Fuad Char

Fuad Char
Senator of Colombia
In office
20 July 2010  20 July 2014
In office
20 July 1998  20 July 2006
In office
20 July 1990  20 April 1995
Colombian Ambassador to Portugal
In office
30 September 2008 (2008-09-30)  5 June 2009 (2009-06-05)
PresidentÁlvaro Uribe
Preceded byPlinio Apuleyo Mendoza
Succeeded byArturo Sarabia
Minister of Economic Development
In office
1987–1988
PresidentVirgilio Barco
Preceded byMiguel Merino Gordillo
Succeeded byCarlos Arturo Marulanda
48th Governor of Atlántico
In office
1984–1987
Appointed byBelisario Betancur
Preceded byAbel Francisco Carbonell
Succeeded byGerardo Certain
Personal details
Born
Fuad Ricardo Char Abdala

(1937-10-05) 5 October 1937
Lorica, Córdoba, Colombia
Political partyRadical Change (2006-present)
Other political
affiliations
Liberal (1984-2006)
Spouses
  • (m. 1963; died 1994)
  • María Mercedes de la Espriella
    (m. 2004)
Children

Fuad Ricardo Char Abdala (born 5 October 1937) is a Colombian businessman and politician who served as Governor of Atlántico from 1984 to 1987, as Minister of Economic Development from 1987 to 1988 under President Virgilio Barco, and later as Colombian Ambassador to Portugal from 2008 to 2009 under President Álvaro Uribe. Char also served as a Senator of Colombia three times, being one of the highest-ranking.

Born in Lorica, Córdoba, Char is one of the most powerful businessmen in Colombia and the entire Caribbean region of the country. He is the founder and current president of the Olimpica Business Group. Of Syrian origin, he is the patriarch of one of the most influential families in Atlántico; his descendants have been known for their active work in politics. His eldest son, Alejandro, has been Mayor of Barranquilla three times, and his younger son, Arturo, was President of the Senate.