Mirwais 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 Bank, 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]

Mirwais Azizi
دکتر میرویس عزیزی‎‎
Mirwais Azizi in 2013.
Born	Mirwais Azizi 1962 (age 57–58) Laghman Province, Afghanistan
Nationality	Afghanistan
Citizenship	Afghanistan
Alma mater	Kabul University
Occupation	Founder-chairman of Azizi Group
Organization	Azizi Group Azizi Developments Azizi Investments Azizi Bank Islamic Bank of Afghanistan Azizi Foundation
Spouse(s)	Parigul Azizi
Children	7, including Farhad Azizi and Fawad Azizi

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 Pashtun family of Laghman, Afghanistan. He graduated in law from the University of Kabul.[12] He left Afghanistan in 1988.[13][14]

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)[15] 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.[16]

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.[17] His petroleum business Azizi Hotak Group, which was started with an initial investment of $80 million, operates in 10 countries.[13]

He has served on the Board of Trustees for American University of Afghanistan, the first non-profit higher education institution in Afghanistan.[9][12]

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.[12]

See also

• List of Afghans

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. 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. "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. "Rebuilding Afghanistan". Pressreader. May 4, 2008.
13. Fenton, Suzanne (June 4, 2008). "Azizi Investments plans 55 Dubai projects". Gulf News.
14. "Azizi, Mirwais Dr". Afghan Biographies. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
15. Mohammadi, Zarmina (April 25, 2018). "First Islamic Bank In Afghanistan Opens For Business". TOLOnews.
16. Halligan, Neil (April 17, 2016). "Time to deliver for Azizi Developments". Arabian Business.
17. "UAE's Azizi records $350m home sales at Cityscape". Arabian Business. September 17, 2017.

External links

• Face to face: Mirwais Azizi, Azizi Developments on Arabian Industry