Rashad Pharaon
Minister of Health
In office
1954 – July 1960
Prime MinisterKing Faisal
Preceded byAbdullah bin Faisal Al Saud
Succeeded byHassan bin Yousef Nassief
Personal details
Born1912
Syria
Died1990 (aged 77–78)
NationalitySaudi Arabian
Children5, including Ghaith Pharaon

Rashad Pharaon (1912–1990) was a Syrian-born Saudi Arabian medical doctor who served as the personal physician of Ibn Saud, founder of Saudi Arabia. He also held various official posts during the reigns of three consecutive Saudi kings, King Saud, King Faisal and King Khalid.

Early life and education

Rashad Pharaon was born in Syria in 1912.[1][2] His father was a Syrian merchant who had connections with the Al Saud family during the Ottoman rule in Arabia as well as at the formation period of Saudi Arabia.[2]

Pharaon studied medicine in Damascus[2] and became a surgeon.[3]

Career and views

Pharaon began to serve as the private physician of Ibn Saud from 1936[1] which he held until Ibn Saud's death in 1953.[4] Shukri Quwatli, future president of Syria, was instrumental in Rashad's migration to Saudi Arabia.[5] Pharaon was briefly the Saudi ambassador to Spain from 1953 to 1954 and was made the minister of health in 1954 which he held until July 1960.[1][6] Next, he served as the Saudi ambassador to France between 1960 and 1966.[1] From 1966 to 1982 he was the senior policy adviser to King Faisal and then, to King Khalid.[1]

Based on the statements of Ahmed bin Abdul Wahap Russian Arabist Alexei Vassiliev reports that Pharaon was the closest person to King Faisal during his reign.[3] He acted as the personal advisor of Faisal[7] who was instrumental in the appointment of Rashad as minister of health when he was the crown prince and prime minister.[3] Although he was a native of Syria, Pharaon was among the allies of the king who were opponents of the Syrian Ba'ath regime.[7] He continued to enjoy a high status under King Khalid and was the only non-royal official who participated in the meetings of the king with foreign leaders.[8]

Personal life and death

His family became one of the richest families in Saudi Arabia having various assets and investments.[9] Pharaon had five children, three sons and two daughters.[10][11] His son, Ghaith Pharaon, was a businessman who received a bachelor's degree from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard University.[12] His another son, Mazen, was also a businessman, and Rashad Pharaon's both sons had business partnership with Prince Abdullah, eldest son of King Faisal.[13]

Rashad Pharaon died in 1990.[14]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 C.H.H. Owen (2020). "On Royal Duty: HMS Aurora's Report of Proceedings 1945". In Michael Duffy (ed.). The Naval Miscellany. Vol. VI. Abingdon; New York: Routledge. p. 433. ISBN 978-1-00-034082-2.
  2. 1 2 3 "Wirken". Munzinger (in German). Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 Alexei Vassiliev (2013). King Faisal: Personality, Faith and Times. London: Saqi. p. 280. ISBN 978-0-86356-761-2.
  4. ↑ Ayman Al Yassini (August 1982). The Relationship between Religion and State in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (PhD thesis). McGill University. OCLC 896879684.
  5. ↑ Sonoko Sunayama (2004). Syria and Saudi Arabia, 1978-1990; A Study of the Role of Shared Identities in Alliance-Making (PhD thesis). University of London. p. 29. ISBN 978-1-321-35434-8. ProQuest 1625920622.
  6. ↑ Mohamed Zayyan Aljazairi (1968). Diplomatic history of Saudi Arabia, 1903-1960s (MA thesis). University of Arizona. p. 54. hdl:10150/318068.
  7. 1 2 Joseph Mann (2006). "The Syrian Neo-Ba'th regime and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 1966–70". Middle Eastern Studies. 42 (5): 764, 769. doi:10.1080/00263200600828014. S2CID 144587765.
  8. ↑ William B. Quandt (2010). Saudi Arabia in the 1980s: Foreign Policy, Security, and Oil. Washington DC: Brookings Institution Press. p. 78. ISBN 978-0-8157-2051-5.
  9. ↑ Nimah Mazaheri (2013). "The Saudi monarchy and economic familism in an era of business environment reforms". Business and Politics. 15 (3): 310. doi:10.1515/bap-2012-0039. S2CID 231796126.
  10. ↑ Youssef M. Ibrahim (25 November 1979). "Ghaith Pharaon". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  11. ↑ Who's Who in the Arab World 2007-2008 (18th ed.). Beirut: Publitec Publications. 2007. p. 640. doi:10.1515/9783110930047. ISBN 9783598077357.
  12. ↑ Jonathan Beaty; S. C. Gwynne (2004). The Outlaw Bank: A Wild Ride Into the Secret Heart of BCCI. Washington DC: Beard Books. p. 171. ISBN 978-1-58798-146-3.
  13. ↑ Sharaf Sabri (2001). The House of Saud in Commerce: A Study of Royal Entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia. New Delhi: I.S. Publications. p. 50. ISBN 978-81-901254-0-6.
  14. ↑ Rone Tempest (25 August 1991). "Key BCCI Figure Falls From Grace". Los Angeles Times. Jeddah. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
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