Nassib Lahoud
| Nassib Lahoud نسيب لحود |
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| Born | 23 November 1944 Baabdat, Lebanon |
| Died | 1 February 2012 (age 68) Beirut, Lebanon |
| Nationality | Lebanese |
| Occupation | Engineer and politician |
| Years active | 1970s-2012 |
| Political party | Democratic Renewal Movement |
| Spouse(s) | Abla Fostock |
| Children | Salim and Joumana |
| Parent(s) | Salim Lahoud and Nadia Yared |
Nassib Lahoud (23 November 1944 – 1 February 2012) was a Lebanese-Christian political figure. He held various posts including Minister of State, Member of parliament and Ambassador to the United States of America. He was also head of the Democratic Renewal Movement and a leading figure in the March 14 coalition, which nominated him as their presidential candidate when they held the parliamentary majority in 2008. His election was vetoed by Hezbollah and its allies, who refused to attend parliament and threatened not to recognise any president who was not the product of a consensus agreement between Lebanese political forces. President Michel Suleiman was elected to the post on 25 May 2008.
Upon his death, Nassib Lahoud was referred to as the "President of our dreams" by Hezbollah's opponents as well as journalists and prominent members of civil society.
Nassib Lahoud was born in Baabdat, Matn, Lebanon on 23 November 1944. He was a member of the Lahoud family, one of the most prominent Lebanese-Christian political families (See List of political families). He was the son of ex-Member of Parliament, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense Salim Lahoud under President Camille Chamoun in the 1960s.
Lahoud earned a BS degree in electrical engineering from Loughborough University, United Kingdom in 1968.
After finishing his engineering studies, Lahoud founded Lahoud Engineering Co. Ltd. London (1972); the company's activities are mostly the construction of large-scale power and heavy industry plants. Lahoud had a career as businessman, both within Lahoud Engineering, and in the field of real estate, and was one of the largest landowners in the Metn. Lahoud was also a prolific art collector, and was particularly interested in European impressionist masters as well as Lebanese contemporary artists.
Throughout his years as a businessman, Lahoud was active in Lebanese politics and was close to President Camille Chamoun until 1972, when Chamoun supported another candidate at the parliamentary elections. In the 1980s, still living in Mayfair, London, Lahoud became less interested in business and shifted his focus to Lebanese politics.
After his backstage participation in the Taif conference in Saudi Arabia, which ended the destructive Lebanese civil war, he became ambassador to the United States of America, where he had high-level relationships with leading U.S politicians. In 1991 he returned to Lebanon and was appointed Maronite Christian parliamentarian of the Metn region. He was re-elected in organised legislative elections in 1992, 1996 and in 2000.
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