Dr Taleb Rifai is Chairman of the International Advisory Board of the International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT). He served as Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) based in Madrid from 2010 until 2018, having previously been Deputy Secretary-General.
From January 2003 to February 2006, Dr. Rifai was the Assistant Director-General of the International Labour Organization. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Rifai served in several ministerial portfolios in the Government of Jordan as Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Minister of Information and Minister of Planning and International Cooperation. During his term as Minister of Tourism, Dr. Rifai served as Chairman of the Executive Council of the UNWTO.
From 1997 to 2000, he was Chief Executive Officer of the Jordan Cement Company, one of the largest public shareholding companies in Jordan; and directed the first large-scale privatization and restructuring scheme in Jordan. Dr. Rifai was also actively involved in policy making and developing investment strategies in his capacity as Director General of the Investment Promotion Corporation in Jordan.
From 1993 to 1995, Dr. Rifai headed Jordan’s first Economic Mission to Washington DC, promoting trade, investment, and economic relations between Jordan and the USA.
Dr. Rifai began his career as Professor of Architecture, Planning and Urban Design at the University of Jordan from 1973-1993. He received his Ph.D. in Urban Design and Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia – USA (1983); and a MSc. in Engineering and Architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago – USA (1979). He also attained a B.Sc. in Architectural Engineering from the University of Cairo in 1973.
Dr. Rifai is a Jordanian national born is 1949. He is married and has five children.