Joseph Torbey, Maronite League President,
Credit Libanais Chairman, Union of Arab Banks President

Place and Date of Birth: Born in Beirut. Son of  Michel Tanios Torbey from the town Tanourine Al Fawqa, Metn, and Salwa Selim Akl from the town Gerdam, Batroun.

Sect: Maronite

Married to: Gladis Mattar with two daughters, Nada and Vivian.

Education: Studied at the Sagesse High School in Beirut, Saint-Joseph University in Beirut, University of Leon in France, and the University of South Carolina in Los Angeles, USA. Earned a degree in Law from Lebanon, a Doctorate in Law from France, and a number of degrees in business administration, taxes and public finance from the United States

Business Career: Chairman and General Manager since 1988 of the group Crédit Libanais S.A.L. (www.creditlibanis.com.lb), which includes a number of banks and companies active in Lebanon and abroad in the fields of banking investment, insurance, leasehold finance, e-commerce, credit card management, information technology and programming services, real estate investment, in addition to business administration, travel and tourism centers. Before joining the group Crédit Libanais, Torbey assumed a number of posts in the public sector, starting from the Bureau of Accountancy up the ladder to Income Tax Chief at the Ministry of Finance. Torbey is also Chairman since April 2001 of the Union of Arab Banks (www.uabonline.org), which includes 320  Financial institutions and Arab Banks. He also assumed between 2001 and 2005 the post Chairman of the Association of Banks in Lebanon (www.abl.org.lb), and the post of President of the the Higher Banking Studies Center at Saint-Joseph University from 2001 to 2005.

Latest Function: Elected on Sunday, March 25, 2007, President of the Maronite League, succeeding Michel Edde. Torbey won 378 votes while his opponent, Haris Shehab, received only 200 at the ballots which were cast at the Maronite Council building in Beirut's Karantina district on Sunday. The new board comprised of Shawki Qazan, Hikmat Abu Zeid, Badawi Abu Deeb, Emile Abi Nader, Antoine Boustani, Dr. Francois Bassil, Khalil Karam, Pierre Daher, Dr. Abdo Jirjis, Samir Hobeika, Jean Silwan, Fouad Aoun, Fadi Abboud and Alia Barti Zein, the only woman. Former ambassador Abdullah Abu Habib, the new league vice president, said Tarabay's success was a "victory for all Maronites."

Publications: Authored several publications, articles and research works in Lebanon and abroad.

Contact Information: Credit Libanais S.A.L,  Sofil Center, 5th floor - Charles Malek Avenue - Achrafieh 1100 2811 - Beirut, Lebanon, P.O.Box: 16-6729, Phone: (961) 1 200 028/9 - 201 292. Web: www.creditlibanais.com , Email: info@criditlibanais.com