Mirwais Azizi (born 1962) is a
Dubai
Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...
based Afghan businessman. 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. He is the chairman of
Azizi Bank
Azizi Bank is one of the largest commercial banks in Afghanistan. It has 80 branches including extension counters and around 100 ATMs across Afghanistan. The bank opened on June 13, 2006, and is headquartered in Zanbaq Square, Kabul, Afghanistan. ...
the largest
commercial bank
A commercial bank is a financial institution which accepts deposits from the public and gives loans for the purposes of consumption and investment to make profit.
It can also refer to a bank, or a division of a large bank, which deals with cor ...
in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
,
which he established in 2006 with $7.5 million in equity capital and has since reached up to $80 million.
He featured in the list of "
Arabian Business
''Arabian Business'' (''AB'') is a weekly business magazine published in Dubai and focusing on global and regional news analysis. The brand is aimed at the English- and Arabic-speaking communities and is published in both languages.
Its circula ...
100 Inspiring leaders in the Middle East" in March 2018.
He is regarded by many Afghans as
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
's richest man, who handled as much as 70% of the petroleum products sold
in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
, reportedly by
Asia Sentinel
The ''Asia Sentinel'' is a web-based publication focused on Asian regional news, business, arts and culture. The site was launched in August 2006.
Its "About Us" page stated that "''Asia Sentinel'' was created to provide a platform for news, an ...
. In 2010,
WikiLeaks
WikiLeaks () is an international Nonprofit organization, non-profit organisation that published news leaks and classified media provided by anonymous Source (journalism), sources. Julian Assange, an Australian Internet activism, Internet acti ...
claimed, he is "possibly the richest man in Afghanistan".
Biography
Early life and education
He was born in a family of the Azizi
Pashtuns
Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...
of
Laghman,
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
, who are a sub-clan of the larger
Kheshgi The Kheshgi, Khaishgi, Kheshagi, Khweshgi, or Kheshki is a prominent Sarbani Pashtun tribe and Imperial dynasty in South Asia.
Administration
The Kheshgi Tribe is divided into the following sub-tribes:
* Batakzi
* Umerzai
* Hussainzai
* Azizi
* ...
tribe. He graduated in law from the
University of Kabul
Kabul University (KU; prs, دانشگاه کابل, translit= Dāneshgāh-e-Kābul; ps, د کابل پوهنتون, translit=Da Kābul Pohantūn) is one of the major and oldest institutions of higher education in Afghanistan. It is in the 3rd ...
.
He left Afghanistan in 1988.
[
]
Career
In 2007, Mirwais Azizi established Azizi Developments. In 2006, he founded Azizi Bank
Azizi Bank is one of the largest commercial banks in Afghanistan. It has 80 branches including extension counters and around 100 ATMs across Afghanistan. The bank opened on June 13, 2006, and is headquartered in Zanbaq Square, Kabul, Afghanistan. ...
, now the largest commercial financial institution in Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
.[ He also acquired Bakhtar Bank (now Islamic Bank of Afghanistan) which is one of the fastest growing banks in ]Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
.[
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.
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.]American University of Afghanistan
The American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) ( fa, ; ps, ) is an Afghan private university located in the Darulaman section of Kabul. Most students of AUAF currently live abroad and there are plans to create a new AUAF campus in Qatar in the ...
, the first non-profit higher education institution in Afghanistan.[
]
Companies
List of companies/organizations owned by Mirwais Azizi;
* Azizi Investments
* Azizi Developments
* Azizi Bank
Azizi Bank is one of the largest commercial banks in Afghanistan. It has 80 branches including extension counters and around 100 ATMs across Afghanistan. The bank opened on June 13, 2006, and is headquartered in Zanbaq Square, Kabul, Afghanistan. ...
* 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
* List of Afghans
The following is a list of notable Afghan people, which includes all the ethnic groups of the modern state of Afghanistan. Afghanistan has gone through territorial changes. This list generally excludes Ethnic Pashtuns who originate from regions t ...
Further reading
*
*
References
External links
Face to face: Mirwais Azizi, Azizi Developments
on ''Arabian Industry''
Emirati businesspeople
Afghan businesspeople
Living people
Emirati billionaires
Kabul University alumni
1962 births
{{Asia-business-bio-stub