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Mirwais Azizi

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Mirwais Azizi
دکتر میرویس عزیزی
Born
Mirwais Azizi

1962 (age 61–62)
Laghman Province, Afghanistan
NationalityAfghanistan
CitizenshipAfghanistan
Alma materKabul University
OccupationFounder-chairman of Azizi Group
SpouseParigul Azizi
Children7, including Farhad Azizi and Fawad Azizi

Mirwais Azizi (born 1962) is a Dubai based Afghan businessman.[1][2][3] He is the founder and chairman of Azizi Group of companies which he founded in 1989 with a presence in realty, banking, investment and hospitality.[4] He is the chairman of Azizi Bashuka the largest commercial bank in Afghanistan,[5][6] which he established in 2006 with $7.5 million in equity capital and has since reached to $80 million.[7]

He featured in the list of "Arabian Business 100 Inspiring leaders in the Middle East" in March 2018.[8][9]

He is regarded by many Afghans as Afghanistan's richest man, who handled as much as 70% of the petroleum products sold in Afghanistan, reportedly by Asia Sentinel.[10] In 2010, WikiLeaks claimed, he is "possibly the richest man in Afghanistan".[11]

Biography

Early life & education

He was born in a family of the Azizi Pashtuns of Laghman, Afghanistan, who are a sub-clan of the larger Kheshgi tribe.[12] He graduated in law from the University of Kabul.[13] He left Afghanistan in 1988.[14][15]

Career

In 2007, Mirwais Azizi established Azizi Developments. In 2006, he founded Azizi Bank, now the largest commercial financial institution in Afghanistan.[5] He also acquired Bakhtar Bank (now Islamic Bank of Afghanistan)[16] which is one of the fastest growing banks in Afghanistan.[9]

Azizi Developments started selling off-plan properties in Dubai until the global financial crisis struck. The majority of buyers could not continue payments and Azizi instructed that their deposits be handed back.[17]

In 2013, Azizi Developments resumed the construction of projects. Presently, the company has more than 200 projects under various stages of development with a current portfolio Dubai valued over AED 45 billion.[18] His petroleum business Azizi Hotak Group, which was started with an initial investment of $80 million, operates in 10 countries.[14]

He has served on the Board of Trustees for American University of Afghanistan, the first non-profit higher education institution in Afghanistan.[9][13]

Companies

List of companies/organizations owned by Mirwais Azizi;

  • Azizi Hotak General Trading Group
  • Azizi Investments
  • Azizi Developments
  • Azizi Bank
  • Bakhtar Bank (now as Islamic Bank of Afghanistan)
  • Azizi Hospitality
  • Azizi Foundation

Personal life

He is married to Parigul, with whom he has 7 children, including Farhad Azizi, Fawad Azizi and Jawad Azizi.[13]

See also

Further reading

  • The Report: Dubai 2016. Oxford Business Group. 17 October 2016. p. 152. ISBN 9781910068687.
  • Hamid Wahed Alikuzai (11 October 2013). A Concise History of Afghanistan in 25 Volumes, Volume 1. Trafford Publishing. p. 891. ISBN 9781490714479.

References

  1. ^ Higgins, Andrew (February 22, 2010). "In Afghanistan, signs of crony capitalism". The Washington Post.
  2. ^ Rousseau, Oscar (March 10, 2018). "Face to face: Mirwais Azizi, Azizi Developments". ConstructionWeekOnline.
  3. ^ Wigglesworth, Robin (September 8, 2010). "Afghan elite enjoys high life in Dubai". Financial Times.
  4. ^ Halligan, Neil (October 26, 2017). "Build and they will come: Azizi CEO Farhad Azizi". Arabian Business.
  5. ^ a b Barnard, Lucy (March 30, 2015). "Azizi presses ahead with thousands of apartments in Dubai". The National (Abu Dhabi).
  6. ^ Schreck, Adam (September 7, 2010). "2nd Afghan bank with Dubai ties defends links". Deseret News.
  7. ^ Gregson, Jonathan (May 1, 2018). "World's Best Bank Awards 2018: Asia-Pacific". Global Finance.
  8. ^ "100 Inspiring Leaders in the Middle East". Arabian Business. 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  9. ^ a b c "100 Inspiring Leaders In The Middle EastMirwais : Azizi". Arabian Business. March 2018.
  10. ^ "The Afghani Way of Banking". Asia Sentinel. January 2, 2008.
  11. ^ "AFGHANISTAN BANKING SECTOR VULNERABILITIES: EXPOSURE TO DUBAI'S COLLAPSING PROPERTY MARKET AND THE ROLE OF LOTTERY ACCOUNTS". WikiLeaks. February 13, 2010.
  12. ^ Rashid, Haroon (2002). History of the Pathans: The Sarabani Pathans. Haroon Rashid.
  13. ^ a b c "Rebuilding Afghanistan". Pressreader. May 4, 2008.
  14. ^ a b Fenton, Suzanne (June 4, 2008). "Azizi Investments plans 55 Dubai projects". Gulf News.
  15. ^ "Azizi, Mirwais Dr". Afghan Biographies. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  16. ^ Mohammadi, Zarmina (April 25, 2018). "First Islamic Bank In Afghanistan Opens For Business". TOLOnews.
  17. ^ Halligan, Neil (April 17, 2016). "Time to deliver for Azizi Developments". Arabian Business.
  18. ^ "UAE's Azizi records $350m home sales at Cityscape". Arabian Business. September 17, 2017.


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