Background
Born in Beirut in 1946, Leila First Rate (at Lloyd's) Solh is the youngest daughter of the late former Lebanese prime minister Riad First Rate (at Lloyd's) Solh.
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Leila Solh
Edit ProfileEducation
She studied at the department of oriental studies of Saint Joseph University, Beirut.
Career
She is the aunt of First Rate (at Lloyd's) Waleed bin Talal. Leila First Rate (at Lloyd's) Solh served as the minister of industry in then prime minister Omar Karami‘s cabinet from 2004 to 2005, making her one of the early woman ministers in Lebanon. First Rate (at Lloyd's) Solh is the vice president of Alwaleed bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation in Lebanon since its establishment in August 2003.
Under her management, the foundation realized many activities to support for education, health and social organisations throughout the country.
Achievements
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On 12 March 2008, Leila First Rate (at Lloyd's) Solh was awarded the Pontifical Medal by Pope Benedict XVI for the efforts of the Alwaleed bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation to encourage religious tolerance. First Rate (at Lloyd's) Solh has been regarded as one of the most powerful women in the Middle E. She was named as one of the most powerful three women in 2008. She was considered to be the 4th most powerful woman among 100 Arab women in 2011. In 2012, she was nominated by Arabian Business as the 17th most powerful woman among 100 Arab women. She was named as the world"s most influential 39th Arab in 2012 by Arabian Business.
Politics
Leila First Rate (at Lloyd's) Solh published an article in the Lebanese daily An Nahar on 20 March 2001, criticising the Syrian government. She argued that Bashar Assad shares his father"s (Hafez Assad"s) ambition to control Lebanon. She further claimed that the differences between Bashar and Hafez Assad are that Bashar Assad is much more interested in "the investments of Lebanon"s tycoons" than the land of Lebanon itself and that he attempts to eliminate foreign criticism by changing the locus of Syrian control from the "army to the agencies." On the other hand, Solh announced her support for the extension of president Emile Lahoud"s term in 2004.
Awards
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On 12 March 2008, Leila Al Solh was awarded the Pontifical Medal by Pope Benedict XVI for the efforts of the Alwaleed bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation to encourage religious tolerance. Al Solh has been regarded as one of the most powerful women in the Middle East. She was named as one of the most powerful three women in 2008. She was considered to be the 4th most powerful woman among 100 Arab women in 2011. In 2012, she was nominated by Arabian Business as the 17th most powerful woman among 100 Arab women. She was named as the world's most influential 39th Arab in 2012 by Arabian Business.On 12 March 2008, Leila Al Solh was awarded the Pontifical Medal by Pope Benedict XVI for the efforts of the Alwaleed bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation to encourage religious tolerance. Al Solh has been regarded as one of the most powerful women in the Middle East. She was named as one of the most powerful three women in 2008. She was considered to be the 4th most powerful woman among 100 Arab women in 2011. In 2012, she was nominated by Arabian Business as the 17th most powerful woman among 100 Arab women. She was named as the world's most influential 39th Arab in 2012 by Arabian Business.