Rashad Pharaon
Rashad Pharaon (1912–1990) was a Syrian-born Saudi Arabian medical doctor who served as the personal physician of Ibn Saud, founder of Saudi Arabia. He also held various official posts during the reigns of three consecutive Saudi kings, King Saud, King Faisal and King Khalid. Biography. Rashad Pharaon was born in Syria in 1912. His father was a Syrian merchant who had connections with the Al Saud family during the Ottoman rule in Arabia as well as at the formation period of Saudi Arabia. He studied medicine in Damascus and became a surgeon. He began to serve as  private physician of Ibn Saud from 1936 which he held until Ibn Saud's death in 1953. Shukri Quwatli, future president of Syria, was instrumental in Rashad's migration to Saudi Arabia. Rashad was briefly the Saudi ambassador to Spain from 1953 to 1954 and was made the minister of health in 1954 which he held until 1960. Next he served as the Saudi ambassador to France between 1960 and 1966. From 1966 to 1982 he was the senior policy adviser to King Faisal and then, to King Khalid. Based on the statements of Ahmed bin Abdul Wahap Russian Arabist  Alexei Vassiliev reports that Rashad was the closest person to King Faisal during his reign. Faisal was instrumental in the appointment of Rashad as minister of health when he was crown prince and prime minister of Saudi Arabia. Rashad continued to enjoy a high status under King Khalid and was the only non-royal official who participated in the meetings of the king with foreign leaders. Rashad's family became one of the richest families in Saudi Arabia who have various assets and investments. He had five children, three sons and two daughters. His son, Ghaith Pharaon, was a businessman  who received a bachelor's degree from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard University. His another son, Mazen, was also a businessman, and Rashad Pharaon's both sons had business partnership with Prince Abdullah, eldest son of King Faisal. Rashad Pharaon died in 1990.