Mohamad Fakih

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Mohamad Fakih is a Lebanese-Canadian businessperson, community leader and philanthropist. Founder of the Middle Eastern Halal restaurant chain, , Fakih has become equally well known for his charitable work, philanthropy, and community service through the Fakih Foundation. He is married with three sons and lives in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

Fakih talks with a homeless man while handing out meals during the pandemic, October 2020.

Background[]

Fakih emigrated to Canada from Lebanon, where he was a practising gemologist, in 1996.^[1] In 2006, in Mississauga, Ontario, he purchased a nearly bankrupt shawarma restaurant after the owner begged him to invest. That purchase has turned into an 85-restaurant franchise.

Career[]

Paramount Fine Foods[]

Fakih founded Paramount in 2006 with the purchase of a nearly-bankrupt shawarma shop.^[2] Today the company has restaurants in dozens of provinces, states and countries.

The company is renowned for its family style restaurants, with entertainment for kids while serving high-quality, family-style Middle Eastern dishes. The company operates on a franchise model and is headquartered in Mississauga, Canada. Paramount has grown 100% organically through cash flow and is privately held. As of 2018 there were over 60 Paramount locations across North America, with global expansion plans announced in January of that year.

Paramount regularly experiments with new offerings and business models and has recently expanded into fine middle eastern dining and halal butcher shops.^[3]

In 2018 Mayor Bonnie Crombie announced that Mississauga’s sports arena was to be renamed the Paramount Fine Foods Centre after the company purchased the naming rights.

On May 30, 2021, Fakih's Paramount restaurant located in Mississauga suffered severe structural damage following a 3-alarm fire. Fakih remained firm in saying that he would rebuilt what had been lost.

Fakih also speaks regularly on the experiences of being an immigrant, building a successful restaurant chain, and the importance of being active in our communities during times of upheaval and change.^[4]

Awards and Achievements[]

Key to the City of Mississauga: In November 2019, Fakih was given the Key to the City of Mississauga by Mayor Bonnie Crombie. He is the third person to receive this honour from the City.

Most Admired CEO in Canada: On November 27, 2019, Mohamad Fakih was named the most admired CEO in Canada (mid market) by Waterstone Human Capital’s Most Admired awards, one of the highest accolades a Canadian business leader can receive.

2019 Business Person of the Year: On November 14, Fakih was named the 2019 Business Person of the Year by the Mississauga Board of Trade.

UNHCR Role: Fakih has been the voice and face of UNHCR Canada since 2016. In 2018, he was named a UNHCR ambassador and had the honour of hosting a conversation with Malala Yousafzai during her visit to Toronto.

Doctorate of Laws: In the fall of 2018 Fakih was awarded an honorary doctorate from Ryerson University for his contributions to Canadian society.

Renaming of Hershey Centre to Paramount Centre: In 2018, the former Hershey Centre in Mississauga, a 5400 capacity sports arena, was renamed the Paramount Centre after the company purchased the naming rights.

Toronto Life: Fakih was recognized by Toronto Life as one of the top 50 most influential people in the city in 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2020, when he was named the 17th most influential person in Toronto.

Globe and Mail 16 to Watch: In 2016, The Globe and Mail listed Fakih as one of its 16 personalities to watch that year.

Business Accolades: In 2018, the Toronto Region Board of Trade named Fakih its Business Leader of the Year, one of several such accolades he received that year.

Pinnacle Award: In 2016, the prestigious Pinnacle Awards named Paramount Fine Foods the restaurant of the year in its region.

Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award: In 2017, Fakih was one of the recipients of the Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards, presented by Canadian Immigrant magazine.

Other Awards: Fakih has received a great deal of recognition for his food, his business, and his philanthropy; a partial list can be found on the Fakih Foundation website.

Philanthropy and Community Service[]

Fakih is renowned both across the country and around the world for his business and charitable achievements.

Mosque Rebuild and Funerals: After a gunman targeted Muslims at prayer in Quebec, killing six, Fakih paid for funeral expenses for the victims and repairs to the mosque.^[5]

Homeless Aid: During a stretch of -30 degree weather in December 2017,  when Toronto’s housing shelters were at capacity, Fakih helped pay for dozens of hotel rooms for the homeless and years later, continues to financially support ongoing efforts to get families off the streets.

Refugee Aid, Support and Employment: During the Syrian refugee crisis, Fakih travelled to Syria to the front lines to better understand relief efforts, and has hired more than 150 refugees in his restaurants, recently forming a partnership with the Canadian government to extend this as a program.

650 Parliament Fund: He spearheaded the raising of $125,000 in 24 hours for the families displaced by the 650 Parliament fire in St. James Town, Toronto.

Emergency Service Workers in uniform are also given discounts at all Paramount restaurants.

CanadaStrong campaign: He spearheaded the raising of nearly $6 million dollars, including matching by the Canadian federal government, for the families of victims killed by the downing of Flight 957.

Lebanese-Canadian coalition: He visited the Lebanon, his hometown, shortly after the explosion and stayed for days to raise awareness and support relief efforts. The coalition raised $17.2 million dollars for relief in the city after the port explosions.

Pandemic aid: Fakih and Paramount donated tens of thousands of meals from the start of the pandemic, efforts he often participates in personally, along with supporting Conquer Covid-19. Meals were distributed to homeless encampments and women's shelters, front-line workers, food banks, and others in need.

Defamation Suit[]

In 2017, a series of racist attacks were directed at Fakih in the form of public harassment, online videos, and other interviews attacking his religion and his character. One incident occurred in front of Fakih's children.^[6] In 2019, an Ontario court awarded Fakih $2.5 million in damages, one of the largest defamation judgments in Canadian history.^[7] Fakih subsequently donated the money to charity.^{[citation needed]}

References[]