Early Life
Ardavan Farhad Moshiri, born on May 18, 1955, in Iran, is a British-Iranian businessman. His parents left Iran just before the 1979 revolution. His father was an army doctor who studied pathology and later became a senior military judge. His mother's family owned Iran's leading publishing house, Kayhan.
Rise to Success
Moshiri studied economics and statistics at University College London and qualified as a chartered certified accountant. He began his career working for professional service firms such as Ernst & Young, Pannell Kerr Forster, and Deloitte & Touche. From 1993 to 2006, he served as the Executive Director of GNE Group plc. He was also the Chief Executive Officer of Europe Steel Limited from 2000 to 2008. Moshiri was Chairman of Metalloinvest from 2006 to 2013 and Chairman of USM Holdings from 2013 to 2022. He resigned as Chairman of USM Holdings due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Key Business Strategies
Moshiri's business strategy includes investing in diverse sectors such as steel, energy, and sports. A significant part of his wealth comes from diversified sources. Moshiri partnered with Alisher Usmanov in several projects, including Red & White Holdings, which acquired a stake in Arsenal Football Club. He later sold his stake in Arsenal to Usmanov to invest in Everton Football Club. Moshiri increased his shareholding in Everton to 94% in January 2022.
Philanthropy
Moshiri is involved in philanthropy and has made donations to charities.