Gilbert Ramez Chagoury (born 8 January 1946) is a Lebanese-Nigerian businessman, diplomat and philanthropist. Chagoury was born to Lebanese immigrant parents in Lagos, Nigeria. He studied at the College des Freres Chretiens in Lebanon before returning to Nigeria, where he married Rose Marie Chamchoum, from a family native to Miziara, Northern Lebanon, in 1969. [1]
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In 1971, Chagoury founded the Chagoury Group, an industrial conglomerate with interests in construction, real estate and property development, flour mills, water bottling and purification, glass manufacturing, insurance, hotels, furniture manufacturing, telecommunications, IT, catering and international financing.[2]
Founded in the late 1970s by Gilbert and Ronald Chagoury, C & C Construction was the forerunner of both Hitech and ITB, which now form the Construction Division of the Chagoury group of Companies. [3]
Gilbert Chagoury served as an ambassador and adviser to governments in Africa and the Americas. Chagoury has also served as ambassador to the Vatican for St. Lucia, economic adviser to President Mathieu Kérékou of Benin, and ambassador to UNESCO.[4]
Chagoury is a key benefactor for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital,[5] and his private contributions have improved health care and public infrastructure of Meziara, Northern Lebanon, home to both his and his wife's family. Chagoury serves on the board of the Lebanese American University where he provided a donation of $10 million to fund the Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine and $3.5 million for the construction of the Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing.[6]
The Louvre's Gilbert et Rose Marie Chagoury gallery is named for them, housing a permanent exhibit including French works donated by the Chagourys. [7]
Chagoury has donated in excess of $340,000 for the renovations of the Church of Our Lady of Lebanon in Paris, France. [8]
Chagoury has been interviewed by Arab Media TV host and producer Ricardo Karam.[9] In 2010, ABC News reported on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's apology to Chagoury.