Early Life and Education
Jahm Najafi was born in Iran in March 1963. At age 12, he and his brother moved to the United States. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, and later obtained a Master's in Business Economics from Harvard University in 1986.
Rise to Success
Najafi began his career at Salomon Brothers, a Wall Street firm. In 1990, he became CEO of Pivotal Private Equity and partner and COO of The Pivotal Group, which focused on commercial property acquisitions. In 2002, he founded The Najafi Companies, a private-equity firm investing solely with his capital. Najafi's investments span various industries, including consumer goods, media, sports, e-commerce, retail, and technology.
Key Business Strategies
Najafi is known for his ability to identify undervalued assets and opportunities in underserved markets. A notable success was the 2003 acquisition of Network Solutions for $20 million, which he later sold for $800 million in 2007. The Najafi Companies employs a strategy of making highly selective investments with internally generated capital, enabling long-term thinking and alignment with management.
Philanthropy
Najafi is committed to philanthropy and signed The Giving Pledge in December 2023. He has supported education, the arts, social justice, and equity causes. In 2021, he committed to giving $1 million per year to the NBA Foundation for economic empowerment within Black communities. He founded Social Venture Partners Arizona.