itself as the first Arab venture philanthropy organization, aiming to promote a more effective and sustainable approach to development in the Arab region.

Early life

Ben Halim was born in Tripoli, Libya, on 4 December 1955. His mother, Yusra Kanaan, was Palestinian, and his father, Mustafa Ahmed Ben Halim, was a Libyan of Egyptian descent. Mustafa Ben Halim served as the Prime Minister of Libya from 1954 to 1957 and as Libya's Ambassador to France from 1958 to 1960.

Following the 1969 coup that brought Muammar Gaddafi to power, Ben Halim and his family were exiled. They initially moved to Beirut before eventually settling in London. He was educated at Atlantic College in Wales before studying finance at the University of Warwick. Ben Halim later received an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Career

Ben Halim worked in investment banking, holding positions at JP Morgan, Credit Suisse First Boston, and Goldman Sachs, where he became a managing director. In 2000, he managed the $2 billion flotation of '' Turkcell'', which was, at the time, the largest emerging market IPO.

Ben Halim’s exile from Libya, along with the stories of his mother’s flight from Palestine, reportedly influenced his belief in justice and democracy as essential tools for improving the lives and communities of the Arab world. In a commentary piece published in ''The Los Angeles Times'' in February 2003, he criticized "self-serving, unrepresentative governments that have, with few exceptions, ruled the Arab world since the 19th century.” Halim expressed the hope that the removal of Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq in 2003 would lead to similar changes in leadership across the Arab region, and he volunteered to work with the British forces. He was appointed Deputy Director of private sector development with the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA). However, Ben Halim soon became frustrated with the CPA's approach, believing "that the occupying force seemed more focused on quick gain rather than building a sustainable framework that would survive its departure." As a result, he resigned from his role after only a few months.

''Alfanar'' and investment banking

Tarek Ben Halim founded ''Alfanar'' in 2004 (meaning "lighthouse" in Arabic). The organization supports the development of civil society in the Arab world by promoting organizations that address long-term community needs in disadvantaged areas.

Death

Tarek Ben Halim died on 11 December 2009, at the age of 54, after being diagnosed with brain cancer 14 months earlier. He was married to Cynthia Oakes, a Princeton graduate and the daughter of U.S. journalist John Bertram Oakes. His obituary in ''The Guardian'' described him as "a man of high principle and humour".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ben Halim, Tarek
1955 births
2009 deaths
Libyan bankers
Libyan philanthropists
People educated at Atlantic College
Harvard Business School alumni
Deaths from brain cancer in England
Libyan emigrants to the United Kingdom
20th-century philanthropists
Libyan people of Palestinian descent
Children of prime ministers