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I
ssam Shukri Shammas was born on August 11, 1945. He
attended IC from 1956 until his graduation in 1963. He
then attended London University and graduated in 1968 as
a structural engineer.
In 1970, he joined CAT Co. as the Assistant to Managing Direc-
tor. Today
,
he is a partner and director of the company.
He has held many directorships throughout the years including
the director of Banque SBA in Paris (1992-2006), International
Pipeline & Offshore Contractors Association, (2005 – 2007) and
today is the Chairman of Saab Charitable Foundation, Altime
Tourist Complex and BETON S.A.L, and the Shammas Economic
Institute Ltd.
In 1998, Issam Shammas was also elected mayor of Rabieh Mu-
nicipality in Lebanon.
He is married since 1971 to Susan Hall-keen and has three chil-
dren, Sara, Zalfa and Nicholas.
Q: You graduated from IC in 1963. What are some your fond-
est memories here?
My fondest memories funnily enough are with things associated
with my time in IC like the scouts and the folk dancing where
we met girls from other schools, of course other than the friend-
ships that were formed during those years that have lasted till
today. We still meet regularly.
Q: Why did you decide to join the Board?
My joining the board of IC is thanks to the Vice Chairman Fouad
Maalouf who asked me to join the board several years ago and
I had to refuse at the time due to a very heavy workload. This
summer while we were both in the south of France, I told him
that my presidency at IPLOCA (International Pipeline Contrac-
tor Association) was coming to an end, he immediately said that
now I had no reason not to join the IC board and I concurred.
Q: As the mayor of Rabieh, what did you want to im-
prove/change? Were you able to do it?
I became Mayor of Rabieh because I was asked by the vot-
ers / residents of Rabieh to run for election. They said it
was my duty as my father’s son to preserve the value of
their property as he was the reason they moved here. I ran
for office twice, unopposed, and for the last 10 years I have
worked hard to achieve just that. Rabieh was and remains
the nicest residential area in Lebanon.
Q: Who influenced you the most in your life?
The person who influenced me most in my life is my late
father. He was not only a father to me, he was also my
boss, and I worked as his private assistant for nearly 25
years after his illness (stroke) in 1970. I learned from him
how to manage people and the patience to listen to them.
Q: What are the achievements that you are proud of the
most?
A very dear friend and colleague once said to me “you
are the glue that holds us together.” I am proud to be the
glue that has held our family and our company together
through difficult times.
Q: What would you like to see at IC that doesn’t already
exist?
IC is a great institution and I am not here to change its
direction. I would be proud if I could help to develop the
plans that IC already has in progress.
Issam Shammas: our new board member
Board News
Issam Shammas with his grandson, Charles Kramer