Biography Jacques R. Saadé
 

Jacques R. Saadé



was born in Beyrouth, Lebanon, in 1937. He is the Founder and Chairman of the Board of CMA CGM.

Graduated from the London School of Economics in 1957, he took over the family business in 1958 at his father’s death. In 1978, and following events in Lebanon, he decided to settle in France and created in Marseilles, CMA (Compagnie Maritime d’Affrètement), a shipping company.

Thanks to a strategy based on anticipating market changes – such as in China – and on a focus on large scale container ships, Jacques R. Saadé secured a leading position among the world’s ship owners as early as 1995.
Jacques R. Saadé

Today, CMA CGM is the world’s third largest container shipping company and the most important one in France. With a fleet of 360 vessels, the group serves over 400 ports of call. In 2008, it transported a total of 9 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) for total estimated revenues of 15.1 billion US dollars. With a presence on all continents and in 150 countries through its 650 agencies, the Group employs over 17,000 people worldwide, including over 4,400 in France.

The group’s strategy and the excellence of its services have been recognized this year by the world N°1 retailer which awarded it the "Ocean Carrier of the Year".

CMA CGM group aspires to improve the service it provides to its clients, by investing in modern and efficient ships, in new port terminals, in the development of a new domestic transportation network and in staff training. In 2006, he launched the construction of the Group’s future head office. The CMA CGM tower, designed by Zaha Hadid (2004 Pritzker Prize), will be composed of 33 floors.

In 2009, the CMA CGM group took delivery of its first 11 400 teu container ship, CMA CGM Andromeda, equipped with the latest environmental technology. It symbolizes the desire of Jacques R. Saade to protect the world’s oceans and fight against climate change.

Jacques R. Saadé is Chairman of the Board of CMA CGM as well as President of the Franco-Lebanese Chamber of Commerce since 1986. He was named Head of the Medef Ukraine Committee (comité Ukraine) (the French CEO’s and Managing directors Union, Medef International) since 2006 – and members of the European Liners Affairs Association (ELAA).

Jacques R Saadé is Officer of « the Order of Cedar » and "Officier" of the Légion d’Honneur.

In May 2007, Jacques R. Saadé, was named "Personality 2007" by the international magazine Seatrade, for having progressively built up his CMA CGM Group into the world's third largest container shipping company.

In October 2007, he received the prestigious Manley-Bendall award from the French Académie de Marine, and was awarded an Honorary Degree by the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport in Alexandria.
Key Dates
1937
Born in Lebanon.
1957
Graduates from the London School of Economics.
1978
War in Lebanon. Jacques R. Saadé moves to Marseilles and founds the CMA (Compagnie Maritime d’Affrètement).
1992
Opening of an office in Shanghai. China becomes the group’s most important destination.
1996
Jacques R. Saadé acquires CGM (Compagnie Générale Maritime) following a privatization.
1998
Acquisition by CMA of the National Australian Line ANL.
1999
Merger of CMA and CGM and creation of the CMA CGM Group.
2004
The CMA CGM group becomes the world’s 5th largest shipping company.
2004
Acquisition of The Compagnie des Iles du Ponant.
2004
Acquisition of Tapis Rouge.
2005
Acquisition by CMA CGM of the DELMAS group (Otal, Linea Setramar S.p.A., SudCargo).
2005
The CMA CGM group becomes the world’s 3rd largest shipping company and number one in France.
2006
The Group launches the construction of a 147 metre-high new Headquarters building designed by the renowned architect Zaha Hadid.
2006
Alliance between CMA CGM and Veolia Environnement in rail transportation.
2006
Partnership with IBM to develop an even higher performance information system.
2007
Acquisition of the Chinese Company Cheng Lie Navigation Ltd.
2007
Acquisition of the Moroccan company COMANAV.
2007
Acquisition of the American company US Lines.
2008
Acquisition of the insurance BROKER ARB in London.
2008
Delivery of a new container ship of record high capacity of 11 000 TEU.
2008
CMA CGM named Company of the Year by International Freighting Weekly (IFW).
2009
Delivery of the CMA CGM Andromeda, first 11 400 teu container ship with green technology in favor of the environment.
2009
CMA CGM awarded « Ocean Carrier of the Year » by the world N°1 retailer.
2009
Jacques R. Saadé is named Officer of the Legion d’Honneur.
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