Tarek Ben Halim

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Tarek Ben Halim
Born	4 December 1955 Tripoli, Libya
Died	11 December 2009 (2009-12-12) (aged 54) London, England
Occupation	Investment banker
Known for	Founder of Alfanar
Spouse	Cynthia Oakes
Children	3
Father	Mustafa Ben Halim
Relatives	John Bertram Oakes (father-in-law)

Tarek Ben Halim (4 December 1955 – 11 December 2009) was a Libyan investment banker and social investor focused on social-sector projects. He founded Alfanar, the Arab venture philanthropy organization. He left the banking sector in 2000.^[1]

Early life

Ben Halim was born in Tripoli, Libya, on 4 December 1955. His mother, Yusra Kanaan, was of Palestinian descent, 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 the Libyan ambassador to France from 1958 to 1960.^[2][3]

Following the 1969 coup that brought Muammar Gaddafi to power, the family left Libya. They moved to Beirut and later settled in London. He attended Atlantic College in Wales and studied finance at the University of Warwick. He later received an MBA from Harvard Business School.^[4]

Career

Ben Halim worked in investment banking at JP Morgan, Credit Suisse First Boston, and Goldman Sachs, where he became a managing director. In 2000, he oversaw the $2 billion flotation of Turkcell, which at the time was reportedly the largest emerging-market IPO .^[5][6] In a February 2003 commentary for The Los Angeles Times, he criticized Arab governments for being “self‑serving, unrepresentative governments that have, with few exceptions, ruled the Arab world since the 19th century.” He expressed hope that removing Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq would usher in broader leadership changes across the region. He also volunteered to work with British forces.^[7]

After being appointed deputy director of private sector development within the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), Halim said he disagreed with what he perceived as the CPA’s emphasis on short‑term gains rather than establishing a sustainable framework to last beyond its tenure. He resigned after several months.^[8]

In 2004 Tarek Ben Halim founded Alfanar (meaning "lighthouse" in Arabic), an organization which supports the development of civil society in the Arab world by promoting organizations that address long-term community needs in disadvantaged areas.^[9]

Death

Tarek Ben Halim died on 11 December 2009 at the age of 54, 14 after being diagnosed with brain cancer.^{[citation needed]} He was married to Cynthia Oakes, a Princeton graduate and daughter of U.S. journalist John Bertram Oakes.^[10] In his obituary, The Guardian described him as "a man of high principle and humour".^[11]

References