An expatriate returns to his roots

Though I was born in Damascus, much of my life, including my childhood, has been lived abroad. My family’s early years were spent accompanying my diplomat father to various countries in Europe. In 1961, my father was appointed Syria’s representative to the United Nations. So, together with my brother, we joined our parents in New York City, where I attended Columbia University.

After graduating, I decided on a career in finance. At that time, there were no job opportunities for me in Syria in my chosen field. Had I returned home in 1966, I would have had to work in areas not related to my studies. This reality was an important factor in my decision to remain in New York rather than return to Syria. Fortunately, I was hired by a major financial institution that was prepared to support my residency application and to train me before they sent me overseas. (That same institution would later send me to Harvard University Graduate School of Business to complete my education.)

Working for an international bank in New York clearly outweighed possibilities awaiting me in Damascus. So, without much ado, I chose to remain in New York, at least for a few years, waiting for new opportunities to arise in Syria. Well, my banking career abroad lasted 33 great years spent in New York, Beirut (in the good old days!) Bahrain and, more recently, London. It was a unique experience to work in the four major financial centers of that time.

Life was great and all the possible comforts one can ask for were available to us. Like most Syrian expatriates, I was quite happy to visit Damascus once or twice a year to see my family and friends and to bring, from time to time, my wife and children for a holiday in “the Old Country”. As time passed by, with each visit I noticed positive changes were taking place in the daily life of Syria.

By the late 1990’s almost anything one might require was available locally. Even the immigration officers at the airport had become pleasant and welcoming. What a great improvement from previous years. The friendly and hospitable Syrian traditions had finally come back and even reached our airports. One day I was having coffee with a group of friends in London discussing the never ending Middle East problem. On the way out one of my friends from Aleppo asked me if I had heard or read President Bashar Al Assad’s inaugural speech.

I replied I had not, and he obliged me with a copy of a Syrian newspaper that had printed it. Upon reading the speech, I was pleasantly surprised by the President’s commitments to reform and his new ideas to improve the well-being of his compatriots. At that point, I felt confident that there would be changes in Syria and that was when, for the first time, I seriously considered a possible return to my homeland. Some of my friends supported my idea.

Others did not think I could adjust to a new way of life. But I had always wanted to return home under proper circum-stances. I believed it was the right time to make the leap from West to East. By now, my two daughters were well established in their own ways and I felt quite comfortable leaving them to live their own lives. The time was ripe to return and participate in whatever way I could in the economic development of my homeland.

I thought my years spent in the financial world of Europe, the United States and the Gulf could be put to good use in Syria. With the support and encouragement of my foreign-born wife, I decided four years ago to return to my birthplace. Frankly, the beginning was somewhat challenging, particularly for my wife. However, with the help of friends she adjusted very nicely to our daily routine.

The great savior, in fact, was the discovery of the “Chaalan Market”, our open-air equivalent to the European supermarket. Another helpful adjustment - for both of us - was learning to accept, although reluctantly, that not everyone is committed to a deadline. A project that should take a month may end up taking two or three. When someone promises something for “tomorrow”, he might really mean next week or even, maybe, next month! But in all fairness attitude are changing for the better mainly because of the new competitiveness in the market.

I spent several months acquainting my-self with the country of my birth which I knew mainly as a tourist. I re-established contacts with businessmen I had dealt with from overseas, most of whom were surprised that I had decided to return home. I was considering several options in my field of business when an old banking friend from Bahrain asked me if I would be interested in assisting him in the establishment of a private bank in Syria. I was delighted to accept his offer.

I could put my experience at the bank’s disposal and at the same time fulfill the main objective of my return home. With guidance from the Central Bank and help of first rate legal and financial advisors, the establishment of Syria Gulf Bank be-came a reality last month, two and a half years after the start of the project. Many Syrian expatriates are now considering coming home because of the improved social and economic climate in Syria.

The economic growth in the country will create demand for qualified and experienced individuals which I hope will attract young expatriates in search of new opportunities back to their homeland. To all those considering such a move, I offer nothing but encouragement.