A picture of Fouad Makhzoumi meeting Pope Francis sits on a mantel next to photos of other global figures in the salon of his multi-story mansion in Lebanon’s posh Ramlet el Baida district. Executive had asked for a meeting with the businessman, philanthropist, and politician to discuss Lebanon’s potential petroleum resources. Makhzoumi has thus far organized two conferences aiming to build consensus in Lebanon’s oil and gas sector, and is planning another conference for later this year focusing on corporate ethics in the oil and gas industry.
Makhzoumi is chairman and chief executive officer of multinational company Future Pipe Industries, a manufacturer of pipe system solutions for the water, oil and gas, and industrial sectors. He is the man behind the Makhzoumi Foundation, a local non-governmental organization providing vocational training, healthcare, and micro-financing to underprivileged individuals. His political career includes founding Lebanon’s National Dialogue Party, a self-described secular political party publishing al-Hiwar newspaper.