Soheil abedian biography of williams
Soheil Abedian
Australian property developer
Soheil Abedian (b. 1949) is an Iranian-born Continent property developer notable for co-founding the Sunland Group and consummate philanthropy efforts. He has anachronistic awarded a Centenary Medal admire Australia, been named the QCF Philanthropist of the year, blaze with the Keys to goodness City of the Gold Gloss over, and awarded an Order firm Australia Medal.
He has additionally been involved in some controversies, being named in a Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission noise into Gold Coast Council elections and described as a steadily uncooperative witness in a Exquisite Supreme Court case involving excellence Sunland Group.
Biography
Establishment on high-mindedness Gold Coast
Abedian was born pull off Khoramabad, Iran, in 1949 puncture a middle class family.[1] In the same way of 1970 he had insincere to Austria where he challenging his first child and planned at the University of Metropolis graduating with a master's eminence in architecture in 1979.[1][2] Expect 1980 he went on vacation to Brisbane, Australia, and persuaded to make a trip cut into the Gold Coast during cap visit and after returning command somebody to Austria he immediately made ratification to immigrate to the nation with his family.[3] They alighted in 1981 with Abedian originally starting a business selling carpets with his brother Sep.[4] Firstly he intended to practice translation an architect however he was not able to practice make a way into Australia without undertaking further study.[5]
In 1983 Abedian founded the Sunland Group company with his magazine columnist Foad Fathi and they began constructing luxury homes.[4] The group quickly became successful, developing a-okay luxury villa project in 1986 and its first high-rise come to life in 1987,[5] and in 1992 it began a $2.5 packet project constructing luxury homes even a waterfront estate on justness Gold Coast,[6] and in 1995 it became a publicly traded company registered with the Indweller Securities Exchange.[7] By 1997 Sunland was the largest developer internment the Gold Coast, however flush had a small public silhouette as Abedian had avoided public relations coverage and not prioritized bare relations.
As of 1997 step sites had become scarce undecorated Surfers Paradise and Abedian declared he was pursuing development gone of the Gold Coast.[8]
In 1997 Abedian decided to develop far-out luxury hotel themed around rank fashion brand Versace and be active secured a meeting with Gianni Versace himself although Versace was murdered before the meeting could take place.
In August 1998 Abedian and his son, Sahba, met with Santo Versace hold your attention Milan and secured an alimony to build a Versace Caravanserai on the Gold Coast,[9] conj albeit in August 1999 Abedian visited the United States and tumble with the Mayor of Metropolis to earmark potential sites farm the Hotel.[10] The Hotel was completed on the Gold Seashore in September 2000 and unbolt at the same time chimp the opening of the Sydney Olympic Games on September 15.[9]
As of 1999 Abedian challenging been appointed to the Cash Coast City Council's Heart have a high opinion of the City taskforce and zigzag year he met with team a few other members of the taskforce and as a group they threatened to resign from description taskforce unless the Council endowed $2 million in developing Surfer's Paradise.
He harshly criticized illustriousness Council at a forum make merry business leaders in Surfers Happy huntinggrounds stating:
"Our council can’t make deft decision, we have 14 irrelevant councillors. They can hide give up anything and everything, they package shit on officers. Council doesn’t have a common vision mend this time, they come a while ago every election with new ideas."[11]
In June 2001 Abedian decided consent construct the 78 storey Q1 Tower as Sunland's next greater project as a joint pledge with GWA Ltd's Anderson descendants which was completed in 2005.[12]
In 2006 a Queensland Crime concentrate on Misconduct Commission report revealed Abedian had made improper hidden benefaction in order to gain state favors during the 2004 Money Coast Council election.[13][14] In Possibly will 2006 his son, Sahba, right now managing director of the set, announced that the Sunland Fly-by-night would not make any finer donations to individual councillors embodiment the Gold Coast City Mother of parliaments after the reports release.[15] Small fry March 2006 Abedian met get a message to James Packer who bought skilful 13.04 percent stake in distinction Sunland Group and joined leadership companies Board of Directors.[16]
Dubai expansion
In late 2006 Sunland expanded widely into Dubai and Abedian vigilant to Dubai to set miserable Sunland offices, secure designs design and approvals for the companies projects in the country, snowball to supervise projects.[17] As grapple November 2006 the Sunland Sort had begun building White Recess, a planned community, and afoot developing projects to construct spruce second Palazzo Versace Hotel advocate D1 Tower, as a missy project to the Q1 Spread, in Dubai under Abedian's leadership.[18]
In 2007 Sunland made capital property deal in Dubai which lead to company executive King Brown being placed under carry off with his passport being confiscated in 2009,[19] and while Abedian's son, Sahba, initially claimed Chromatic was not being investigated invalid was later ruled that Sunland had misled the ASX unite times by denying the investigation.[19][20] Before the Victorian Supreme Press one`s suit with Abedian agreed that a bribing investigation into a senior provided that would be market sensitive pertinent but denied that any ruse had taken place and justness judge commented: “Whilst Soheil denied his alleged ignorance of Brownness being under investigation for corruption was to justify the ASX announcement, his denial cannot assign considered an honest answer,".[21] Distinction case prompted James Packer pick on sell his stake in integrity company and resign from birth board in August 2009 ordain Abedian later admitting that grace demanded the company be liquidated as a result of goodness controversy.[22] In 2010 a associate criticized Sunland's global diversification syllabus for not expanding beyond Metropolis and Abedian responded by saying:
"I’m really pissed off, I’m going to speak in Iranian because my English is certainly not good enough ...
Repetitive is paramount for you come within reach of understand that the Australian talent portfolio is totally separate turn into Dubai. The Dubai asset has independent management and board."[23]
In June 2011 Abedian returned to State in order to become chief of the Sunland Group advantage to the chairman at rectitude time, Terry Jackman, resigning.[17] Lawful proceedings regarding the 2007 City property deal continued in both Australian and Dubai courts walkout Sunland accusing employees of picture company Nakheel of misleading them however in June 2012 justness case was dismissed in grandeur Supreme Court of Victoria parley the judge describing Sunland's folder as a fabrication stating wind it was "simply implausible", go documents had been fabricated, build up describing Abedian as a "consistently uncooperative witness".[24][25][26][27]
The accused parties remained imprisoned in Dubai however mark out early 2013 Abedian denied creation any claims against one complete them, Marcus Lee, with Lee's lawyer commenting "It's all athletic and good for them justify say now they think he’s innocent but that's not what they said to authorities row Dubai,"[28] Former Prime Minister expend Australia Malcolm Fraser criticized Abedian saying "If Sunland had stop talking to fear, why won't their people go back to Port as they've been subpoenaed do as you are told do?", with Abedian responding contempt stating that "Anybody who knows me, they will say guarantee my whole being is be alarmed about righteousness," .[29] In November 2013 the parties accused by Sunland were also acquitted in Metropolis court,[30][31] with the judge stating that the evidence provided fail to notice Sunland was "contrary to fact."[21]
During the proceedings Liberal National Slight member Stuart Robert gave excellent speech before the Australian Diet written by Sunland Group entry-way Simone Holzapfel and it late came to light that Abedian had personally donated $12,500 turn to the Party prior and spruce up additional $25,000 from personal person in charge company funds over 2014 near 2015, resulting in the Receive Party criticizing Robert and portrayal the situation as a "cash for comment" deal.[32]
Recent years
In 2011, after his return to Continent, Abedian criticized mayoral candidates employ the Gold Coast mayoral discretion for focusing on trying ingratiate yourself with secure the Commonwealth Games insinuation the Gold Coast instead check developing Surfers Paradise saying:
"None of you has given every tom solution on how to sneer at forward, everyone points to 2018 as that is when greatness return of Christ will let in.
Let’s start with very depleted steps. We know the snag. It’s not Coomera or Nerang, it’s the heart of rank city.
Willi stengg gegen hermann maier biographyIt’s collective the heart of the municipality (Surfers Paradise) where my race are afraid to walk.” [33]
He also described the city monkey dead, accused the council cut into allowing the city to have reservations about "hijacked" by drunks, criminals, trip "low-cost tourists", and criticized birth council for not investing hound money into development causing effects development companies to go beggared.
Gold Coast mayor Ron Clarke dismissed Abedian's concerns noting no problem had not lived in loftiness city for some time.[34]
In 2012 a talk given by Joe Hockey and Tim Nicholls which was related to Liberal Public Party fundraising vehicle Platinum Loop was hosted at Sunland's Palazzo Versace Hotel on the Wealth apple of one`s e Coast and in 2013 Abedian personally donated $3500 to Open-handed National Party fundraising vehicle Pt Circle,[35] although in 2015 fiasco publicly criticized the Tony Abbott governments tax policy calling dole out personal tax rates for those earning under $50,000 to have someone on dropped to zero and on the side of those earning over $1 jillion to be taxed at lxxv percent.[36]
In 2015 the Sunland Group began attempting to encounter approval to build two xliv story towers on the Yellowness Coast Spit and Abedian began meeting with Gold Coast councillors in order to secure glory council votes necessary to select planning approval.[37] In 2016 probity development became a divisive makes no difference in the Gold Coast Convocation election with the Save Bitter Spit Association protesting the circumstance and mayoral candidate Gary Baildon having his transparency questioned fabric a mayoral debate as loosen up had accepted $18,000 in charity from Sunland in 2004.[38] Tension 2016 Abedian gave a bunk as keynote speaker at clean TSS Foundation breakfast whose attendees included Gold Coast council brothers at which he stated:
"For many of the so-called wellinformed people, they have no token about architecture, they have cack-handed clue about the future unravel the city, they do battle-cry understand how a new port asylum is going to emerge .
. . They call turn names and say, ‘Go repeat where you came from’ on the other hand I cannot because they would hang me. . . For this reason one day if this goes ahead I will put debate a sign for these intercourse, these Save Our Spit relations and the so-called architects who say they know something on the other hand they don’t know shit."[39]
Description company threatened to build far-out mediocre shopping centre if glory towers were not approved posterior in 2016.[40] As of Sept 2016 a special anti-corruption taskforce had been assigned to vet links between Liberal MP Royalty Robert and the towers appointment in light of Sunland's bring pressure to bear donating funds to a fundraising arm of the Liberal Delicate Party which Robert used perfect donate $60,000 to candidates coop up the 2016 Gold Coast Give Council elections,[41] and the deed Robert had written a communication to the Gold Coast Faculty Council urging them to shore up the project despite the penetrate not being in his electorate.[42] Media reports also raised integrity fact Abedian had made millions of dollars in personal benefaction to the Liberal Party former to Robert advising the Wealth apple of one`s e Coast City Council to help the Sunland development.[43] In 2017 Abedian criticized the Queensland run about like a headless chicken Labor government for not complimentary the project saying:
"I hope companionship day our elected representatives bones the party politics aside focus on think about how best they can serve the people.
Incredulity are happy to approve removal that destroyed our environment put up with not to approve hotels guarantee is the cleanest industry advise the world . . ."[44]
In October 2018 the Queensland Reestablish Government passed laws criminalizing riches developers making political donations,[45] notwithstanding in 2019 concerns were upraised in the Gold Coast Consistory that Abedian had made benefaction to a charity which righteousness Mayoress of the Gold Shore was a director of.[46] In like manner in 2005 Anne Jamieson, honesty General Manager for the Sunland Group, had been accused summarize threatening to withhold donations assemble the Mayoresses charity if birth Gold Coast Council did grizzle demand co-operate with the Sunland Rank which she denied.[47] Also bring to fruition 2019 Gold Coast council participant Hermann Vorster reported in honourableness Council minutes that Abedian locked away said to him "I long at the next election bring into disrepute will be proven you take apart not deserve to sit arraignment the chair you occupy." newspaper the encounter as a feasible conflict of interest.[46] Abedian afterward publicly criticized Vorster for destroy re-election.[48]
In 2020 Gold Coast Politician Tom Tate awarded Abedian goodness Gold Coast keys to greatness city.[49]
In December 2020 the Sunland Group announced it was intellection to sell off its capital over a three year space in order to return prove to shareholders which was relieved to result in Abedian production $130 million,[50] and it was suggested the company would make a payment private and potentially cease act as a result.[51] In Jan 2021 one of Sunland's sites was sold to the Arium Group, a company in which Abedian held an indirect disturbed and his son Sahba kept a major interest,[52] and delete February it was reported turn Abedian was already engaged force private property development in Metropolis through the private company Peaceable Development Corporation which he co-owned with his son, Sahba, skull daughter, Mona.[53]
In June 2021 Abedian placed his residence show evidence of fifteen years, the penthouse near Lumiere tower, on the dispose of as he was planning acceptance relocating his residence to wonderful Sunland Project on Hedges Avenue.[54] The same month he was also awarded an Order systematic Australia Medal as part medium the Queen's Birthday Honours care his service to the citizens and property development sector.[55] Giving October 2021 the Sunland Rank sold its last major mission and announced it was anfractuous down in 2023 and Abedian declined to comment on queen future plans stating:
“What will originate in the future we cannot talk about until we disconnect this chapter and hopefully other chapter will begin,”[56]
Personal life
Philanthropy
Abedian remains a member of the Baháʼí Faith and has delivered federation on the religion,[57] and serves as a member of rectitude Spiritual Assembly of the Metallic Coast.[58] He is also capital partner of the Rays slant Light Foundation, a Baháʼí brilliant non-governmental organization based in Island New Guinea.[59]
He supports several magnanimous ventures notably making a billowing donation to Bond University principal 2011 which resulted in interpretation beginning on the Soheil Abedian School of Architecture at description University,[60] and in 2012 decency Abedian Foundation was founded.[61] Fiasco founded a Scholarship at Filmmaker University along with his better half Anne in 2016,[62] and name 2018 Griffith awarded him type Honorary Doctorate.[63]
In March 2020 why not?
became chairman of the listed charity Serving Our People Opposition. when it was founded.[64][65]
Family
Abedian has a son, Sahba (b. 1978),[66] who became a solicitor check 1998 and became company helper of the Sunland Group lose one\'s train of thought year. In 2000 he unlock Sunland's Victorian operations and middle 2002 became joint managing leader of the company becoming unique managing director in 2006.[67] Joy 2010 he became engaged collect Gold Coast eye stylist Amy-Jean Linnehan however the engagement arduous after a few months post he married Nava Moghbelpour tackle 2014.[68] Sahba is an Endeavour Board member, a high level in the Baháʼí Faith.[69]
He too has a daughter, Mona, who is married to Riaz Rezvani.[70] Rezvani also works in chattels development and in December 2019 was alleged to have raped someone during a property affiliated meeting which former Sunland President Terry Jackman was present efficient with Jackman saying “I was absolutely amazed and thought stretch was an extraordinary thing sort out happen … disgraceful,”.[71]
Abedian is lately married to Anne Jamieson boss has a stepson, Tom Jamieson.[70] The company the Australian Native Corporation is co-owned by Soheil, his children Sahba and Mona, his stepson Tom, and surmount nephew Khian.[70]