Sakher El Materi
Encyclopedia
Sakher El Materi is a Tunisia
n businessman. He is the son-in-law of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali
, the former president of Tunisia.
In 2010 (prior to the Tunisian revolution
), his company Princesse El-Materi Holdings
was operating in six industry sectors: News and Media, Banking and Financial Services, Automotive, Shipping and Cruises, Real Estate and Agriculture.
A former member of the ruling Constitutional Democratic Rally
, he was elected as a Member of the Chamber of Deputies of Tunisia
for the constituency of Tunis
on 25 October 2009 and struck off by the party after the Tunisian Revolution
.
political party with the first president of Tunisia
Habib Bourguiba
.
After studying for a Business Administration degree in Brussels, Sakher El Materi joined his father’s company Adwya. Shortly afterwards he married Nesrine the youngest daughter of former Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali
.
In 2005, he led a controversial business agreement with the company Nestlé in Tunisia.
The Tunisian Revolution
in early 2011 pushed out the President of Tunisia and all his family members. Interpol
issued a global alert to arrest Ben Ali and his relatives, including Sakher.
.
In a 2009 diplomatic cable from the United States Ambassador Robert Godec that was leaked by WikiLeaks
during the United States diplomatic cables leak
, the diplomat opined that El Materi and Nesrine and other members of Ben Ali's family were disliked and even hated by some Tunisians for their perceived lavish lifestyle.
Some reports in the The Canadian Press described him as "one of the most powerful members of Tunisia's ruling class", and before Zine El Abidine Ben Ali
, the former president of Tunisia and Materi's father in law, left Tunisia after the 2010–2011 Tunisian protests, Materi was considered by some to have been a possible successor of Ali as president of Tunisia.
In January 2011 after the 2010-2011 Tunisian protests it was mistakenly reported that Sakher was going to a house it was believed he owned in Montreal
, Canada, a group of people critical of his father in law's regime in Tunisia
then gathered outside the property. Sakher had sold the property some time before and was not going there at all.
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
n businessman. He is the son-in-law of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali is a Tunisian political figure who was the second President of Tunisia from 1987 to 2011. Ben Ali was appointed Prime Minister in October 1987, and he assumed the Presidency on 7 November 1987 in a bloodless coup d'état that ousted President Habib Bourguiba, who was...
, the former president of Tunisia.
In 2010 (prior to the Tunisian revolution
Tunisian revolution
The Tunisian Revolution is an intensive campaign of civil resistance, including a series of street demonstrations taking place in Tunisia. The events began in December 2010 and led to the ousting of longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011...
), his company Princesse El-Materi Holdings
Princesse El-Materi Holdings
Princesse El Materi Holding was created by the Tunisian business man Sakher El Materi, member of former corrupt President Ben Ali's family which spoiled the Country. Princesse El Materi Holding used nepotism and improper money to acquire illegitimate businesses.It has, in recent years, become one...
was operating in six industry sectors: News and Media, Banking and Financial Services, Automotive, Shipping and Cruises, Real Estate and Agriculture.
A former member of the ruling Constitutional Democratic Rally
Constitutional Democratic Rally
The Constitutional Democratic Rally , also referred to by its French acronym RCD, formerly called Neo Destour then Socialist Destourian Party, was the governing party in Tunisia. The party was suspended by the minister of interior on February 6th awaiting a decision on its dissolution by judicial...
, he was elected as a Member of the Chamber of Deputies of Tunisia
Chamber of Deputies of Tunisia
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower chamber of the Parliament of Tunisia, the bicameral legislative branch of the government of Tunisia. It has 189 seats and members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms. 20% of the seats are reserved for the opposition. Elections are held in the...
for the constituency of Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
on 25 October 2009 and struck off by the party after the Tunisian Revolution
Tunisian revolution
The Tunisian Revolution is an intensive campaign of civil resistance, including a series of street demonstrations taking place in Tunisia. The events began in December 2010 and led to the ousting of longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011...
.
Biography
Born in 1980, Sakher El Materi is the son of Moncef El Materi who, in 1973, founded El Adwya, one of Tunisia's largest private pharmaceutical companies. His uncle, Dr Mahmoud El Materi, was known for his involvement in the fight for the Tunisian independence and for being one of the co-founders of the Neo DestourNeo Destour
The New Constitutional Liberal Party , most commonly known as Neo Destour, was a Tunisian political party that was founded by a group of nationalist politicians during the French protectorate.-History:...
political party with the first president of Tunisia
President of Tunisia
The President of Tunisia, formally known as the President of the Tunisian Republic is the head of state of Tunisia. Tunisia is a presidential republic in which the president is the head of the executive branch of government with the assistance of the Prime Minister of Tunisia, formally the head of...
Habib Bourguiba
Habib Bourguiba
Habib Bourguiba was a Tunisian statesman, the Founder and the first President of the Republic of Tunisia from July 25, 1957 until 7 November 1987...
.
After studying for a Business Administration degree in Brussels, Sakher El Materi joined his father’s company Adwya. Shortly afterwards he married Nesrine the youngest daughter of former Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali is a Tunisian political figure who was the second President of Tunisia from 1987 to 2011. Ben Ali was appointed Prime Minister in October 1987, and he assumed the Presidency on 7 November 1987 in a bloodless coup d'état that ousted President Habib Bourguiba, who was...
.
In 2005, he led a controversial business agreement with the company Nestlé in Tunisia.
The Tunisian Revolution
Tunisian revolution
The Tunisian Revolution is an intensive campaign of civil resistance, including a series of street demonstrations taking place in Tunisia. The events began in December 2010 and led to the ousting of longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011...
in early 2011 pushed out the President of Tunisia and all his family members. Interpol
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
issued a global alert to arrest Ben Ali and his relatives, including Sakher.
Politics
In the summer of 2008, he entered the Central Committee of the Democratic Constitutional Rally. On 25 October 2009, he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies and stricked off by the party after the Tunisian RevolutionTunisian revolution
The Tunisian Revolution is an intensive campaign of civil resistance, including a series of street demonstrations taking place in Tunisia. The events began in December 2010 and led to the ousting of longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011...
.
In a 2009 diplomatic cable from the United States Ambassador Robert Godec that was leaked by WikiLeaks
Wikileaks
WikiLeaks is an international self-described not-for-profit organisation that publishes submissions of private, secret, and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers. Its website, launched in 2006 under The Sunshine Press organisation, claimed a database of more...
during the United States diplomatic cables leak
United States diplomatic cables leak
The United States diplomatic cables leak, widely known as Cablegate, began in February 2010 when WikiLeaks—a non-profit organization that publishes submissions from anonymous whistleblowers—began releasing classified cables that had been sent to the U.S. State Department by 274 of its consulates,...
, the diplomat opined that El Materi and Nesrine and other members of Ben Ali's family were disliked and even hated by some Tunisians for their perceived lavish lifestyle.
Some reports in the The Canadian Press described him as "one of the most powerful members of Tunisia's ruling class", and before Zine El Abidine Ben Ali
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali is a Tunisian political figure who was the second President of Tunisia from 1987 to 2011. Ben Ali was appointed Prime Minister in October 1987, and he assumed the Presidency on 7 November 1987 in a bloodless coup d'état that ousted President Habib Bourguiba, who was...
, the former president of Tunisia and Materi's father in law, left Tunisia after the 2010–2011 Tunisian protests, Materi was considered by some to have been a possible successor of Ali as president of Tunisia.
In January 2011 after the 2010-2011 Tunisian protests it was mistakenly reported that Sakher was going to a house it was believed he owned in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Canada, a group of people critical of his father in law's regime in Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
then gathered outside the property. Sakher had sold the property some time before and was not going there at all.