In 1964, George and Abdallah Zakhem founded Zakhem Engineering in Beirut. By 1965, the brothers were awarded a major contract in Iraq, constructing the 300-kilometer twin gas pipelines from Kirkuk to Baghdad and the aviation fuel system at Baghdad International Airport.
Zakhem extended their operation and executed other types of projects, most notably the construction of the Social Security Building, Baghdad’s second largest commercial building at the time. Expanding to Abu Dhabi by 1968, they constructed the first gas pipeline, with dehydration and desulphurising plants, to transport gas from the oil fields at Shams to the first power station built in Abu Dhabi.
By 1974, Zakhem covered 12 countries worldwide, including multiple areas in the Middle East. Because of civil war eruption in Lebanon in 1975, Zakhem moved operations to Europe. The board of directors also welcomed younger brothers Ibrahim and Albert.
While in London, the company was introduced to the international market and secured a major contract in Kenya by 1976 to construct a 450-kilometer product pipeline that would extend from Mombasa to Nairobi.
source:
http://zakhem.com/