Jihad Azour (), (born 4 May 1966), is a Lebanese economist and politician, he served as Lebanon's minister of finance under Fouad Saniora's government from 2005 to 2008. He is a candidate for the 2023 Lebanese presidential elections.
Education
Azour obtained his PhD with high honours in international finance from the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris in France in 1996. While completing his PhD, he served as postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University's Department of Economics researching the integration of emerging economies in the global economy. Azour also holds a post-graduate degree in international economics and finance (with honours), and a Master's in Applied Economics from the Paris Dauphine University. The thesis he wrote then was awarded the best student research in 1987 by INSEE (the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies).
Career
Jihad Azour was the Minister of Finance of Lebanon for three years (2005–2008). He spearheaded the economic and financial program of the Lebanese Government, and coordinated the implementation of the various policies and reform initiatives. He led the preparation and the implementation of the Paris III International Conference for Lebanon, gathered more than 45 countries and IFIs, and raised US$7.6 billion of support. Jihad Azour also conducted a comprehensive modernization and reform agenda in the Ministry of Finance. The reform program was granted in 2007 the prestigious "United Nations Public Service Award".
Since 2009, Jihad Azour is member of the IMF Advisory Group for the Middle East – MEAG. He was appointed in 2012 by the President of the World Bank, member of the Independent Panel of Experts to review a broad range of issues around the Doing Business and Global Competitiveness. Azour also chaired the G8-MENA Ministerial Group for 2006–2008, which regroups ministers of Finance and central bank governors of the G8 and MENA countries.
Jihad Azour was managing director of Inventis Partners- a Private Equity and Advisory Firm (which he founded), with investments in MENA and Europe. Until the end of 2012, he was a V.P. – senior executive advisor at Booz & Company, actively involved in consulting governments, public sector organizations, central banks, financial sector and institutions, large international corporations and conglomerates. He occupied senior positions in government (minister of finance for 3 years), UNDP, and in leading private sector companies (including McKinsey and Company, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Compagnie de Saint-Gobain). He also consulted for the IMF, the World Bank and the EU. Azour published more than five books and several articles on economic and financial issues in international publications and academic journals, and has a long teaching experience at the American University of Beirut.
Jihad Azour sits on the board of various companies, universities and social institutions, among them: CMA, CGM Group (third largest international shipping company), Carnegie Middle East Advisory Council, Lebanese American University (chairman of the board of International Advisors and member of the board of Trustees), Iktissad Wal Aamal Group (member of the board of directors). He has also pioneered various projects and initiatives: Chairman of Mobile Innovation Hub, MiHub (A joint program with the World Bank Group to promote startups and technology sector in Lebanon), the Young Lebanese Entrepreneurs Program – BADER (to support Lebanese entrepreneurs). Jihad Azour is a Chevalier dans l’Ordre National de la Légion d'honneur in France.
Azour's involvement in government began in 1999 as project director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Project at the Ministry of Finance, and as senior advisor to the Minister of Finance with Georges Corm (until October 2000) and Fouad Siniora (October 2000 – October 2004). During this assignment Azour supervised and managed all reform projects within the various departments of the Ministry of Finance covering income tax modernization, budget and accounting reform, treasury management reform, debt management reform, and the automation of registry and cadastre operation. It was also during this time that the Value Added Tax was introduced.