MKS PAMP GROUP

The story of MKS PAMP GROUP is a fascinating journey that began with a chance discovery. As a young boy in Northern Iraq, Mahmoud Kassem Shakarchi witnessed his mother unearth gold coins while digging foundations, a moment that would unknowingly foreshadow his family's destiny in the world of precious metals. Possessing remarkable mathematical and business talents, Mahmoud ventured to Istanbul at 23 to trade sheep before establishing a foreign exchange and gold-trading business in Beirut in 1948. He quickly became a preeminent figure in the region's financial landscape. However, the outbreak of the Lebanese civil war in 1975 compelled him to relocate his family and vision to the stability of Switzerland the following year. It was in Geneva, in 1979, that Mahmoud Kassem Shakarchi officially founded MKS (Switzerland) SA, laying the cornerstone of what would become a global powerhouse. He forged a pivotal relationship with PAMP (Produits Artistiques Métaux Précieux), an innovative Swiss refiner of small minted gold bars, which he successfully marketed across the Middle East. As demand surged, he acquired a majority stake in PAMP in 1981, transforming it into the world-renowned refinery it is today.

Following Mahmoud's passing in 1983, his children, Karma and Marwan Shakarchi, took the helm. Guided by their father's legacy and a shared ambition, they embarked on a mission to elevate the family business into the world's leading precious metals group. They expanded eastward into Asia, opening their first overseas office in Australia in 1998, and strategically acquired MTB (Manfra, Tordella & Brookes) in New York in 2001 to solidify their presence in the North American coin and bullion market. The group's industrial capacity grew significantly with the establishment of MMTC-PAMP in India in 2008, a landmark joint venture. Today, the MKS PAMP GROUP is a vertically integrated enterprise specializing in every facet of the precious metals business, from sourcing and refining to trading and fabricating. Still managed by the founding family, the group champions long-term vision, responsible sourcing, and sustainability, even developing Provenance™, a blockchain-based traceability solution to ensure transparency. With over 1,450 employees across 17 offices worldwide, the MKS PAMP GROUP continues to build on its foundations of integrity, quality, and family values, serving a global clientele that includes producers, users, and traders of precious metals.