Syrian businessman Ayman Asfari poised to lead country's upcoming government

The name of the prominent Syrian businessman Ayman Asfari is being mentioned in Syrian political circles as a potential candidate for the position of head of the new Syrian government, which is expected to be announced in early March.

According to sources from Al Arabiya, it is anticipated that Ayman Asfari will form the new Syrian government, per Caliber.Az.

Asfari is one of the most prominent Syrian business figures living abroad. Holding British citizenship, he has not been directly involved in Syria's political affairs.

Although Asfari wasn’t politically active in Syria before 2011, he became a vocal critic of the Assad regime, which issued an arrest warrant for him on charges of "financing terrorism" following the outbreak of the Syrian revolution. He supported humanitarian initiatives and founded the organization "Citizens," a platform for various Syrian civil society groups.

Additionally, Asfari was involved in financing the Syrian Civil Defense ("White Helmets") and has played an active role in international politics, leveraging his influence in the UK to apply pressure on the Assad government.

Asfari has over two decades of experience in the oil industry. He began his career in Oman within the contracting sector, later becoming a senior partner at the energy service company Petrofac. Currently, he serves as the CEO of Vinterra Group, which operates in offshore wind energy. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees at the American University of Beirut, a director at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and a member of Chatham House’s Senior Advisors Committee.

Born in 1958 in the Idlib province, Asfari’s father, Adib Asfari, was one of the founding members of Syria's former ruling Ba'ath Party. Asfari holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Villanova University in the United States and a master’s degree in civil and urban engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, obtained in 1980.

By Tamilla Hasanova