Early Life
Ayman Rafic Hariri was born in Saudi Arabia on May 16, 1978. He is the second-youngest son of Rafic Hariri, a prominent businessman and former Prime Minister of Lebanon. At a young age, he moved to Lebanon. He spent his childhood in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and later moved to Paris at age 12 to attend school.
Rise to Success
Hariri pursued higher education in the United States and graduated from Georgetown University in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in computer science. In 2001, he co-founded Epok, a software platform focusing on data privacy. After his father's assassination in 2005, he returned to Saudi Arabia to support his family's construction business, Saudi Oger. He later became the Deputy CEO and Deputy Chairman of Saudi Oger. While at Saudi Oger, he oversaw major construction projects. In 2013, he left Saudi Oger and divested from the company in 2016. In 2015, Hariri launched Vero, an ad-free social media platform.
Key Business Strategies
Hariri's business strategies include technology-driven investments and strategic partnerships in telecommunications. He invests in startups through New York-based firm Red Sea Ventures. He is known for innovation in technology and telecommunications and a commitment to philanthropy. He sold his 42% stake in the family holding company GroupeMed in 2017.
Philanthropy
Hariri supports various educational and cultural initiatives.