Mikati Family

Najib Azmi Mikati was Lebanon’s Prime Minister in 2005 and from 2011 to 2014. He entered political life first as Minister of Public Works and Transport in 1998, a position he held until 2004. Meanwhile, he was elected as a Member of Parliament representing Tripoli from 2000 to 2005 and from 2009 to 2011.

Together with his brother Taha Mikati, Najib created the M1 Group investment firm and the Investcom company. The latter started in construction work and then sold satellite phones during the civil war and before expanding in building cell towers in many African countries. Through Investcom Holding they own 4% of the shares in LBCI and the news website Lebanon24. Investcom was listed on the London and Dubai Stock Exchange.

The M1 Group is also involved in the telecommunications sector through MTN, real estate, commercial jets and airlines retail stores, clothing brands such as Façonnable, Pepe Jeans and Hackett London, supermarkets, credit card clearing through Areeba, as well as stakes in Bank Audi. The CEO of M1 Group is Najib’s nephew and Taha’s son Azmi.

Born in 1955, Najib holds a BA and an MBA from the American University of Beirut. Forbes estimates the Mikati brothers to be the richest family in Lebanon, with an estimated net worth at $2.3 billion (Najib), and net worth at $2.4 billion (Taha).