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Mirwais Azizi (born 1962) is a Dubai-based Afghan businessman. He is the chairman of Azizi Group of companies, which he founded in 1989 with a presence in realty, banking, investment, and hospitality. He is also the chairman of Azizi Bank, which he established in 2006 in Kabul, Afghanistan, with $7.5 million in equity capital and has since reached up to $80 million.

Azizi is currently building the second tallest tower in Dubai. He was featured in the list of "Arabian Business 100 Inspiring leaders in the Middle East" in March 2018.

He is regarded by many Afghans as Afghanistan's richest man, who handled as much as 70% of the petroleum products sold in Afghanistan, reported by Asia Sentinel.

Biography

Early life and education

Azizi was born in Laghman, Afghanistan. He graduated in Law from the University of Kabul. He left Afghanistan in 1988.

Career

In 2007, Mirwais Azizi established Azizi Developments. A year prior, he founded Azizi Bank, which became one of the largest commercial financial institutions in Afghanistan. He also acquired Bakhtar Bank (now Islamic Bank of Afghanistan) which is one of the fastest growing banks in Afghanistan.

Azizi Developments started selling off-plan properties in Dubai until the 2007–2008 financial crisis. The majority of buyers could not continue payments and Azizi instructed that their deposits be handed back.

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 in Dubai valued over AED 45 billion. The Azizi Hotak Group, which he started with an initial investment of $80 million, operates in 10 countries.

He has served on the board of trustees for American University of Afghanistan, the first non-profit higher education institution in Afghanistan.

Companies

List of companies/organizations owned by Mirwais Azizi:

• 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.

See also

• Ehsan Bayat
• Mahmud Karzai

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. "Afghan businessman announces plan to invest $10 billion over next 5 years". Ariana News. January 13, 2024. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
2. "Afghan Businessman to Invest $10 Billion in Country". TOLOnews. 12 January 2024. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
3. ^ Rousseau, Oscar (March 10, 2018). "Face to face: Mirwais Azizi, Azizi Developments". ConstructionWeekOnline. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
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. Archived from the original on June 29, 2018.
7. Gregson, Jonathan (May 1, 2018). "World's Best Bank Awards 2018: Asia-Pacific". Global Finance.
8. "Mirwais Azizi building world's second-tallest tower in Dubai". Ariana News. September 6, 2024. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
9. "100 Inspiring Leaders in the Middle East". Arabian Business. 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
10. ^ "100 Inspiring Leaders In The Middle EastMirwais : Azizi". Arabian Business. March 2018.
11. "The Afghani Way of Banking". Asia Sentinel. January 2, 2008.
12. ^ "Rebuilding Afghanistan". May 4, 2008 – via PressReader.
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. ^ "Azizi Developments celebrates first handovers in Riviera". Arab News. 2022-08-27. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
18. "UAE's Azizi records $350m home sales at Cityscape". Arabian Business. September 17, 2017.
19. Higgins, Andrew (February 22, 2010). "In Afghanistan, signs of crony capitalism". The Washington Post.

External links

• Wigglesworth, Robin (September 8, 2010). "Afghan elite enjoys high life in Dubai". Financial Times.

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