Poachers massacre millions annually along a critical transit corridor
Jonathan Cole
Jonathan Cole is a Non-Resident Fellow at Badil | The Alternative Policy Institute and an Investigative Journalist at The New Arab. Previously, he was a Research Analyst at the Institute and worked with the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). He holds an MSc in Modern Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Oxford and a ScotMA in Arabic and Politics from the University of Edinburgh. His research focuses on the political economy of the Arab world, with a particular interest in Lebanon’s commercial banking sector and its links to the offshore financial system.
Articles by Jonathan Cole
Sinking the Nation: How Lebanon’s Elite Offshored Their Loot
An analysis of the sprawling financial networks abroad Lebanese politicians and bankers created while steering their country toward disaster
Onwards and Upwards? The Lira’s Treacherous Route Ahead
Will Mansouri succeed where Salameh deliberately failed? Read full article
BLC
Founded: 1949 Total Assets*: US$3.50 billion Customer Deposits*: US$2.80 billion Ranking by Assets*: 16 (*as of Dec 31, 2021, ABL Almanac 2022, converted at LL1507.5/US$) Background The Abou Jaoudeh family founded BLC in 1949 under the name Banque Libanaise pour le Commerce.[1] Over half a century...
BEMO
Founded: 1994 Total Assets*: US$2.40 billion Customer Deposits*: US$1.67 billion Ranking by Assets*: 17 (*as of Dec 31, 2021, ABL Almanac 2022, converted at LL1507.5/US$) Background Banque Bemo SAL was established in 1994 by the Obegi Group, a conglomerate of companies owned by a family of the...
Saradar
Founded: 2016 Total Assets*: US$2.04 billion Customer Deposits*: US$1.73 billion Ranking by Assets*: 18 (*as of Dec 31, 2021, ABL Almanac 2022, converted at LL1507.5/US$) Background The Saradar family established its first financial enterprise in 1948 when Marius Saradar registered a joint stock...
Lebanese Swiss Bank
Founded: 1962 Total Assets*: US$2.87 billion Customer Deposits*: US$2.42 billion Ranking by Assets*: 19 (*as of Dec 31, 2021, ABL Almanac 2022, converted at LL1507.5/US$) Background Lebanese Swiss Bank (LSB) was founded in 1962. In 1973, the bank was bought by Credit Suisse and henceforth...
MEAB
Founded: 1991 Total Assets*: US$1.46 billion Customer Deposits*: US$1.41 billion Ranking by Assets*: 20 (*as of Dec 31, 2021, ABL Almanac 2022, converted at LL1507.5/US$) Background Middle East and Africa Bank SAL (MEAB) was set up in 1991 by the Hojeij family.[1] Its current chairman is Ali...