Samih Toukan

Samih Toukan is a prominent entrepreneur and investor, well-known as the founder of “Maktoob,” one of the Arab world’s most successful online platforms. Toukan, an engineer by profession, also serves as Chairman of Jabbar Internet Group, a pioneering organization in MENA’s technology sector. His passion for advancing regional internet services and nurturing Arab entrepreneurs transformed Maktoob from a modest Arabic email website into an iconic regional success story.

Toukan’s journey began in technology consulting, starting with his company, Business Optimization Consultants (“BOC”), founded in 1994. Over years of consulting experience, he aligned his career with internet development, eventually leading him toward the groundbreaking idea of an Arabic email and content platform. Under his strategic vision and perseverance, Maktoob evolved dramatically, culminating in its historic acquisition by Yahoo! in 2009—marking the biggest tech acquisition in the region at the time.

Toukan remains extremely private about his personal life despite international prominence.

Here at Arageek, we consider Samih Toukan’s inspiring journey a powerful testament to entrepreneurship’s transformative potential within the Arab region. His career provides invaluable lessons in persistence, innovation, and resilience—qualities we believe are exceedingly beneficial for aspiring startups and established entrepreneurs alike.

Born on February 27, 1969, to a Palestinian family originating from Nablus, Samih Toukan grew up in Jordan’s capital, Amman. His family had migrated to Amman due to hardships resulting from the Palestinian Nakba. Early academic achievements took him overseas, enabling him to pursue advanced degrees across Europe. Toukan attained his Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of London in 1990 and then acquired another Master’s in Business and International Management from HEC University, France, in 1992.

Samih Toukan values his personal and family life privately and prefers not to share personal details publicly.

– Worked extensively at Andersen Consulting, specializing in internet services and system development.

– Co-founded Oasis500, Jordan’s leading startup accelerator and seed investor.

– Chairs “Under My Olive Tree,” a non-profit promoting education for underprivileged youth.

– An active advisory member and investor in Ruwwad Micro Venture Fund, supporting entrepreneurs in disadvantaged communities.

– Plays a key mentorship role for young entrepreneurs within the MENA startup ecosystem.

Throughout his trailblazing technology journey, Toukan accumulated notable accomplishments:

– **1994:** Established Business Optimization Consultants (“BOC”), gaining substantial experience in tech development and internet services.

– **1998:** Teamed up with Hussam Khoury and Fadi Ghandour (CEO of Aramex) to launch Maktoob, initially an experimental Arabic-language email website, boosting its identity under the motto “Be Proud, You are Arab.”

– **2000:** Expanded subscriber base rapidly to 100,000 users worldwide, propelling the transformation from a pilot project into a fully-fledged enterprise. Partnered with Egypt’s EFG-Hermes financial group to facilitate rapid growth.

– **2004:** Led innovative promotion campaigns such as “Record: I am Arab” (“Sajjel Ana Arabi”), notably launching a pioneering email service that provided users with an unprecedented 1GB mailbox—among the largest globally at the time.

– Continued expanding via strategic acquisitions, securing Maktoob’s position as a global influencer amongst regional and international digital platforms.

– **2009:** Oversaw landmark acquisition deal as Yahoo! purchased Maktoob, significantly influencing the regional technology sector.

– Appointed Chairman of Jabbar Internet Group post-acquisition, incubating numerous successful ventures and startups, including Souq.com—formerly the Middle East’s largest e-commerce platform (later acquired by Amazon).

– Appointed board member by the Jordanian Government to the Social Security Investment Fund (2003-2005).

– Received the highly prestigious Al Hussein Medal of Distinguished Performance (First Degree) from Jordan’s King Abdullah II on September 9, 2009, for valuable contributions toward technology advancement and innovation in Jordan and the Arab world.

Toukan deliberately chose the Arabic word “Maktoob,” meaning “written” or “letter,” symbolizing encouragement—not just towards digital communication—but also towards reinforcing Arabic cultural pride and supporting content creation in the language.