Mirwais Azizi
Mirwais Azizi | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mirwais Azizi 1962 (age 62–63) |
| Alma mater | Kabul University |
| Occupation | Founder-chairman of Azizi Groups of UAE-Afghan & Azizi Bank |
| Years active | Since 2000 - |
| Known for | Founder of Azizi Bank |
| Children | 7 |
| Family | Azizi Family |
Mirwais Azizi (born 1962) is a Dubai-based Afghan Businessman.[1][2][3] He is the chairman of Azizi Group of companies, which he founded in 1989 with a presence in realty, banking, investment, and hospitality.[4] He is also the chairman of Azizi Bank,[5][6] which he established in 2006 in Kabul, Afghanistan, with $7.5 million in equity capital and has since reached up to $80 million.[7]
Azizi is currently building Burj Azizi,[8] the second-tallest tower in Dubai.[9] He was featured in the list of "Arabian Business 100 Inspiring leaders in the Middle East" in March 2018.[10][11]
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.[12]
Early life and education
Azizi was born in Laghman of Afghanistan. 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.[16] A year prior, he founded Azizi Bank, which became one of the largest commercial financial institutions in Afghanistan.[5] He also acquired Bakhtar Bank (now Islamic Bank of Afghanistan)[17] which is one of the fastest growing banks in Afghanistan.[11]
Azizi Developments started selling off-plan properties in Dubai until the 2008 financial crisis. The majority of buyers could not continue payments and Azizi instructed that their deposits be handed back.[18]
In 2013, Azizi Developments resumed the construction of projects.[19] Presently, the company has more than 200 projects under various stages of development with a current portfolio in Dubai valued over AED 45 billion.[20] The Azizi Hotak Group, which he 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.[11][13]
Mirwais Azizi owned a number of companies such as Azizi Investments,[21] Azizi Developments,[19] Azizi Bank,[16] Bakhtar Bank (now as Islamic Bank of Afghanistan) to name a few.
Personal life
He is married to Parigul, with whom he has 7 children, including Farhad Azizi, Fawad Azizi, and Jawad Azizi.[13]
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
- ^ "Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund Meets with National Businessman and Investor Mirwais Azizi". RTA. August 2, 2025. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ^ "Historic $10b MoU signed to produce 10,000MW electricity". Pajhwok Afghan News. 2 August 2025. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ^ "Afghanistan Signs $10 Billion Deal to Generate 10,000 MW of Electricity". TOLOnews. 2 August 2025. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ^ Halligan, Neil (October 26, 2017). "Build and they will come: Azizi CEO Farhad Azizi". Arabian Business.
- ^ a b Barnard, Lucy (March 30, 2015). "Azizi presses ahead with thousands of apartments in Dubai". The National (Abu Dhabi).
- ^ Schreck, Adam (September 7, 2010). "2nd Afghan bank with Dubai ties defends links". Deseret News. Archived from the original on June 29, 2018.
- ^ Gregson, Jonathan (May 1, 2018). "World's Best Bank Awards 2018: Asia-Pacific". Global Finance.
- ^ "Sales commence for Burj Azizi, the world's second-tallest tower". Gulf Business. February 19, 2025. Retrieved 2025-02-21.
- ^ "Mirwais Azizi building world's second-tallest tower in Dubai". Ariana News. September 6, 2024. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
- ^ "100 Inspiring Leaders in the Middle East". Arabian Business. 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
- ^ a b c "100 Inspiring Leaders In The Middle EastMirwais : Azizi". Arabian Business. March 2018.
- ^ "The Afghani Way of Banking". Asia Sentinel. January 2, 2008.
- ^ a b c "Rebuilding Afghanistan". May 4, 2008 – via PressReader.
- ^ a b Fenton, Suzanne (June 4, 2008). "Azizi Investments plans 55 Dubai projects". Gulf News.
- ^ "Azizi, Mirwais Dr". Afghan Biographies. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
- ^ a b Rousseau, Oscar (March 10, 2018). "Face to face: Mirwais Azizi, Azizi Developments". ConstructionWeekOnline. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
- ^ Mohammadi, Zarmina (April 25, 2018). "First Islamic Bank In Afghanistan Opens For Business". TOLOnews.
- ^ Halligan, Neil (April 17, 2016). "Time to deliver for Azizi Developments". Arabian Business.
- ^ a b "Azizi Developments celebrates first handovers in Riviera". Arab News. 2022-08-27. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
- ^ "UAE's Azizi records $350m home sales at Cityscape". Arabian Business. September 17, 2017.
- ^ Higgins, Andrew (February 22, 2010). "In Afghanistan, signs of crony capitalism". The Washington Post.
External links
- میرویس عزیزي: د خپلو پروژو د شفافیت په اړه ځواب ته تیار دی on YouTube (BBC Pashto, Aug. 11, 2025)
- "Afghan admin seals $10B deal for 10k megawatts of electricity". Anadolu Agency. 4 August 2025.
- "Mirwais Azizi to fund education of 95 Afghan Students at AUCA in Kyrgyzstan". Khaama Press. July 12, 2025.
- Businessman pledges $500 million for ‘medical city’ in Kabul