 For those who do not know me, here is some information on my professional career and my activities in B'nai B'rith.
I had to leave Cairo, where I was born, to go to Paris on December 2nd, 1956, at the time of the Suez war because of my French nationality.
I worked during 9 years as Assistant Manager at the Lloyds Bank in Paris. In 1965, I joined a British multinational company as General Manager and Director in charge of acquisitions and sales of different companies belonging to the group, of international taxation and relationship with the banks. Although I was based in Paris, I spent many hours in planes every week. In between all this, I did find time to get married with Gabrièle (Gaby for friends) and to have two daughters, Valérie and Cécilia!
In August 1982, when the political changes occurred in France, we decided to leave Paris and move to Geneva.
I was immediately employed as General Manager in a British bank, Charterhouse Japhet (Switzerland) in Geneva and as Director of this bank in Jersey (Channel Islands) where I worked until the end of 1991. I then decided to resign and to become an independent asset and portfolio manager on January 1st, 1992. On January 1st, 1994 I created my own financial management company that still exists today. At the end of 1998 I "officially" retired. In March 2003 I acquired the Swiss nationality, and now I have dual nationality.
Since then, I have been going to the office every day mainly to handle, if not to say only to handle, B'nai B'rith business.
My activities in B'nai B'rith
I joined the Henry Dunant Lodge in Geneva in November 1984. After having served in all the positions in the Lodge, I was elected President in June 1993 for 2 years. I therefore had the great pleasure to organise a wonderful evening to celebrate B'nai B'rith International's 150th anniversary.
From November 1997 to November 1999 I was elected to the Executive Committee of District 19 with the position of Treasurer.
In November 1999 I was elected to the Executive Committee of B'nai B'rith Europe for 2000 and 2001, then re-elected for 2002 and 2003 as Chair of the Finance Commission (position that I am still holding today).
In October 2002 I joined the International Board of Governors of B'nai B'rith International to represent B'nai B'rith Europe (position that I am still holding today).
In October 2003 I was elected Senior Vice President of B'nai B'rith Europe for 2004 and 2005.
In October 2005 I was re-elected to this same position for 2006 and 2007.
To sum up, my activities are:
- As member of the Constitution Commission, I take part in the modification of the B'nai B'rith Europe Constitution, which takes up a lot of time.
- As Chairman of the Financial Commission I take care of the link between the European Lodges, B'nai B'rith France, B'nai B'rith UK and B'nai B'rith International.
- Together with the Treasurer, I take part in setting up budgets, financial accounts and the balance sheets of B'nai B'rith Europe.
- Together with our office in Brussels, we organise every detail of our Conventions! After Israel and Madrid, we hope we will have the same success in Bucharest where our next Convention will probably take place (May 2008?).
- I also hold the financial responsibility for Eastern Europe, first handling the funds received from the Dutch Government, and now the donations received for Ukraine.
- I am also a member of the team of volunteers (a group of 6 from the Geneva Lodge) in charge of the B'nai B'rith International structure at the U.N. in Geneva. We are accredited at the "Council of Human Rights" created in June 2006 to replace the "Commission for Human Rights". Unfortunately we have noticed that this new Council is following the same mistakes and faults of the former Commission and is continuing to castigate the State of Israel.
- By delegation received from the Secretary General, I supervise the office in Brussels.
- B'nai B'rith International has elected me as a member of the Commission in charge of revising the American Constitution to modify the electoral rules and the length of the different mandates.
- I have just been elected alternate in the Nominating Committee of B'nai B'rith International, which is in charge of studying the files of candidates for the 2007-2009 period (positions of President, Senior Vice Presidents, Treasurer and President of the International Court of Appeal) and to nominate candidates to the elections that will take place from December 3rd to December 5th, 2006 in New Orleans. This Convention is open to all members of B'nai B'rith from all countries, to their families and to all their friends even if they are not members of B'nai B'rith.
Before ending, I would like to share with you my deepest wishes for B'nai B'rith:
- May a really fraternal relationship develop among all members and all Lodges, without reservation, without mistrust and without bitter and non constructive criticism.
- May Jewish youth take part in our activities in a much more important way and may B.B.Y.O. be a breeding-ground for future leaders of B'nai B'rith and Jewish Communities.
- May B'nai B'rith always defend the State of Israel and the Jewish people in the world.
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