Ricardo Karam

Ricardo Karam
Ricardo Karam in 2017
Born	May 18  [es]
Nationality	Lebanese
Alma mater	American University of Beirut (1991) ENSAIA (1993) Lebanese American University (1995)
Occupation	Media personality
Spouse(s)	Youmna Camille Ziade
Children	Talal, Nadim and Sharif Karam
Website	ricardokaram.com takreem.org

Ricardo Karam is a Lebanese television presenter, producer, talk-show host,^[1][2] author and public speaker.^[3] He has created several shows, series and documentaries,^[4] and founded RK productions which has taken charge of producing all his projects, as well as Peacomm, a venture aiming to accompany executives wishing to harness their communication skills. Karam is also the founder of Takreem,^[5][6] an organization aimed at celebrating outstanding Arabs working in different fields that range from corporate leadership to environmental development, culture and education to science and tech.^[7][8] TAKREEM evolved year after year; its latest creation is TAKminds, a forum designed to allow change-makers and emerging talents to connect and interact.^[9]

Career and spokesmanship[]

Karam began his career as an apprentice in the early days of Lebanese radio station Magic 102. He went on to earn a degree in Chemical Engineering and a Masters in Business Administration at the American University of Beirut.^[10]

His first television appearance was in 1992 with FOCUS on Télé Liban. Since then he has interviewed the Dalai Lama,^[11] Bill Gates,^[12] Farah Diba Pahlavi, Luciano Pavarotti,^[13] The Abbé Pierre, Valentino, Andre Agassi and Zaha Hadid.^[14][15]

Karam produced several talk-shows, series and documentaries in Arabic, English and French.^[16]

He published his first book Privileged Encounters in 2000^[17] where he revisits his interviews between 1996 and 2000. In 2005, he published Le Paris Libanais in which he discusses 30 years of history taking place between France and Lebanon, including the Lebanese conflict and the Lebanese Civil War.^[18]

In 2020, Ricardo Karam embarks on a new media journey and launches his very own podcast series “Conversations with Ricardo Karam”^[19] unveiling exclusive interviews and revisiting old favorites.

He regularly leads seminars and cultural, economic or media forums, both in Lebanon and abroad, and has been a speaker, moderator and panelist at conferences in several countries.^[20][21] He also works^[22] to support academic institutions and non-governmental organizations by putting his expertise and network at the service of their work.^[23]

He has also been known for not shying away from sharing his own life experience when it could help others. In September 2014, Karam’s son Nadim was diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of 3 without any prior symptom.^[24] A difficult medical and mental journey followed. Karam dug in his own experience in order to set an example of determination and family unity in the face of personal upheaval. Nadim’s story gained incredible media attention with messages of support and chains of prayer from across the region.^[25][26]

In 2021, Ricardo was chosen by the Global Health Institute at the American University of Beirut to become the ambassador for its yearly campaign on cancer awareness and prevention. Being familiar with the struggle, he joined the cause in the spirit of making a difference in so many people's lives.[1]

But Karam has also made it a habit of voicing his opinion on matters and causes ranging from international conflicts, healthcare and ethics, as well as fairness in trials and equality. In 2017, Iraqi mother of two and daughter of Karam’s close friend, Farah Jawad Kassab, died in dubious circumstances during a plastic surgery procedure in Lebanon. Ricardo Karam took to his social media platforms after the incident, telling Farah’s story and helping it gain regional attention, thus turning it into a case of public opinion. He argued against misinformation and false advertisements, warning against traps and the importance of prudence when seeking proper healthcare.^[27]

When former Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance CEO Carlos Ghosn was arrested in Japan in 2018,^[28] the legal and media turmoil that ensued was like no other. Karam had been a journalistic witness and chronicler of Ghosn’s ascent for close to two decades. Although he never went into the legal aspects of allegations, he drew upon their numerous encounters and his habit of using his platform to shed light on important causes to advocate for Ghosn’s right to a fair trial.^[29] In the wake of the controversy that followed Ghosn’s escape in 2019, Karam sat with many news organisations such as the New York Times,^[30] Euronews,^[31] the Mainichi,^[32] NBC News^[33] and CBS News^[34] to discuss the case’s developments and its implications.

Given the difficult period Lebanon went through since the protests of October 2019, Ricardo Karam took to his different digital platforms in order to combat the negative outpour of news that took over social media. He shared stories of resilience as well as his views and numerous messages aiming to trigger hope, change, and positivity.^[35]

Karam is a recognized influencer on LinkedIn and Facebook, where he shares snippets of his many encounters and expertise with his long-time audience and aspiring media professionals alike. [2]

He has also taken part in the Dod el Fassad (Against Corruption) national campaign, launched by the Saint-Joseph University and ALDIC with the support of the European Union and Expertise France under the ACT project.[3]

Beyond it all, his strive to uphold dialog and build bridges between people so that they discuss and remember rather than attack and forget remained at the forefront of his mission. In this vein, Karam conducted an interview with President Michel Aoun on the day of Lebanon’s centenary on September 1 of the year 2020– a difficult yet necessary endeavor as channels of communication between the nation and presidency had been compromised for close to a year of crisis. This was made clear by the downpour of questions and comments received as soon as the Presidency announced the interview, with people calling for Karam to voice their concerns and ask the questions that were on everyone’s mind after the series of crises that shook the country.^[36][37][38]

Due to the Covid-19 outspread, the digital shift continued with series of online interviews launched using Karam’s signature style. He thus connected with the key actors of change that marked this period via Zoom in exclusive one-on-ones that were attended by a select audience before being shared with the world on the different social media platforms. With online content and meet-ups playing a great part in the way people get connected, informed, and entertained, Ricardo Karam took his expertise and knowhow to the Internet in his mission to bring the most inspiring journeys to everyone’s computer, phone screens, and earphones.^[39]

Awards and recognition[]

Karam received the French National Order of Merit of the Rank of Knight in 2016, and was awarded the Beirut International Festival Prize in 2012,^[40] the Lebanese American University Alumni Achievement Award in 2011,^[41] and in that same year, the prize of the Sheikh Ibrahim Bin Mohamad Al Khalifa Center for Culture and Research.^[42]

Takreem[]

In 2009, Karam created Takreem,^[43] which he designed as a platform aiming to promote good ethics in Arabs by honoring those who excel in their fields and who can act as role models for role models.^[44][45] Every year, TAKREEM recognizes the achievements of eight Arabs who have distinguished themselves in the arts, sciences, environment, education, or leadership. Patrons include Noor Al Hussein,^[46][47] Marc Levy,^[48][49] Lakhdar Brahimi,^[50][51] Hanan Ashrawi^[52][53] Barham Salih and Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa.^[54]

TAKminds[]

In 2018, Karam launched TAKminds, a space designed to allow change-makers to interact.^[55] The new forum was intended to shed light on the societal challenges and obstacles that emerging talents face and try to overcome on a daily basis.^[56] TAKminds was created from TAKREEM, to celebrate the talents of the Arab world, and to provide them with a platform where they can connect, and create sustainable communities in the Arab world.^[57]

Peacomms[]

In 2021, Karam founded Peacomms, a coaching and public speaking training platform through which experienced and skilled professionals provide advice and guidance to help business executives develop their communication skills, thus bettering their overall performance. Peacomms targets selected personalities and tackles executive development, personalized coaching, and team coaching, thus acting as a solid catalyst for both personal and professional growth.^[58]

Podcast series[]

In his original podcast and despite the new format, Ricardo stays true to his trademark intimate one-on-ones with the change makers and success stories of our time. His first guest was HRH Prince Ali bin Hussein of Jordan,^[59] son of King Hussein bin Talal and his third wife Queen Alia, half-brother of King Abdullah and President of the West Asian Football Federation, who made bold statements that became the talk of the town.^[60][4] Other prestigious guests followed such as literary giant Amine Maalouf, Palestinian political icon Hanan Ashrawi and media figure Baria Alamuddin.

Television series[]

Documentaries[]

References[]