The story of Mirwais Azizi is one of success through entrepreneurial innovation, design and operational excellence. He was born in 1962 in Afghanistan where he studied law and worked at a law firm before deciding to leave the country to secure a safer future for his family. He settled in Uzbekistan, where he started a textile manufacturing business.
As a young ambitious entrepreneur, Mirwais then pursued opportunities in world of tobacco, firstly in Bulgaria and then the Russian commonwealth countries. He switched industries again after relocating to the UAE and turned his sights to the oil and gas sector.
Mirwais then established Azizi Bank, now the largest and strongest commercial financial institution in Afghanistan. Following this, Azizi Group strengthened its role in the country by acquiring Al Bakhtar Bank, one of Afghanistan’s fastest growing banks.
In 2007, Mirwais established Azizi Developments. A year later, it began selling off-plan properties in Dubai only to be temporarily stalled by the global financial crisis. In 2013, Azizi Developments resumed the construction of existing projects with great success and never looked back. With a current portfolio valued at $12bn and more than 200 projects in various stages of development, Azizi Developments has become one of the most prominent private real-estate developers in the UAE.
Never forgetting his roots, Mirwais has given back to Afghanistan by acts of philanthropy. He helped create 5,000 new jobs, contributed to the rebuilding of infrastructure and the development of 10,000 homes and commercial areas.
Mirwais believes that education is the only way to empower Afghans and was instrumental in establishing the first non-profit higher education institution in Afghanistan, the American University of Afghanistan. Today, thousands of students receive education through the university and go on to join the country’s workforce and help grow its economy.
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