Fadi Ghandour

Fadi Ghandour co-founded Aramex in the early 1980s and for nearly three decades led the company as CEO, growing it into a global logistics and transportation firm operating in many countries and taking it public on the NASDAQ — marking one of the first Arab-region companies to do so. After stepping down as CEO in 2012, he turned his attention fully to supporting the region’s startup ecosystem. Under his leadership, Wamda has become a key player in the Middle Eastern venture scene, backing technology-enabled businesses, and creating infrastructure and mentorship programs to help entrepreneurs scale. Meanwhile, his Ruwwad initiative focuses on community empowerment, youth engagement and financial inclusion across Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Egypt. Ghandour’s influence spans corporate governance and philanthropy: he has served on multiple corporate and institutional boards, advocated for “corporate entrepreneurship responsibility” — the notion that corporates should support startup ecosystems and social impact — and remains a visible proponent of innovation in the Arab world. With a reputation as a bridge-builder between established business and emerging entrepreneurs, Fadi Ghandour continues to help shape a more dynamic, inclusive and connected business ecosystem in the MENA region.