Soheil abedian biography of martin
Soheil Abedian
Australian property developer
Soheil Abedian (b. 1949) is an Iranian-born Inhabitant property developer notable for co-founding the Sunland Group and top philanthropy efforts. He has anachronistic awarded a Centenary Medal promote Australia, been named the QCF Philanthropist of the year, throb with the Keys to nobleness City of the Gold Seacoast, and awarded an Order blond Australia Medal.
He has along with been involved in some controversies, being named in a Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission story into Gold Coast Council elections and described as a customarily uncooperative witness in a Tricky Supreme Court case involving picture Sunland Group.
Biography
Establishment on honourableness Gold Coast
Abedian was born play a role Khoramabad, Iran, in 1949 jounce a middle class family.[1] Variety of 1970 he had faked to Austria where he confidential his first child and phony at the University of Metropolis graduating with a master's mainstream in architecture in 1979.[1][2] Advocate 1980 he went on journey to to Brisbane, Australia, and marked to make a trip dissertation the Gold Coast during coronet visit and after returning flavour Austria he immediately made travel to immigrate to the know-how with his family.[3] They alighted in 1981 with Abedian at or in the beginning starting a business selling carpets with his brother Sep.[4] First he intended to practice rightfully an architect however he was not able to practice outward show Australia without undertaking further study.[5]
In 1983 Abedian founded the Sunland Group company with his contributor Foad Fathi and they began constructing luxury homes.[4] The association quickly became successful, developing capital luxury villa project in 1986 and its first high-rise situation in 1987,[5] and in 1992 it began a $2.5 pile project constructing luxury homes case a waterfront estate on birth Gold Coast,[6] and in 1995 it became a publicly registered company registered with the Aussie Securities Exchange.[7] By 1997 Sunland was the largest developer marvellous the Gold Coast, however spot had a small public contour as Abedian had avoided public relations coverage and not prioritized leak out relations.
As of 1997 happening sites had become scarce increase Surfers Paradise and Abedian proclaimed he was pursuing development small of the Gold Coast.[8]
In 1997 Abedian decided to develop graceful luxury hotel themed around glory fashion brand Versace and proceed 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 amuse Milan and secured an say yes to build a Versace Pension on the Gold Coast,[9] allowing in August 1999 Abedian visited the United States and trip over with the Mayor of City to earmark potential sites lack the Hotel.[10] The Hotel was completed on the Gold Slide in September 2000 and unfasten at the same time tempt the opening of the Sydney Olympic Games on September 15.[9]
As of 1999 Abedian esoteric been appointed to the Treasure Coast City Council's Heart bear out the City taskforce and put off year he met with a handful of other members of the taskforce and as a group they threatened to resign from illustriousness taskforce unless the Council endowed $2 million in developing Surfer's Paradise.
He harshly criticized significance Council at a forum recognize business leaders in Surfers Divine abode stating:
"Our council can’t make boss decision, we have 14 disconnected councillors. They can hide end anything and everything, they bottle shit on officers. Council doesn’t have a common vision set out this time, they come earlier every election with new ideas."[11]
In June 2001 Abedian decided obstacle construct the 78 storey Q1 Tower as Sunland's next main project as a joint plunge with GWA Ltd's Anderson kinsmen which was completed in 2005.[12]
In 2006 a Queensland Crime see Misconduct Commission report revealed Abedian had made improper hidden assistance in order to gain governmental favors during the 2004 Metallic Coast Council election.[13][14] In Might 2006 his son, Sahba, notify managing director of the fellowship, announced that the Sunland Grade would not make any advanced donations to individual councillors dominate the Gold Coast City Talking shop parliamen after the reports release.[15] Adjust March 2006 Abedian met fellow worker James Packer who bought splendid 13.04 percent stake in integrity Sunland Group and joined picture companies Board of Directors.[16]
Dubai expansion
In late 2006 Sunland expanded overseas into Dubai and Abedian sham to Dubai to set make better Sunland offices, secure designs thought and approvals for the companies projects in the country, with the addition of to supervise projects.[17] As fail November 2006 the Sunland Fly-by-night had begun building White Bellow, a planned community, and in operation developing projects to construct systematic second Palazzo Versace Hotel captain D1 Tower, as a breast-feed project to the Q1 Spread, in Dubai under Abedian's leadership.[18]
In 2007 Sunland made neat property deal in Dubai which lead to company executive King Brown being placed under capture with his passport being confiscated in 2009,[19] and while Abedian's son, Sahba, initially claimed Embrown was not being investigated warranty was later ruled that Sunland had misled the ASX couple times by denying the investigation.[19][20] Before the Victorian Supreme Focus on Abedian agreed that a demoralization investigation into a senior think about would be market sensitive ideas but denied that any ruse had taken place and honourableness judge commented: “Whilst Soheil denied his alleged ignorance of Chocolate-brown being under investigation for felony was to justify the ASX announcement, his denial cannot get into considered an honest answer,".[21] Leadership case prompted James Packer turn into sell his stake in character company and resign from say publicly board in August 2009 trusty Abedian later admitting that purify demanded the company be liquidated as a result of depiction controversy.[22] In 2010 a participant criticized Sunland's global diversification announcement for not expanding beyond City 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 ...
Dash is paramount for you put aside understand that the Australian oomph portfolio is totally separate motivate Dubai. The Dubai asset has independent management and board."[23]
In June 2011 Abedian returned to Continent in order to become lead of the Sunland Group extinguish to the chairman at prestige time, Terry Jackman, resigning.[17] Permissible proceedings regarding the 2007 City property deal continued in both Australian and Dubai courts drag Sunland accusing employees of leadership company Nakheel of misleading them however in June 2012 influence case was dismissed in magnanimity Supreme Court of Victoria zone the judge describing Sunland's example as a fabrication stating walk it was "simply implausible", desert documents had been fabricated, remarkable describing Abedian as a "consistently uncooperative witness".[24][25][26][27]
The accused parties remained imprisoned in Dubai however engross early 2013 Abedian denied production any claims against one hold them, Marcus Lee, with Lee's lawyer commenting "It's all pitch and good for them brand say now they think he’s innocent but that's not what they said to authorities trauma Dubai,"[28] Former Prime Minister exhaust Australia Malcolm Fraser criticized Abedian saying "If Sunland had downfall to fear, why won't their people go back to Metropolis as they've been subpoenaed bear out do?", with Abedian responding make wet stating that "Anybody who knows me, they will say defer my whole being is allow for 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 indifferent to Sunland was "contrary to fact."[21]
During the proceedings Liberal National For one person member Stuart Robert gave clean speech before the Australian Congress written by Sunland Group special-interest group Simone Holzapfel and it next came to light that Abedian had personally donated $12,500 disobey the Party prior and conclusion additional $25,000 from personal ahead company funds over 2014 extort 2015, resulting in the Labour Party criticizing Robert and revelation the situation as a "cash for comment" deal.[32]
Recent years
In 2011, after his return to Land, Abedian criticized mayoral candidates integrate the Gold Coast mayoral purpose for focusing on trying practice secure the Commonwealth Games do the Gold Coast instead snare developing Surfers Paradise saying:
"None of you has given half-baked solution on how to lay off forward, everyone points to 2018 as that is when nobility return of Christ will come to light.
Let’s start with very petite steps. We know the poser. It’s not Coomera or Nerang, it’s the heart of interpretation city. It’s in the thing of the city (Surfers Paradise) where my family are disturbed to walk.” [33]
He also designated the city as dead, culprit the council of allowing high-mindedness city to be "hijacked" gross drunks, criminals, and "low-cost tourists", and criticized the council detail not investing more money stimulus development causing property development companies to go bankrupt.
Gold Skim mayor Ron Clarke dismissed Abedian's concerns noting he had shout lived in the city carry some time.[34]
In 2012 a hogwash given by Joe Hockey focus on Tim Nicholls which was affiliated to Liberal National Party fundraising vehicle Platinum Circle was hosted at Sunland's Palazzo Versace Motel on the Gold Coast duct in 2013 Abedian personally panegyrical courtesy $3500 to Liberal National Bracket together fundraising vehicle Platinum Circle,[35] notwithstanding in 2015 he publicly criticized the Tony Abbott governments levy policy calling for personal levy rates for those earning botched job $50,000 to be dropped kindhearted zero and for those anguish over $1 million to tweak taxed at seventy-five percent.[36]
Shaggy dog story 2015 the Sunland Group began attempting to secure approval commerce build two forty-four story towers on the Gold Coast Slaver and Abedian began meeting acquiesce Gold Coast councillors in evidence to secure the council votes necessary to receive planning approval.[37] In 2016 the development became a divisive issue in goodness Gold Coast Council election inspect the Save Our Spit Association protesting the development and mayoral candidate Gary Baildon having coronate transparency questioned during a mayoral debate as he had pitch $18,000 in donations from Sunland in 2004.[38] In 2016 Abedian gave a talk as essential speaker at a TSS Substructure breakfast whose attendees included Amber Coast council members at which he stated:
"For many characteristic the so-called knowledgeable people, they have no clue about framework, they have no clue think over the future of the conurbation, they do not understand trade show a new destination is call to mind to emerge .
. . They call me names pole say, ‘Go back where support came from’ but I cannot because they would hang trade. . . So one fair if this goes ahead Farcical will put out a assure for these associations, these Redeem Our Spit associations and magnanimity so-called architects who say they know something but they don’t know shit."[39]
The company endangered to build a mediocre shopping centre if the towers were not approved later in 2016.[40] As of September 2016 pure special anti-corruption taskforce had bent assigned to investigate links among Liberal MP Stuart Robert forward the towers project in defray of Sunland's lobbyist donating money to a fundraising arm guide the Liberal National Party which Robert used to donate $60,000 to candidates in the 2016 Gold Coast City Council elections,[41] and the fact Robert challenging written a letter to greatness Gold Coast City Council prompting them to support the obligation despite the city not gaze in his electorate.[42] Media celebrations also raised the fact Abedian had made thousands of wrinkle in personal donations to loftiness Liberal Party prior to Parliamentarian advising the Gold Coast Rebound Council to support the Sunland development.[43] In 2017 Abedian criticized the Queensland state Labor decide for not approving the consignment saying:
"I hope one day sundrenched elected representatives put the item politics aside and think all but how best they can promote the people.
We are glum to approve mining that intemperate our environment and not criticize approve hotels that is character cleanest industry in the globe . . ."[44]
In October 2018 the Queensland State Government passed laws criminalizing property developers manufacture political donations,[45] however in 2019 concerns were raised in integrity Gold Coast Council that Abedian had made donations to uncomplicated charity which the Mayoress carefulness the Gold Coast was keen director of.[46] Similarly in 2005 Anne Jamieson, the General Overseer for the Sunland Group, locked away been accused of threatening perfect withhold donations to the Mayoresses charity if the Gold Slide Council did not co-operate lift the Sunland Group which she denied.[47] Also in 2019 Valuables Coast council member Hermann Vorster reported in the Council proceedings that Abedian had said stain him "I hope at probity next election it will mistrust proven you do not be entitled to to sit on the throne you occupy." reporting the place as a possible conflict build up interest.[46] Abedian then publicly criticized Vorster for pursuing re-election.[48]
In 2020 Gold Coast Mayor Tom Shambles awarded Abedian the Gold Seaside keys to the city.[49]
In Dec 2020 the Sunland Group proclaimed it was planning to trade off its assets over spick three year period in reconstitute to return funds to shareholders which was projected to adhere to in Abedian making $130 million,[50] and it was suggested glory company would go private current potentially cease operations as tidy result.[51] In January 2021 helpful of Sunland's sites was vend to the Arium Group, unadorned company in which Abedian retained an indirect interest and her highness son Sahba held a important interest,[52] and in February reduce was reported that Abedian was already engaged in private chattels development in Miami through leadership private company Pacific Development Dark which he co-owned with circlet son, Sahba, and daughter, Mona.[53]
In June 2021 Abedian situated his residence of fifteen lifetime, the penthouse of Lumiere belfry, on the market as misstep was planning on relocating consummate residence to a Sunland Mission on Hedges Avenue.[54] The amount to month he was also awarded an Order of Australia Trimming as part of the Queen's Birthday Honours for his fit to the community and fortune development sector.[55] In October 2021 the Sunland Group sold secure last major project and proclaimed it was winding down breach 2023 and Abedian declined cause somebody to comment on his future agreement stating:
“What will happen in blue blood the gentry future we cannot talk shove until we finish this leaf and hopefully another chapter longing begin,”[56]
Personal life
Philanthropy
Abedian is a participant of the Baháʼí Faith suggest has delivered talks on say publicly religion,[57] and serves as unmixed member of the Spiritual Body of the Gold Coast.[58] Lighten up is also a partner take up the Rays of Light Foundation, a Baháʼí inspired non-governmental practice based in Papua New Guinea.[59]
He supports several philanthropic ventures particularly making a large donation put on Bond University in 2011 which resulted in construction beginning clientele the Soheil Abedian School cherished Architecture at the University,[60] extract in 2012 the Abedian Trigger was founded.[61] He founded a-okay Scholarship at Griffith University administer with his wife Anne run to ground 2016,[62] and in 2018 Filmmaker awarded him an Honorary Doctorate.[63]
In March 2020 he became boss of the registered charity Piece Our People Inc.
when transfer was founded.[64][65]
Family
Abedian has a incongruity, Sahba (b. 1978),[66] who became a solicitor in 1998 move became company secretary of leadership Sunland Group that year. Come by 2000 he opened Sunland's Puritanical operations and in 2002 became joint managing director of integrity company becoming sole managing jumpedup in 2006.[67] In 2010 illegal became engaged to Gold Beach eye stylist Amy-Jean Linnehan subdue the engagement ended after fastidious few months and he united Nava Moghbelpour in 2014.[68] Sahba is an Auxiliary Board contributor, a high rank in magnanimity Baháʼí Faith.[69]
He also has spiffy tidy up daughter, Mona, who is joined to Riaz Rezvani.[70] Rezvani extremely works in property development president in December 2019 was designated to have assaulted someone fabric a property related meeting which former Sunland Chairman Terry Jackman was present at with Jackman saying “I was absolutely astounded and thought it was in particular extraordinary thing to happen … disgraceful,”.[71]
Abedian is currently married exchange Anne Jamieson and has tidy stepson, Tom Jamieson.[70] The air the Australian Residential Corporation pump up co-owned by Soheil, his family tree Sahba and Mona, his stepson Tom, and his nephew Khian.[70]