RaoufGhabbour, the physician businessman, was distinguished with a family-inherited trait: keeping a good reputation. In the 1950s, his father Kamal Ghabbour and his uncle SadeqGhabbour paid the entire due car installments they owed to Estody Baker although the promissory notes had been burnt in Cairo Fire in 1952. This situation has been a witness on their honesty in business field. RaoufGhabbour cited this situation as a good presentation for their work in the field of banking. When they planned to found “Ghabbour Brothers”, they submitted their request to Cairo Bank, where they had been asked about their previous businesses, they mentioned Estody Baker. The bank inquired about them, to be given the answer, “They are respectful and honest”, mentioning that they were the only people to completely pay the promissory notes that had been burnt on the due date. Thus, the bank granted them the loans they needed.
RaoufGhabbour was eager to maintain such a good reputation with everyone he dealt with, it saved him from crises; when he suffered from his first crisis in 1981, the solution came from Japan, he was told, “Raouf, you are a respectful man… We know you have lost in the current crisis all what you gained, but today, we would like to support you to rebuild your financial capabilities.” During the second crisis, the start of manufacturing “Hyundai” cars took place, with which he regained his successes, the regional director of “Hyundai Motors” in Dubai supported him after they had met to end the contract in the first place, and told him: “I am grateful to such circumstances that led me to know you. I have never met a businessman with such high level of integrity, toughness and morals.” Then he supported him before his superiors in Seoul, stressing that “RaoufGhabbour is a respectful man”, and asked to give him one-year-grace period, expecting his certain success. RaoufGhabbour recalls: “My reputation in the market has changed. The regional manager of Hyundai won the bet against his superiors… I became a title of success in Seoul and the entire region.” he affirms: “The most precious thing I learned is that reputation is more valuable than money. Many businessmen do not know that, or do not believe in this principle. I have built trust and a good reputation with merchants, suppliers and with foreign partners, and that was the reason behind my rescue and my rise.” This is what he instilled in his children. His daughter, Dina, recalls: “I learned from him that a good reputation is more valuable than the world’s money and treasures.”
RaoufGhabour loved the homeland dearly since his youth, after 1973 War broke out, still a sophomore medicine student then, he teamed up with his colleagues to volunteer in Al-Demerdash hospital, where they were distributed among the wards of wounded soldiers and officers coming from the battlefront. He was advised to sell his companies and leave Egypt during the Muslim Brotherhood’s rule over Egypt in late 2012 and early 2013, but he replied: “I am a patriotic Egyptian; I will never leave my homeland for whatsoever reasons… I will keep working among my Egyptian employees and staff… I will stay in my country in spite of anything, until last breath.” He would always say, “I do always believe in my country, in the darkest conditions I have always bet on its stability, I help in attaining this through my position, factories and companies as much as I can.”
Also, RaoufGhabbourdid not cease to do charitable deeds, secretly and publicly. He provided assistance in health programs, and supported a number of hospitals, including 57357 Hospital, supporting his wife, Mrs. Ola Ghabbour, who said about him: “He is very kind, and keen to help poor people.” Regarding his crisis, being on the verge of declaring bankruptcy, she said: “He has never refused my request, not a single time, for any donations!” This is in addition to participating in a number of charitable campaigns, helping the poor, and providing financial aid to The Face Foundation, which activities is directed to rescue and care for street children once he felt their need of support, as well ascaring about vocational education and training to qualify a number of young people in a sound and modern way.
In March 2021, he officially submitted his resignation, and his son, Nader Ghabbour, was appointed as CEO of the group. On that day, he was diagnosed with cancer tumor in the pancreas, to start a treatment journey that showed other aspects of his personality. On this point, his son, Kamal Ghabbour, says: “I dealt a lot with my father’s great qualities throughout my life, being close to him, but the way he dealt with illness, disdained aches and pains uncovered another aspect in his personality.”
RaoufGhabbour departed from our world on 9/11/2022, leaving behind inerasable impact in both business and humanitarian fields, and… stories about beautiful Egypt never end!
The General Bishop
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
