Elias Sarkis

Elias Sarkis was born in Chbaniyyeh in the Baabda district and raised in modest circumstances, funding his law studies at Saint Joseph University by working as a railway clerk. Recognizing his brilliance and integrity, President Fuad Chehab appointed him Director General of the Presidency in 1962.

Sarkis served as Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon (Banque du Liban) from 1968 to 1976, preserving the stability of the Lebanese pound during the collapse of intra-bank institutions. Elected president in 1976 during the civil war, he worked relentlessly under siege conditions to keep basic state institutions functioning until the end of his term in 1982.