Fouad el-Hibri, winner of the Ernst and Young Prize for “the best entrepreneur of the year”, L’Orient Le Jour, July 3, 2009, (Translated from French)
by Irene Mossali
A name stands out in the world of science in the United States, and what is more, it is Lebanese: that of Fouad el-Hibri, CEO of a large-scale biopharmaceutical company called “Emergent BioSolutions.” For his excellent performance in this sector, he has just received the prize of “best entrepreneur of the year” awarded by Ernst and Young for the Greater Washington Area (the federal capital and its surrounding areas of Maryland and Virginia). A prestigious distinction awarded to those who have brought to full growth the business that they have taken in hand.
We meet with Fouad el-Hibri, who was passing through Beirut for a family vacation. At 51 years of age, he is thus at the head of one of the most important biotechnology firms, Emergent BioSolutions (located in the State of Maryland), which produces vaccines and therapies against diseases caused by powerful toxins such as anthrax, botulism, Chlamydia, hepatitis B, and tuberculosis. His research projects pursued in this sector and their applications have assured this firm of being the number one supplier of the American government and the only one to be authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration to manufacture the vaccine against anthrax. And that is the proof of the reliability and of the high degree of expertise of this firm when one realizes that the bacterium (Bacillus anthracis), which causes anthrax can become a biological weapon.
Since 1998, close to 8.4 million doses of this vaccine have been administered as a prophylactic measure to more than 2.1 million members of the American armed forces. In addition, 30 million doses have been acquired by the American Department of Health, which delivered them to the Center in charge of the protection of the civil population against diseases caused by biological or chemical agents. This was notably the case of the poisoned letters that were sent after September 11. And, quite recently, an African musician, who was performing in New York and who had anthrax symptoms, was treated by this center.
Lebanon on his philanthropic agenda
Regarding the prize has just received, Fouad el-Hibri says: “It is a great honor for me, all the more so because there are many biopharmaceutical companies in the region where I received the prize. I am proud of the continuous growth and of the financial soundness of our company. This success is anchored in the spirit of initiative and of full commitment of our personnel. Their contribution to our mission, which is to protect life, has earned us this reward.”
This business man has, moreover, many strings on his violin. He is part of several university committees active in the health sector. We also find him on the committee of the National Museum of Health and that of the Heifetz International Music Institute, a non-profit organization which contributes to developing the talents of young musicians. And, following the example of his late father (who distinguished himself in the world of telecommunications), he has written Lebanon on his philanthropic agenda. Ibrahim el-Hibri had offered a center to the “Association des oeuvres sociales au Liban-Orphelinat islamique” [Association of Social Work in Lebanon – Islamic Orphanage], which is built in Khaldé and which he had dedicated to his father, Yéhia el-Hibri. At present, Fouad el-Hibri has offered this same association a new center which will be built in Aramoun and which will be dedicated to his father, Ibrahim
