From an eminent Levantine family that originated in the Hauran region of Syria, Michel Pharaon is the son of Pierre (1925-1999), a businessman, deputy and minister, and Nadia Sehnaoui (1933-2013).
In 1991, he co-created Mednet a third-party administration company, later renamed GlobeMed which manages the health coverage of millions of people across Lebanon and the Middle East with operations in more than 12 countries.
As an independent, Michel Pharaon was first elected Greek-Catholic Member of Parliament for Beirut in 1996, in an electoral alliance with Prime Minister RaficHariri, of whom he remained an ally over the years.
In 2015, he was elected as president of the World Tourism Organization Committee for the Middle East region, twenty-two countries in all, for a two-year period, in recognition of the sustainable development projects initiated as minister.
Michel Pharaon is a member of the board of directors of the monthly Le Commerce du Levant and the daily L'Orient-Le Jour, and the LBCI.
Michel Pharaon is honorary president of the 'Football Racing Club' of Beirut and, in 2011, founded the club's'Football Academy', which sponsors more than two hundred young players each year.
Michel Pharaon is father to five children: Laura, Paola and Pierre, from his marriage to Mona Tannous, and Mickaella and Marc Anthony, from his union with Frida Rayes.
His elder sister, Nayla is the wife of Jean de Freige, General manager of Pharaon Holding and the younger, Neda is married to Ali Takieddine.