Talal Abu-Ghazaleh

Talal Abu-Ghazaleh (طلال أبو غزالة; born 22 April 1938) is a Jordanian-Palestinian businessman, entrepreneur, and the founder and chairman of the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAG-Org), an international company headquartered in Jordan. He has been recognized for his role in promoting intellectual property rights in the Arab world.

Early life
Abu-Ghazaleh was born on 22 April 1938 in Jaffa, Palestine. His father was a businessperson dealing with oil companies, and his mother was of Syrian descent from Damascus. The family relocated to Lebanon following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

Education and career
Abu-Ghazaleh attended the American University of Beirut, where he began his career as a teacher and translator while still a student. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1960. Abu-Ghazaleh later received several honorary doctorates from various institutions.

In 1969, Abu-Ghazaleh founded his own firms specializing in accounting and intellectual property rights. He has established partnerships with various global organizations, including the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.

Controversies
Abu-Ghazaleh was inducted into the IP Hall of Fame in 2007 but was later removed following controversial statements he made.

Selected honors

 * Senator, Jordanian Upper House, The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (2016).
 * The Worldwide Alumni Association of AUB Distinguished Alumnus Award for 2016, from the American University of Beirut (2016).
 * ֺ Honorary Award for recognition and acknowledgment of the strong partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, Jordan (2016).
 * Honorary Award for Enhancing the Sino-Arab Relations from HE Mr. Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, Egypt (2016).
 * Abu-Ghazaleh Social Responsibility Awards launched by CSR Regional Network for his efforts in social initiatives, Kingdom of Bahrain (2014).
 * Visionary Leader Award from the Asian Education Leadership Awards, the UAE (2013)
 * Member of the WTO Panel on Defining the Future of Trade, Geneva, 2012.
 * The Arab Award for Media Creativity from the Arab Media Forum, Kuwait-2012.
 * Member of the Upper House, Amman, Jordan, (2010-2011).
 * Man of the Year Award from Palestine International Institute, Amman, 2012.
 * Award of “Arab ICT Personality” of the Year 2010 from Union of Arab ICT Associations, Kingdom of Bahrain (2010).
 * Honorary Award, The Arab Federation for the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights (AFPIPR), Jordan, 2009.
 * The International Lifetime Achievement Award, Dubai, UAE, 2008.
 * IP Hall of Fame Inductee, IP Hall of Fame Academy, Chicago, USA, 2007.
 * Aljazeera Award for Lifetime Achievement, Qatar (2004).


 * Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Canisius College, New York, USA, 1988.
 * Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, The American University of Beirut, Lebanon (1960).
 * Decoration of the Republic of Tunisia, 1985.
 * Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur, France, 1985.
 * Coat of Arms of the Kuwaiti Association of Accountants and Auditors, 1983.
 * Gold Mercury International Award, Bahrain, 1978.
 * Decoration of Independence of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Jordan 1967.

Selected chairmanships

 * Jordanian National Orchestra Association – JOrchestra	(2014).
 * Chair of the International, Arab Society of Certified Accountants (IASCA), London (1985–present); in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, (ECOSOC).

Selected board memberships

 * Member of the Advisory Board of Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, the United Arab Emirates (2014)
 * Member of Bretton Woods Committee, the United States (2014).
 * Board of Trustees, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon (1980–1982).

Music patronages

 * TAGO Golden Jubilee concert, London, UK (July 1997).
 * Private concert by Ramzi Yassa, Seattle, USA (1994).
 * Patron, Freunde der Salzburger Festspâele, Salzburg, Austria (1976).

Initiatives and publications

 * Talal Abu-Ghazaleh ICT Dictionary 2nd edition (2013).
 * Talal Abu-Ghazaleh IP Dictionary 2nd edition (2013).
 * Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Dictionary of Patents (2012).
 * Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Legal Dictionary (2012).
 * Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Collocations Dictionary (2012).
 * Abu-Ghazaleh ICT Directory (2008).
 * The Abu-Ghazaleh Accountancy & Business Dictionary (2001).
 * The Abu-Ghazaleh IP Dictionary (2000).
 * The Abu-Ghazaleh English-Arabic Dictionary of Accounting (1978).