Ahmed Fahour

Ahmed Fahour is an Australian of Lebanese descent, and is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian operations of the National Australia Bank (NAB).

Fahour's family migrated to Australia when he was an infant. [cite web |title=Ahmad Fahour - NAB Executive |url=http://www.nab.com.au/vgnmedia/downld/ACOSS_speech_090408_Final.pdf |publisher=NAB |format=PDF |date=2008-04-09]

"Fahour is the product of immigrant parents from Lebanon. He is close to both, but describes his mother as the secret to his success. When his father was involved in a serious car accident, his mother, who had eight children to raise, had to find a full-time job. She often calls on Allah to bless her son, and when Fahour says "be good to your mother", he really means it. After the accident the family banded together."

He studied at St Joseph's College in North Fitzroy, and later attended Redden College in Preston (now called Samaritan Catholic College). After high school, he attended Latrobe University in Melbourne from 1984. After a brief spell as a graduate trainee at the ANZ Bank, he went on to complete his Master of Business Administration degree (MBA) at Melbourne Business School in 1993 while working for Boston Consulting Group. He became a director of the group in 1997 and spent a year as Co-Managing Director of its joint-venture investment company, Iformation. While at BCG, he worked closely with many other Australian business people, including Colin Carter, George Pappas, Maurie Koop, and Mark Joiner.

He joined Citigroup in 2000 as senior vice-president of corporate development in New York, at the age of 36. In February 2004 Fahour was named chief executive of Citigroup Australia. After that, he left to become CEO of NAB's Australian operations.

As part of his deal to join NAB, Fahour received an upfront payment for what he would reportedly have received had he stayed at Citigroup: a cash payment of $3.9 million in January 2005, plus options and shares worth $9.5 million over the next four years. NAB offered him a four-year contract worth about $34 million if he meets all performance targets, otherwise earning $1.5 million per year if targets are not met.cite web |work=Inside Business |title=Fahour reflects on NAB success |url=http://www.abc.net.au/insidebusiness/content/2005/s1327453.htm |first=Luisa |last=Saccotelli |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=2005-03-20 |accessdate=2007-06-30]

On 31 July 2008 Fahour was passed over for the job of NAB Chief Executive Officer in favour of Cameron Clyne who has been the head of National Australia Bank's much smaller New Zealand operations. The appointment of Clyne was seen as a surprise to some in the business community, as Fahour was seemingly being groomed for the top job. The Financial Review reported that by early in 2008, Fahour was telling friends that he didn't join NAB to become Chief Executive, and was happy within his role, whilst being able to focus time on his community endeavours and family.

Fahour is among the highest-paid executives in Australia, running the biggest division of one of the country's four major banks. He started work in the role on 1 September 2004. [cite web |url=http://www.nabgroup.com/0,,34695,00.html |publisher=NAB Group |accessdate=2007-06-30 |title=Group Executive Committee] He was ranked 54 in Business Review Weekly's for 2004.Fact|date=June 2007

He is also a high profile member of the Australian Football League (AFL) club Carlton Football Club and presented the NAB Pre-season Premiership Cup to victorious Carlton FC captain Lance Whitnall in March 2007.Fact|date=June 2007

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