American University Of Beirut

Discover the notable alumni of American University Of Beirut. The list includes people like Ashraf Ghani, Walid Jumblatt, George Habash, Hanan Ashrawi & Zalmay Khalilzad. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as leaders, miscellaneous, architects etc.
Vote for Your Favourite American University Of Beirut

Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

 1 
Zaha Hadid
(Architect)
Zaha Hadid
30
Listed In: Architects
Birthdate: October 31, 1950
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Baghdad
Died: March 31, 2016
Baghdad-born British-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid is best remembered for her revolutionary and modern architectural designs, that involved abstraction and relied on curves. She won the Stirling Prize and was the first woman to receive the Pritzker Prize. She designed the Guangzhou Opera House and Rome's MAXXI Museum, among other marvels.
 2 
Shahpur Bakhtiar
(45th Prime Minister of Iran (January 1979 - February 1979))
Shahpur Bakhtiar
20
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: June 26, 1914
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Shahrekord, Iran
Died: August 6, 1991

Shahpur Bakhtiar was an Iranian politician best remembered for serving as the 45th Prime Minister of Iran from 6 January 1979 to 11 February 1979. Bakhtiar also wrote many articles and books, including Ma Fidélité and 37 Days after 37 Years. Shahpur Bakhtiar was killed in France on 6 August 1991 after he had escaped a couple of assassination attempts.

 3 
Ardem Patapoutian
(Known for his work in characterizing the PIEZO1, PIEZO2, and TRPM8 receptors that detect pressure, menthol, and temperature)
Ardem Patapoutian
3
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: October 2, 1967
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Beirut, Lebanon
 4 
Zalmay Khalilzad
(26th United States Ambassador to the United Nations)
Zalmay Khalilzad
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: March 22, 1951
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan
 5 
Leila Khaled
(Political activist)
Leila Khaled
5
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: April 9, 1944
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Haifa, Israel
 6 
Ashraf Ghani
(5th President of Afghanistan (2014 - 2021))
Ashraf Ghani
69
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: May 19, 1949
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Logar, Afghanistan

Afghan politician, academic, and economist Ashraf Ghani is currently serving as the president of Afghanistan. This is his second term. Previously, he held the office of minister of finance. Prior to joining politics, he was a professor of anthropology at numerous institutions. He is also one of the co-founders of the NGO the Institute for State Effectiveness.

 7 
Hanan Ashrawi
(Palestinian Politician, Legislator, Activist, and Scholar)
Hanan Ashrawi
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: October 8, 1946
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Nablus, Palestine

Hanan Ashrawi is a Palestinian leader, legislator, activist, and scholar. She was the official spokesperson of the Palestinian delegation at the Madrid Peace Conference of 1991 and was elected to the Palestinian Legislative Council as a representative of Jerusalem in 1996. She is also the founder of the Independent Commission for Human Rights and the author of several books. 

 8 
Abdulla Yameen
(Politician)
Abdulla Yameen
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: May 21, 1959
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Malé, Maldives
 9 
Abdullah Ensour
(Diplomat, Politician)
Abdullah Ensour
2
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 20, 1939
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Salt
 10 
Antoun Saadeh
(Lebanese Politician and Founder of the 'Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP)')
Antoun Saadeh
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: March 1, 1904
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Dhour El Choueir, Lebanon
Died: July 8, 1949

Lebanese politician and the founder of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, Antoun Saadeh was also a prolific author, who wrote several books while in prison. He announced a revolution in Lebanon and was promised support by Syria, though Syria handed him over to the Lebanese government, which eventually executed him.

 11 
Rula Ghani
(First Lady of Afghanistan (2014 - 2021))
Rula Ghani
13
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 1948 AD
Birthplace: Lebanon

Rula F. Saadah Ghani is the wife of Ashraf Ghani who served as fifth President of Afghanistan until his government was overthrown by the Taliban on August 15, 2021. The Ghani family fled from Afghanistan on the same day. Rula advocated for women’s rights as the First Lady and was named to the Time 100 list by Time magazine in 2015.

 12 
Salam Fayyad
(Former Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority)
Salam Fayyad
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: April 12, 1952
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Deir al-Ghusun, Palestine
Salam Fayyad is a Jordanian-Palestinian politician who served as the Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority from 15 June 2007 to 6 June 2013. However, his premiership was not recognized by the Legislative Council. Salam Fayyad also served as the Foreign Affairs Minister of the Palestinian National Authority in 2007.
 13 
Samir Geagea
(Lebanese Politician and Executive Chairman of the Lebanese Forces)
Samir Geagea
9
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: October 25, 1952
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Beirut

Known as Al-Hakim, or The Doctor, Lebanese politician Samir Geagea was initially part of the Kataeb Party and then joined the Lebanese Forces. Born into a family of farmers, he had started studying medicine before the civil war forced him to take up a military and political career.

 14 
Ismail al-Azhari
(Third President of Sudan)
Ismail al-Azhari
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: October 20, 1900
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Omdurman, Sudan
Died: August 26, 1969
Ismail al-Azhari was a Sudanese political figure and nationalist. He is best remembered for his service as the third President of Sudan from 10 June 1965 to 25 May 1969. An important politician, Ismail al-Azhari also served as the second Prime Minister of Sudan from 6 January 1954 to 5 July 1956.
 15 
Shadia Bseiso
(First Arab Female Wrestler from the Middle East to Sign a Contract With WWE)
Shadia Bseiso
4
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 20, 1986
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Amman, Jordan
 16 
George Habash
(Founder of The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine)
George Habash
11
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: August 2, 1926
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Lod
Died: January 26, 2008
George Habash, also known as al-Hakim, was a Palestinian leader who established the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. After fleeing Palestine following the formation of the State of Israel, he studied medicine in Beirut. He battled with cancer in his final days and died at age 81.
 17 
Walid Jumblatt
(Lebanese Politician)
Walid Jumblatt
10
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: August 7, 1949
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Beirut

Walid Jumblatt is a Lebanese Druze politician who has been serving as the leader of the popular Progressive Socialist Party for many years now. A former militia commander, Walid Jumblatt also played a key role in the Syrian Civil War. Since the late-1970s, Walid Jumblatt has been the subject of photography like many other political leaders around the world. 

 18 
Maliheh Afnan
(Artist)
Maliheh Afnan
0
Birthdate: March 24, 1935
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Haifa, Palestine
Died: January 6, 2016
 19 
Kamal Nasser
(Palestinian Writer, Poet, and Political Leader)
Kamal Nasser
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 1924 AD
Birthplace: Gaza, Mandatory Palestine
Died: April 10, 1973
Kamal Nasser was a Palestinian writer, poet, and political leader. A published poet, Nasser wrote many poems, some of which were translated into English. He also co-founded the al-Ba‘ath newspaper and the al-Jil al-Jadid newspaper. Kamal Nasser also served as the editor of another newspaper named Filastin al-Thawra.  
 20 
Karimeh Abbud
(Photographer)
Karimeh Abbud
1
Listed In: Photographers
Birthdate: November 18, 1893
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Bethlehem, Ottoman Empire
Died: April 27, 1940
 21 
Mohammed Waheed Hassan
(Politician)
Mohammed Waheed Hassan
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 3, 1953
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Malé, Maldives
 22 
Ghassan Tueni
(Lebanese Politician, Journalist and Founder of Arab World's Leading Newpaper 'An Nahar')
Ghassan Tueni
2
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 5, 1926
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Beirut, Lebanon
Died: June 8, 2012

Known for his lifelong struggle for the freedom of press, Lebanese journalist and politician Ghassan Tueni also made his father’s newspaper, An-Nahar, one of the best-known publications in the Arab world. He became an MP at age 25 and was a permanent United Nations representative from Lebanon.

 23 
Nazim al-Qudsi
(Syrian Lawyer Who Led the Country as its President)
Nazim al-Qudsi
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: February 14, 1906
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Aleppo, Syria
Died: February 6, 1998

Initially a lawyer, Nazim al-Kudsi later stepped into politics, joining the National Bloc and then the People's Party. He went from being the Speaker of the Syrian Parliament to being the Syrian ambassador to the US, and eventually leading the nation as the prime minister and then as the president.

 24 
Ibrahim Mousawi
(Lebanese Journalist and Spokesman)
Ibrahim Mousawi
0
Birthdate: 1965 AD
Birthplace: Lebanon
 25 
Saeb Salam
(8th Prime Minister of Lebanon)
Saeb Salam
2
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 17, 1905
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Beirut, Lebanon
Died: January 23, 2000

Former prime minister of Lebanon, Saeb Salam played a major role in Lebanon’s struggle of independence from the French mandate. He also went above and beyond religious rule and charted a path for modernizing Lebanon. He was known for his signature cigar and carnation, and his aphorisms such as “one Lebanon not two.”

 26 
Rima Khalaf
(Politician)
Rima Khalaf
2
Birthdate: 1953 AD
Birthplace: Kuwait
 27 
Leila Shahid
(Palestinian Diplomat)
Leila Shahid
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: July 13, 1949
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Beirut, Lebanon
 28 
Suad Amiry
(Author)
Suad Amiry
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 1951 AD
Birthplace: West Bank, Ramallah
 29 
Muhammad Fadhil al-Jamali
(Former Prime Minister of Iraq)
Muhammad Fadhil al-Jamali
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: April 20, 1903
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Kadhimiya, Baghdad, Iraq
Died: May 24, 1997

Muhammad Fadhel al-Jamali was an Iraqi politician best remembered for his service as the Prime Minister of Iraq from 17 September 1953 to 29 April 1954. An influential political leader, Al-Jamali also served as the Foreign Minister of Iraq from 1 July 1946 to 27 January 1948. Muhammad Fadhel al-Jamali also worked as a professor at the University of Tunis.

 30 
Omar Abu Risha
(Syrian Poet and Diplomat)
Omar Abu Risha
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 10, 1910
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Manbij, Syria
Died: July 15, 1990
Omar Abu Risha was a Syrian poet and diplomat. He served as the fourth ambassador of Syria to the USA from 1961 to 1964. He also served as ambassador to Brazil, Argentina, Austria, India, and Chile. Best remembered for his pioneering works, Omar Abu Risha wrote several volumes of poetic dramas and poetry.
 31 
Nadia Hijab
(Palestinian Political Analyst, Journalist, and Author)
Nadia Hijab
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 1950 AD
Birthplace: Aleppo, Syria
Nadia Hijab is a Palestinian political analyst, journalist, and author. Best known for her comments on Middle East affairs and human rights, Nadia Hijab is credited with co-founding Al-Shabaka, a transnational think tank that aims at bringing together Palestinian writers and thinkers from all over the world.
 32 
Haidar Abdel-Shafi
(Palestinian Political Leader, Community Leader, and Physician)
Haidar Abdel-Shafi
1
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: June 10, 1919
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Gaza, Palestine
Died: September 25, 2007
Haidar Abdel-Shafi was a Palestinian political leader, community leader, and physician. He is best remembered for leading the Palestinian delegation to the Madrid Conference of 1991. Haidar Abdel-Shafi is also credited with co-founding the Palestinian National Initiative along with Mustafa Barghouti, Edward Said, and Ibrahim Dakkak in 2002.
 33 
Mai Ghoussoub
(Lebanese Artist and Writer)
Mai Ghoussoub
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: November 2, 1952
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Beirut, Lebanon
Died: February 17, 2007

Mai Ghoussoub was a Lebanese artist, human rights activist, writer, and publisher. Ghoussoub is credited with co-founding the London-based Saqi publishing house and bookshop. Established in 1979, the bookshop was the first of its kind in London to specialize in Arabic works.

 34 
Ruwaida al-Mahrouqi
(Artist)
Ruwaida al-Mahrouqi
0
Birthdate: June 8, 1975
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
 35 
Salma Khadra Jayyusi
(Poet)
Salma Khadra Jayyusi
2
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 1926 AD
Birthplace: Jordan
 36 
Taghreed Najjar
(Writer)
Taghreed Najjar
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: September 28, 1951
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Jordan
 37 
Jumana El Husseini
(Painter)
Jumana El Husseini
0
Birthdate: April 2, 1932
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Jerusalem, Israel
Died: April 11, 2018
 38 
Hind Khoury
(Economist)
Hind Khoury
0
Birthdate: June 12, 1953
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bethlehem
 39 
Maha Haider
(Instagram Fashion Influencer)
Maha Haider
0
Listed In: Instagram Stars
Birthdate: July 10, 1994
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Palestine