Jacques R Saadé, who died on Monday at the age of 81, founded the Compagnie Maritime d’Affretement (CMA) 40 years ago, on 13 September 1978,
He began with 4 employees, a single ship and only one maritime service between Marseilles and Beirut. Then began the company’s extraordinary development. In 1983, he sent his first ships beyond the Mediterranean and had them cross the Suez Canal. In 1986 he launched a service linking North Europe to Asia. In 1992 he opened CMA’s first office in Shanghai, persuaded that China would become the world’s factory.
He combined vigorous internal growth with strategic acquisitions allowing him to strengthen the company’s presence on key markets : CGM in 1996, ANL in 1998 and Delmas in 2005. In 2006, the company became the third largest container shipping company in the world.
With strong ties to the city of Marseilles, where the Group was founded, Jacques R. Saadé built the CMA CGM Tower in 2006, the new headquarters of the Group and now a symbol of the city of Marseilles.
He was always attentive to strengthening the ties between France and Lebanon.
Jacques R. Saadé was a recognized industry leader with a worldwide reputation. In 2013 he received one of the highest decorations of the City of Hamburg, the Admiralitäts-Portugaleser.
He also received an Honorary Doctorate from the American University in Lebanon, as well as Lebanon’s National Order of the Cedar. In 2014 Jacques R. Saadé received an award from the Association of the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASCAME) for encouraging the economic development and conveying a positive image of the Mediterranean Basin, as well as promoting peace and tolerance worldwide.
In 2015, he is conferred the title of Commander of the French Legion of Honor by the President of France. The following year he was named Commander of the Ordre National du Mérite Maritime.
