Shadi Antoine Karam is a graduate of the American University of Beirut, Columbia University and Harvard University. He has taught at the Institut d’études politiques (IEP) in Paris and at the University of Southern Europe in Monaco.

Mr. Karam has occupied the posts of Chairman and CEO of various companies in the textile, finance, defense industries, hotel ownership and management, and real estate development in Germany, France, Spain and the USA from 1981 to 1993. He was the Vice President of Merrill Lynch S.A.M., Monte Carlo, Monaco from 1993 to 2002. Mr. Karam is credited with the successful turn-around of several companies among which the Real Estate Bank of Syria and BLC Bank S.A.L., which he managed as Chairman and CEO until 2008.

Shadi Karam served as an Advisor to the President of the Republic of Lebanon, General Michel Sleiman throughout his entire term. Mr. Karam currently serves as Senior Advisor to the President of the Council of Ministers, Mr. Tammam Salam.

Shadi Karam is a member of numerous company boards in the banking, industrial and trading sectors. He is also the Vice-President of the International Chamber of Commerce Lebanon. He holds several medals from Lebanon, European and Latin American countries.