Akram Ojjeh
Encyclopedia
Akram Ojjeh was a Syria
n born Saudi
businessman. Ojjeh founded Techniques d'Avant Garde
, an investment company focused on advanced technologies. Ojjeh was an intermediary in deals between Saudi Arabia and France
, particularly arms sales. Ojjeh brokered the sale of tanks, aircraft, Thomson
electronic equipment to Saudi Arabia and large French purchases of oil. The Economist said "Mr Ojjeh [became], in effect, the representative of the Saudi defence ministry in the French-speaking world."
Ojjeh was involved in the marketing of the French Mirage 2000 fighter jet to Saudi Arabia in competition with the British Tornado
. Adnan Khashoggi
said in 1994 that Ojjeh was persuaded by the British sales team to "drop his role as 'fixer' for the French." British Aerospace
went on to win what became the Al Yamamah
arms deals.
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n born Saudi
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
businessman. Ojjeh founded Techniques d'Avant Garde
Techniques d'Avant Garde
TAG Group SA is a private holding company based in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. At the head is Mansour Ojjeh son of the founder of the TAG Group Akram Ojjeh, who was a wealthy Saudi entrepreneur...
, an investment company focused on advanced technologies. Ojjeh was an intermediary in deals between Saudi Arabia and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, particularly arms sales. Ojjeh brokered the sale of tanks, aircraft, Thomson
Thomson-CSF
Thomson-CSF was a major electronics and defence contractor. In December 2000 it was renamed Thales Group.-History:In 1879 Elihu Thomson and Edwin Houston formed the Thomson-Houston Electric Company in the United States....
electronic equipment to Saudi Arabia and large French purchases of oil. The Economist said "Mr Ojjeh [became], in effect, the representative of the Saudi defence ministry in the French-speaking world."
Ojjeh was involved in the marketing of the French Mirage 2000 fighter jet to Saudi Arabia in competition with the British Tornado
Panavia Tornado
The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine, variable-sweep wing combat aircraft, which was jointly developed and manufactured by the United Kingdom, West Germany and Italy...
. Adnan Khashoggi
Adnan Khashoggi
Adnan Khashoggi is a Saudi Arabian arms-dealer and businessman. He is also noted for his engagements with high society in both the Occident and Arabic-speaking worlds, and for his involvement in the Iran–Contra and Lockheed bribery scandals, and numerous other affairs...
said in 1994 that Ojjeh was persuaded by the British sales team to "drop his role as 'fixer' for the French." British Aerospace
British Aerospace
British Aerospace plc was a UK aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was in the Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire...
went on to win what became the Al Yamamah
Al Yamamah
Al Yamamah is the name of a series of a record arms sales by the United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia, which have been paid for by the delivery of up to of crude oil per day to the UK government. The prime contractor has been BAE Systems and its predecessor British Aerospace...
arms deals.