Mohammad Ali Bdeir

Mohammad Ali Bdeir (; born 1909) was a Jordanian businessman, industrialist, and politician of Damascene descent. He played a central role in the early economic and infrastructural development of the Emirate of Transjordan and later the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He is best known for founding the Jordan Electric Power Company in 1938, which introduced electric power to Amman.

Early life

Bdeir was born in Damascus, Ottoman Empire, in 1909. His father was among the early merchants who relocated from Damascus to Amman prior to the establishment of the Emirate of Transjordan. In 1916, the family settled in Amman, then a small Ottoman settlement along the Hejaz Railway. Bdeir later continued his education in Damascus and Beirut, where he obtained his secondary school certificate.

He also served in the Senate and the National Consultative Council. A hall at the University of Jordan, along with streets and schools, are named in his honor.