Who is Cem Habib? 'RHODubai' star Caroline Stanbury's ex gifted her marble statue of Birkin bag
After being linked to celebrities like Sylvester Stallone, Hugh Grant and even Prince Andrew, London's glamorous socialite Caroline Stanbury left everybody a little surprised when she announced her wedding to Turkish financier Cem Habib back in 2004. Fans of Bravo's now-canceled program 'Ladies of London' got a peek into Caroline and Cem's marriage on the show.
Although Cem was featured very rarely on the show, the few times that he appeared on the Bravo show left a strong positive impression on fans. So in 2019 when Caroline announced that Cem and she were divorcing, everybody was surprised and curious to know the reason behind their decision to split. With Caroline ready to once again return to the small screen as one of the stars of 'Real Housewives of Dubai' alongside her new husband Sergio José Carrallo Pendás, there's a renewed interest in the reality star's personal life. If you too are curious to know more about Caroline's ex-husband and why the couple got divorced then keep reading.
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Who is Cem Habib?
Cem is a Turkish financier, who was married to Caroline Stanbury from 2004 to 2019. The couple tied the knot after two years of dating. Cem and Caroline have three children together- Yasmine, and twin sons Aaron and Zac.
According to Global Stardom, Cem began his career in 1996 with The Millburn Corporation, as a marketing executive, He later moved to Altedge Capital, before rising to the ranks of a partner at Cheyne Capital, one of the leading investment firms in Europe. He left Cheyne Capital to work with an investment bank in Kazakhstan. Cem also served on the Board of Directors at CIS Private Equity Management Limited. Cem and Caroline moved to Dubai from their plush London home after he received a lucrative job offer.
In an interview with The Daily Dish, Caroline described her ex-husband as a "calm" person who spoke six languages. She said, "No matter what he remains calm. [It's] the exact opposite of me, [as] I overreact and send him in to clean up my mess!" "He speaks six languages and has the best memory ever. [It's] giantly annoying for me who likes to forget certain things," she added.
The couple seemed to have had a great marriage as there are several sweet pictures of them together vacationing across the globe. Caroline also revealed that despite their hectic schedules, they made time for a date night at least once a week. "Every Friday we do a movie dinner night with all our children and have a sleepover in our room. They all have their own mattresses and they sleep on the floor next to us! They look forward to it every week and so do we," she said.
He also enjoyed splurging on extravagant gifts for Caroline. The millionaire financier reportedly gifted a marble sculpture of her favorite Birkin handbag for their anniversary gift. He also shelled out big bucks for a canary yellow diamond ring after the couple's twins were born!
Why did Caroline Stanbury and Cem Habib divorce?
Considering the couple seemed to have a happy and perfect marriage, many were surprised when Caroline took to her Instagram in December 2019 to announce their decision of divorce. She wrote, "After 17 years, filled with joy, adventures, ups and downs, Cem and I came to the conclusion some time ago that we will continue our relationship not as husband and wife but as good friends and parents to our wonderful 3 children we love very much. We wish each other all the happiness and look forward to maintaining our strong family unit ❤️" Though the reality star didn't reveal the reason on her Instagram, she however did drop a couple of hints in her interviews and blog posts on why Cem and she decided to part ways.
In an interview with The Daily Dish, she explained that they had "moved in different directions" and felt that it was best to part as friends. "I know it sounds cliché, but we just grew apart. We didn’t enjoy the same things. We weren’t holidaying together. I mean, I used to get it all the time from my Instagram [followers]: 'Where’s your husband, where’s your husband, where’s your husband?'" "He wants a quieter life, I’m more out there, he’s not gonna get onstage and do all that stuff that I do. I get it. We’re just different people with different friends, with different interests, you know? And there comes a point where you’re like, OK, wouldn’t you like to have someone that shares all those things with you?" she added.
She however made it very clear that the split was amicable and there was no "big drama". In one of her blog posts she explained, "We have been married for 17 years, together for 19 and in that time we have shared countless special memories and brought 3 wonderful children in to the world. There is no big drama – we just simply believe we are better continuing our relationship as friends. He is a wonderful, intelligent, handsome and caring person and luckily, we get to stay in each other’s lives."
Following her divorce, Caroline started a podcast called 'Divorced Not Dead'. "The name DIVORCED NOT DEAD came about because that’s exactly what I am. After divorce, society wants to say – right that’s you done now, but I’m turning that on its head. My marital status doesn’t change who I am, what I stand for and what I can achieve with my life. After all, I’m not dead – I’m only divorced," she pointed out. "And let me make it clear – it is not just for divorcees. It is for everyone! Single, happily married, unhappily married, happily trying everything out ….I want to change societal taboos and get deep in to those conversations we simply haven’t been having but need to be," she explained.
Things seem to have worked out well for Caroline post her divorce, as she is currently happily married to a former Real Madrid player Sergio José Carrallo Pendás. Cem, on the other hand, appears to be a very private person as he has maintained a relatively low profile after the divorce.
'Real Housewives of Dubai' premieres on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, at 9/8c on Bravo.