Fouad Abdulhameed Alkhateeb

Fouad Abdulhameed Ahmad Alkhateeb (1925 - October 28, 1995), was a Saudi Arabian ambassador, humanitarian, author, and businessman. In his capacity as a diplomat, he represented his homeland in Pakistan, Iraq, the United States of America, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Republic of Turkey, the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Nepal, and finally as Saudi ambassador to Malaysia.

Fouad Abdulhameed Alkhateeb
Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Nigeria
In office 1969–1972
Monarch	Faisal of Saudi Arabia
Succeeded by	Khaled Abed Rabbo
Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Turkey[1]
In office March 1976 – June 1976
Monarch	Khalid of Saudi Arabia
Preceded by	Mohammed Said Basrawi
Succeeded by	Sheikh Muhammad Al Awadi
Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Bangladesh and Nepal
In office 1976 – 1984 in Dhaka till october 1982
Monarch	Khalid of Saudi Arabia
Preceded by	Ali Abdul Wahab
Succeeded by	Abdul Latif Abdullah Ibrahim al-Maimanee
Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Malaysia
In office 1984–1987
Monarch	Khalid of Saudi Arabia Fahd of Saudi Arabia
Succeeded by	Mohammad Reza Abu Hamyel
Personal details
Born	1925 Makkah
Died	1995 Jeddah
Spouse(s)	Mahasin Alzaraa
Children	Fatimah, Wafaa, Nadiah, Iman, Mohammed, Abdulhameed, Aisha, Abu Baker
Alma mater	Cairo University, University of Baghdad

Diplomatic career

Alkhateeb began his diplomatic career as an assistant to his father, Sheikh Abdulhameed Alkhateeb, who was at the time the first Saudi Arabian ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He was subsequently appointed as the Saudi Chargé d'affaires to the Republic of Iraq, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Baghdad. Soon after, Alkhateeb was appointed to the position of Counselor within the Saudi Kingdom's embassy in The United States; this appointment spurred his diplomatic career to new heights and he received a succession of other appointments (Nigeria, Turkey, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Malaysia).

Bangladesh

Alkhateeb was the first Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the then-newly independent People's Republic of Bangladesh in 1975, a country fresh from gaining independence from Pakistan four yearly earlier (The People's Republic of Bangladesh was formerly known as East Pakistan) [2] Through his ambassadorship position in Bangladesh, Alkhateeb left a lasting impression on the young nation's economic, religious, and humanitarian affairs. In 1981, he founded the Ibn Sina Trust and the Ibn Sina Medical Group in Bangladesh, which has grown to become one of the largest medical groups in Bangladesh today, operating multiple hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, medical equipment manufacturers, medical colleges, and universities within Bangladesh.[3][4]

Fouad Alkhateeb, contributed to the establishment of the first Islamic bank in Bangladesh in 1983, the Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd, which attracted other Saudi and Arab investors from the Persian Gulf area to contribute to its establishment.[5] This bank remains today one of the largest banks in Bangladesh, with over 250 branches, 10,000 employees, and has to successfully funded over 5 million projects throughout Bangladesh since its inception.[6] Additionally, the bank currently holds a large portfolio of Special Projects which aim to serve the country's impoverished and struggling families, which include erecting hospitals, schools, universities, and cultural centers across the country.[6]

Malaysia

Alkhateeb's final post as a Saudi Ambassador was in Malaysia; soon after, he decided to bring his foreign diplomatic career to a close and return to his family in Saudi Arabia. Upon his return, he was appointed as the Assistant Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) which was renamed in 2011 to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.[7] He then went on to become Secretary General of the General Council for Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions (CIBAFI) (which was then the International Union of Islamic Banks).

Death

On October 28, 1995, Fouad Alkhateeb died in the Saudi city of Jeddah; he was laid to rest in the city of his birth, Makkah.

References

1. Who's Who in the Arab World 2007-2008, p. 476
2. Foud, Alkhateeb. "Saudi-Bangladesh relations". Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 2012-03-24. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
3. HE Fouad Abdul Hamid Al Khatib Archived 2011-07-13 at the Wayback Machine.
4. Ibn Sina Hospital Fouad Al Khatib Unit.
5. Asharq Al-Awsat News Paper.
6. IBBL Introduction Archived 2011-08-18 at the Wayback Machine.
7. Shiekh Fouad Abdul Hameed Alkhateeb Archived 2012-03-30 at the Wayback Machine.