Ricardo Karam

Ricardo Karam
Ricardo Karam in 2017
Born	May 18 San Felix, Venezuela
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.net

Ricardo Karam is a television presenter, producer, and talk-show host.^[1][2] He has created several documentary series and founded RK Productions, which has taken charge of producing all his television shows and documentaries, and TAKREEM^[3][4] an organization aimed at rewarding outstanding Arabs in their respective fields^[5] in the hopes of inspiring future achievements.^[6]

Career

Ricardo Karam's love for music led him to the media industry at the age of 18. He first honed his media skills as an apprentice in the pioneering days of Lebanese radio station Magic 102. He went on after that to earn his degree in Chemical Engineering and his Masters in Business Administration.^[7]

With his engaging personality, the move across to television became inevitable, making his first appearance in 1992 with FOCUS on Télé-Liban. His skills combined propelled him up the career ladder from a presenter, to a talk-show host, author, screenwriter and innovative producer. Courteous and charming, he knew instinctively when to push hard and when to back off while coaxing out the answers he seeks. This mixture of intimacy and assertiveness was a winning combination. His shows, which remain unrivaled, made him one of the leading media figures in Lebanon and the region.

Today, he represents the three roles that earned him his reputation as 'the interviewer of greatness": the first is his role as a witness, the second as a promoter, and the third as a communicator who bridges the gap between the Arab culture and the world. He has interviewed many of the shakers and movers of the Arab region and the world, such as the Dalai Lama, Bill Gates, Farah Diba Pahlavi, Luciano Pavarotti, The Abbé Pierre, Valentino, Andre Agassi and Zaha Hadid.^[8][9] Since 2011, he dedicated a big part of his shows to unearth hidden gems from the Arab world – men and women whose stories are rarely told.

Ricardo Karam produced several talk-shows, series and documentaries in Arabic, English and French.^[10] He launched his first book Privileged Encounters in 2000^[11] where he revisits his interviews with prominent guests 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, with the Lebanese conflict and civil war looming in the background.^[12]

Honors and Awards

Ricardo Karam is the recipient of several honors and prizes, mainly: The French National Order of Merit of the Rank of Knight in 2016, the Beirut International Festival Prize in 2012,^[13] the Lebanese American University Alumni Achievement Award in 2011,^[14] and in that same year, the prize of the Sheikh Ibrahim Bin Mohamad Al Khalifa Center for Culture and Research.^[15] In 2013, Time Out featured him in its list of “The Most Influential Men in Beirut”, and in 2010 he was listed among the “40 Important Lebanese Figures in the Capital”.

Conferences and Forums

Ricardo Karam regularly leads seminars and cultural, economic or media forums, both locally and worldwide. He is often a speaker, a moderator or a panelist at many conferences around the globe. Out of an unwavering faith in the importance of education and in the vital role that civic society plays, he dedicates a significant amount of his time and connections to support academic institutions and non-governmental organizations.

TAKREEM

In 2010, Ricardo Karam decided to go beyond storytelling as a means of creating impact. He reconnected with much of his guests whom he worked with over the years and created TAKREEM in 2010, a platform aiming to promote good ethics in Arabs by honoring those who excel in their fields and inspiring the Arab youth in its search for role models.^[16][17] Every year, TAKREEM recognizes the achievements of eight Arabs who have distinguished themselves in Arts, Sciences, Environment, Education, Leadership, etc. bringing them to the forefront of the global stage thus defying the negative perceptions that have plagued the region. Many inspirational figures from across the globe have joined the Board, believing in TAKREEM's vision and continuing to renew their commitment year after year such as: her majesty the queen Noor Al Hussein,^[18][19] Marc Levy,^[20][21] Carlos Ghosn,^[22][23] Lakhdar Brahimi^[24][25] and Hanan Ashrawi.^[26][27]

Television Series

Documentaries

References