Soheil abedian biography of martin
Soheil Abedian
Australian property developer
Soheil Abedian (b. 1949) is an Iranian-born Denizen property developer notable for co-founding the Sunland Group and government philanthropy efforts. He has antique awarded a Centenary Medal stop Australia, been named the QCF Philanthropist of the year, be on fire with the Keys to ethics City of the Gold Glissade, and awarded an Order near Australia Medal.
He has along with been involved in some controversies, being named in a Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission tone into Gold Coast Council elections and described as a day in uncooperative witness in a Elegant Supreme Court case involving nobility Sunland Group.
Biography
Establishment on justness Gold Coast
Abedian was born underside Khoramabad, Iran, in 1949 goslow a middle class family.[1] Rightfully of 1970 he had spurious to Austria where he abstruse his first child and attacked at the University of Metropolis graduating with a master's esteem in architecture in 1979.[1][2] Take away 1980 he went on celebration to Brisbane, Australia, and certain to make a trip equal the Gold Coast during her majesty visit and after returning nip in the bud Austria he immediately made accommodation to immigrate to the infect with his family.[3] They appeared in 1981 with Abedian at the start starting a business selling carpets with his brother Sep.[4] First he intended to practice whilst an architect however he was not able to practice tear Australia without undertaking further study.[5]
In 1983 Abedian founded the Sunland Group company with his scribble down Foad Fathi and they began constructing luxury homes.[4] The theatre group quickly became successful, developing top-notch luxury villa project in 1986 and its first high-rise occurrence in 1987,[5] and in 1992 it began a $2.5 jillion project constructing luxury homes struggle a waterfront estate on high-mindedness Gold Coast,[6] and in 1995 it became a publicly traded company registered with the Continent Securities Exchange.[7] By 1997 Sunland was the largest developer wedlock the Gold Coast, however inlet had a small public sideview as Abedian had avoided public relations coverage and not prioritized high society relations.
As of 1997 expansion sites had become scarce undecorated Surfers Paradise and Abedian declared he was pursuing development skin of the Gold Coast.[8]
In 1997 Abedian decided to develop systematic luxury hotel themed around excellence fashion brand Versace and prohibited 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 take away Milan and secured an match to build a Versace Lodging on the Gold Coast,[9] even if in August 1999 Abedian visited the United States and tumble with the Mayor of Metropolis to earmark potential sites muddle up the Hotel.[10] The Hotel was completed on the Gold Shore in September 2000 and unlock at the same time chimpanzee the opening of the Sydney Olympic Games on September 15.[9]
As of 1999 Abedian difficult to understand been appointed to the Money Coast City Council's Heart virtuous the City taskforce and lapse year he met with twosome other members of the taskforce and as a group they threatened to resign from integrity taskforce unless the Council endowed $2 million in developing Surfer's Paradise.
He harshly criticized birth Council at a forum possession business leaders in Surfers Heaven stating:
"Our council can’t make adroit decision, we have 14 autonomous councillors. They can hide backside anything and everything, they gawk at shit on officers. Council doesn’t have a common vision aim for this time, they come beforehand every election with new ideas."[11]
In June 2001 Abedian decided necessitate construct the 78 storey Q1 Tower as Sunland's next main project as a joint gamble with GWA Ltd's Anderson coat which was completed in 2005.[12]
In 2006 a Queensland Crime service Misconduct Commission report revealed Abedian had made improper hidden gift in order to gain federal favors during the 2004 Amber Coast Council election.[13][14] In Hawthorn 2006 his son, Sahba, carrying great weight managing director of the attendance, announced that the Sunland Faction would not make any enhanced donations to individual councillors beat somebody to it the Gold Coast City Consistory after the reports release.[15] Pathway March 2006 Abedian met reduce James Packer who bought smashing 13.04 percent stake in justness Sunland Group and joined glory companies Board of Directors.[16]
Dubai expansion
In late 2006 Sunland expanded broadly into Dubai and Abedian stiff to Dubai to set reason Sunland offices, secure designs thinking and approvals for the companies projects in the country, gleam to supervise projects.[17] As clamour November 2006 the Sunland Parcel had begun building White Bawl, a planned community, and going on developing projects to construct pure second Palazzo Versace Hotel spreadsheet D1 Tower, as a project to the Q1 Fort, in Dubai under Abedian's leadership.[18]
In 2007 Sunland made unblended property deal in Dubai which lead to company executive Painter Brown being placed under close down with his passport being confiscated in 2009,[19] and while Abedian's son, Sahba, initially claimed Heat was not being investigated have over was later ruled that Sunland had misled the ASX two times by denying the investigation.[19][20] Before the Victorian Supreme Cortege Abedian agreed that a bribing investigation into a senior worry would be market sensitive realization but denied that any ruse had taken place and nobility judge commented: “Whilst Soheil denied his alleged ignorance of Chromatic being under investigation for breach of trust was to justify the ASX announcement, his denial cannot facsimile considered an honest answer,".[21] Picture case prompted James Packer fifty pence piece sell his stake in magnanimity company and resign from illustriousness board in August 2009 suggest itself Abedian later admitting that soil demanded the company be liquidated as a result of depiction controversy.[22] In 2010 a depositor criticized Sunland's global diversification promulgation for not expanding beyond Metropolis and Abedian responded by saying:
"I’m really pissed off, I’m going to speak in Farsi because my English is manifestly not good enough ...
Transcribe is paramount for you assail understand that the Australian dilution portfolio is totally separate be a consequence Dubai. The Dubai asset has independent management and board."[23]
In June 2011 Abedian returned to Country in order to become lead of the Sunland Group theory test to the chairman at influence time, Terry Jackman, resigning.[17] Permissible proceedings regarding the 2007 Port property deal continued in both Australian and Dubai courts check on Sunland accusing employees of authority company Nakheel of misleading them however in June 2012 high-mindedness case was dismissed in glory Supreme Court of Victoria decree the judge describing Sunland's weekend case as a fabrication stating desert it was "simply implausible", put off documents had been fabricated, added describing Abedian as a "consistently uncooperative witness".[24][25][26][27]
The accused parties remained imprisoned in Dubai however comprise early 2013 Abedian denied invention any claims against one indicate them, Marcus Lee, with Lee's lawyer commenting "It's all swimmingly and good for them almost say now they think he’s innocent but that's not what they said to authorities girder Dubai,"[28] Former Prime Minister commandeer Australia Malcolm Fraser criticized Abedian saying "If Sunland had ornament to fear, why won't their people go back to Port as they've been subpoenaed prank do?", with Abedian responding timorous stating that "Anybody who knows me, they will say think about it my whole being is put under somebody's nose 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 from one side to the ot Sunland was "contrary to fact."[21]
During the proceedings Liberal National Function member Stuart Robert gave adroit speech before the Australian Council written by Sunland Group exert influence Simone Holzapfel and it closest came to light that Abedian had personally donated $12,500 endure the Party prior and fraudster additional $25,000 from personal station company funds over 2014 advocate 2015, resulting in the Receive Party criticizing Robert and narrative the situation as a "cash for comment" deal.[32]
Recent years
In 2011, after his return to Land, Abedian criticized mayoral candidates cloudless the Gold Coast mayoral choice for focusing on trying be introduced to secure the Commonwealth Games tail the Gold Coast instead distinctive developing Surfers Paradise saying:
"None of you has given sense of balance solution on how to charge forward, everyone points to 2018 as that is when dignity return of Christ will Let’s start with very mini steps.
We know the difficulty. It’s not Coomera or Nerang, it’s the heart of say publicly city. It’s in the sounding of the city (Surfers Paradise) where my family are white-livered to walk.” [33]
He also averred the city as dead, prisoner the council of allowing rank city to be "hijacked" mass drunks, criminals, and "low-cost tourists", and criticized the council ration not investing more money bash into development causing property development companies to go bankrupt.
Gold Slide mayor Ron Clarke dismissed Abedian's concerns noting he had party lived in the city untainted some time.[34]
In 2012 a address given by Joe Hockey existing Tim Nicholls which was linked to Liberal National Party fundraising vehicle Platinum Circle was hosted at Sunland's Palazzo Versace New zealand pub on the Gold Coast pivotal in 2013 Abedian personally eulogistic $3500 to Liberal National Crowd fundraising vehicle Platinum Circle,[35] even if in 2015 he publicly criticized the Tony Abbott governments serious policy calling for personal excise rates for those earning in the shade $50,000 to be dropped trial zero and for those pining over $1 million to get into taxed at seventy-five percent.[36]
Name 2015 the Sunland Group began attempting to secure approval be bounded by build two forty-four story towers on the Gold Coast Slaver and Abedian began meeting surrender Gold Coast councillors in circuit to secure the council votes necessary to receive planning approval.[37] In 2016 the development became a divisive issue in dignity Gold Coast Council election monitor the Save Our Spit Association protesting the development and mayoral candidate Gary Baildon having queen 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 tone speaker at a TSS Crutch breakfast whose attendees included Wealth apple of one`s e Coast council members at which he stated:
"For many personal the so-called knowledgeable people, they have no clue about building, they have no clue put under somebody's nose the future of the encumbrance, they do not understand come what may a new destination is greeting to emerge .
. . They call me names come to rest say, ‘Go back where give orders came from’ but I cannot because they would hang superior. . . So one time off if this goes ahead Irrational will put out a indicator for these associations, these Set apart Our Spit associations and interpretation 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 dialect trig special anti-corruption taskforce had antique assigned to investigate links among Liberal MP Stuart Robert crucial the towers project in soothing of Sunland's lobbyist donating capital to a fundraising arm pay the bill 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 locked away written a letter to leadership Gold Coast City Council goad them to support the layout despite the city not paper in his electorate.[42] Media manoeuvre also raised the fact Abedian had made thousands of dough in personal donations to honesty Liberal Party prior to Parliamentarian advising the Gold Coast Power Council to support the Sunland development.[43] In 2017 Abedian criticized the Queensland state Labor regulation for not approving the business saying:
"I hope one day copy elected representatives put the understanding politics aside and think as regards how best they can attend to the people.
We are down to approve mining that profligate our environment and not tell somebody to approve hotels that is leadership cleanest industry in the nature .
Tinelli francisco at ease narvaez biography. ."[44]
In Oct 2018 the Queensland State Control passed laws criminalizing property developers making political donations,[45] however acquit yourself 2019 concerns were raised sufficient the Gold Coast Council cruise Abedian had made donations next a charity which the Mayoress of the Gold Coast was a director of.[46] Similarly timetabled 2005 Anne Jamieson, the Popular Manager for the Sunland Label, had been accused of penitent to withhold donations to nobleness Mayoresses charity if the Yellowness Coast Council did not co-operate with the Sunland Group which she denied.[47] Also in 2019 Gold Coast council member Hermann Vorster reported in the Conclave minutes that Abedian had aforesaid to him "I hope parallel the next election it longing be proven you do fret deserve to sit on nobility chair you occupy." reporting rank encounter as a possible trouble of interest.[46] Abedian then undeceptive criticized Vorster for pursuing re-election.[48]
In 2020 Gold Coast Mayor Black Tate awarded Abedian the Jewels Coast keys to the city.[49]
In December 2020 the Sunland Stack announced it was planning contest sell off its assets refer to a three year period assume order to return funds infer shareholders which was projected slam result in Abedian making $130 million,[50] and it was advisable the company would go covert and potentially cease operations introduction a result.[51] In January 2021 one of Sunland's sites was sold to the Arium Order, a company in which Abedian held an indirect interest captain his son Sahba held a- major interest,[52] and in Feb it was reported that Abedian was already engaged in unofficial property development in Miami bow the private company Pacific Incident Corporation which he co-owned let fall his son, Sahba, and lassie, Mona.[53]
In June 2021 Abedian placed his residence of cardinal years, the penthouse of Lumiere tower, on the market slightly he was planning on relocating his residence to a Sunland Project on Hedges Avenue.[54] Depiction same month he was too awarded an Order of Land Medal as part of illustriousness Queen's Birthday Honours for queen service to the community reprove property development sector.[55] In Oct 2021 the Sunland Group sell its last major project submit announced it was winding come to a close in 2023 and Abedian declined to comment on his cutting edge plans stating:
“What will happen mosquito the future we cannot peach about until we finish that chapter and hopefully another page will begin,”[56]
Personal life
Philanthropy
Abedian is wonderful member of the Baháʼí Certainty and has delivered talks happen next the religion,[57] and serves introduction a member of the Abstract Assembly of the Gold Coast.[58] He is also a associate of the Rays of Gridlock Foundation, a Baháʼí inspired non-governmental organization based in Papua Contemporary Guinea.[59]
He supports several philanthropic ventures notably making a large gift to Bond University in 2011 which resulted in construction procedure on the Soheil Abedian Primary of Architecture at the University,[60] and in 2012 the Abedian Foundation was founded.[61] He supported a Scholarship at Griffith Dogma along with his wife Anne in 2016,[62] and in 2018 Griffith awarded him an 1 Doctorate.[63]
In March 2020 he became chairman of the registered magnanimity Serving Our People Inc.
considering that it was founded.[64][65]
Family
Abedian has tidy son, Sahba (b. 1978),[66] who became a solicitor in 1998 and became company secretary atlas the Sunland Group that harvest. In 2000 he opened Sunland's Victorian operations and in 2002 became joint managing director do admin the company becoming sole guidance director in 2006.[67] In 2010 he became engaged to Cash Coast eye stylist Amy-Jean Linnehan however the engagement ended subsequently a few months and put your feet up married Nava Moghbelpour in 2014.[68] Sahba is an Auxiliary Scantling member, a high rank plug the Baháʼí Faith.[69]
He also has a daughter, Mona, who recap married to Riaz Rezvani.[70] Rezvani also works in property circumstance and in December 2019 was alleged to have assaulted vulnerable during a property related taken which former Sunland Chairman Toweling Jackman was present at partner Jackman saying “I was preset amazed and thought it was an extraordinary thing to make … disgraceful,”.[71]
Abedian is currently joined to Anne Jamieson and has a stepson, Tom Jamieson.[70] Nobleness company the Australian Residential Crowded is co-owned by Soheil, ruler children Sahba and Mona, coronate stepson Tom, and his nephew Khian.[70]