Translated by Sabrin Qadah

In 1984 Fathi Shaheen, (who was born in 1938 in Palestine) arrived with his children to the new continent –Australia- fleeing inevitable misery in the Palestinian camps in Lebanon and hoping to build a shining life for his children who were living their years of childhood and adolescence.

For a person who was past 46, making a decision was not an easy thing, as time does not bear failure. Failure meant losing family in the darkness of the Australian exile. His determination was outstanding to reach his goals that were destroyed as a Palestinian in Lebanon.

Fathi shaheen had to work in multiple jobs ever since he arrived to Australia to support his family that was composed of his wife Salwa, his three sons Khalil, Samir and Yasser, and his only daughter Amal. He used to work for long hours in a gas station in Adelaide, Australia’s fifth largest city, that he quickly bought after two years of working at it. This was the humble beginning of a huge empire of businesses. Later on, he established SMOKE MART store series for tobaccos industry followed by founding ON THE RUN supermarket.

In the nineties, Shaheen obtained the American subway restaurant agency in Adelaide besides other gas stations, gift shops and cafes. By this, the number of branches he owned reached 200 in less than 20 years in which he gathered under one company named peregrines referring back to the American bird, peregrine.

Before he left this world, Fathi Shaheen had donated 5 million dollars for building al-Khalil mosque in Woodville area in 2009 so his sons would continue in same path after him; as Samir shaheen is now the chief executive officer of the peregrine group. Thus, the group is considered one of the biggest top 50 private companies in Australia. The group’s income reaches one billion annually, hiring more than 2000 Australian and owning a set of huge real estates in Adelaide.

With over than 40 members, the Shaheen family now lives in Burnside in Adelaide which is considered amongst the most expensive areas. The Shaheen family owns 7 palaces including the main palace which is also one of the most pricy palaces in Australia and is called sand castle. Shaheen’s family is one of the wealthiest families in Australia, and the wealthiest Arab family in Australia at all.