Tarek Ben Halim

Ben Halim worked in investment banking at JP Morgan, Credit Suisse First Boston, and Goldman Sachs, where he became a managing director. In 2000, he oversaw the $2 billion flotation of Turkcell, which at the time was reportedly the largest emerging-market IPO.^[5][6] In a February 2003 commentary for The Los Angeles Times, he criticized Arab governments for being “self‑serving, unrepresentative governments that have, with few exceptions, ruled the Arab world since the 19th century.” He expressed hope that removing Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq would usher in broader leadership changes across the region. He also volunteered to work with British forces.^[7]

After being appointed deputy director of private sector development within the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), Ben Halim said he disagreed with what he perceived as the CPA’s emphasis on short‑term gains rather than establishing a sustainable framework to last beyond its tenure. He resigned after several months.^[8]

In 2004, Tarek Ben Halim founded Alfanar (meaning "lighthouse" in Arabic), an organization that supports the development of civil society in the Arab world by promoting organizations that address long-term community needs in disadvantaged areas.^[9]

Tarek Ben Halim died from brain cancer on 11 December 2009 at the age of 54. He was married to Cynthia Oakes, a Princeton graduate and daughter of U.S. journalist John Bertram Oakes.^[10]