Charif Souki Explained

Charif Souki
Birth Date:1953
Birth Place:Cairo, Egypt
Known For:Development of the US LNG industry
Occupation:Businessman
Parents:Samyr Souki

Charif Souki (born 1953) is an American businessman. He is the co-founder and former CEO of Cheniere Energy, an oil and gas company which specialized in liquefied natural gas. He was the highest-paid chief executive officer in the United States in 2013.

Early life

Charif Souki was born in 1953 in Cairo, Egypt.[1] His father, Samyr Souki, was a member of the Greek Orthodox Church.[1] Souki moved to Beirut, Lebanon in 1957.[1]

Career

Souki worked as a banker on Wall Street.[2] He also worked as a restaurateur.

Souki served as the chief executive officer of Cheniere Energy until December 2015.[3] He earned US$142 million in 2013,[4] making him the highest-paid CEO in the United States that year.[5] Souki claims he stepped down as CEO after a disagreement with board member Carl Icahn.[6]

Souki is the co-founder of Tellurian Investments with Martin Houston.[3] Tellurian ousted its chairman and co-founder, Charif Souki, late 2023 after auditors raised doubts about the company's ability to cover future expenses.

Notes and References

  1. News: Zuckerman. Gregory. The Export King. April 29, 2016. Foreign Affairs. November 8, 2013.
  2. News: Sheppard. David. Cheniere Energy chief pushes for a global spot market in LNG. April 29, 2016. Financial Times. September 3, 2015.
  3. News: Meyer. Gregory. Charif Souki plans to compete with his old company. April 29, 2016. Financial Times. February 25, 2016.
  4. News: Helman. Christopher. Why Cheniere Energy's Souki Is Worth His $142 Million A Year. April 29, 2016. Forbes. April 29, 2014.
  5. News: Benoit. David. Dezember. Ryan. Cheniere Board Votes to Replace CEO Charif Souki. April 29, 2016. The Wall Street Journal. December 13, 2015.
  6. News: Stevenson. Abigail. Charif Souki: Carl Icahn behind my Cheniere departure. April 29, 2016. CNBC. April 26, 2016.