Business

After completing his studies, Alex returned home to Lebanon in 1996 to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather and join Demco Steel Industries, the family business.^[2] He currently serves as Managing Partner and is a member of the Board of Directors. Alex was also a driving force behind the diversification of Demco into other sectors of the economy, most notably with Demco Properties, which focuses on real estate development.^[3] In total, Demco Properties has a portfolio that includes six projects valued at more than $1 billion, spanning commercial, residential, and mixed-use property developments. ^[4]

In Lebanon, Demirdjian serves as Chairman of STARCO, a real estate company that owns STARCO Center, a mixed-use office building and business center in downtown Beirut. Internationally, Demirdjian serves in leadership positions for several business entities, including as a partner in Interaudi Bank in New York, and a partner and board member in the shipping company Janice International, which is based in the Marshall Islands.

Civic and Personal Life

Alex and the Demirdjian family are major supporters of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), a non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve and promote Armenian identity and heritage through educational, cultural, and humanitarian programs. In Beirut, Alex continues to uphold his family’s legacy of sponsoring the Demirdjian Center, a youth club of the AGBU.^[5] The center was established in October 1996 and offers a range of recreational, sports, and educational activities that encourage interaction between members from different backgrounds, ages, and nationalities. Alex also has a passion for supporting children and contributes to several Lebanese charities that provide for the welfare of orphans.

Alex is a staunch advocate of official international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Alex lost several family members during the massacres of 1915. His ancestors who survived fled from present-day Armenia to settle in Lebanon.

Alex married Anne Abi Farah in 2001. The couple has two children, Alex Jr. and Anoushka.

Demirdjian is fluent in four languages: Arabic, Armenian, English, and French.

In his free time, Alex enjoys flying airplanes and helicopters, which he learned during his time in California. Alex is an avid Formula racing fan and driver, who participated in the 1995 and 1996 Formula 3 French Championship. ^[6]