Nemir A. Kirdar

Nemir Kirdar is the Founder, Executive Chairman and CEO of the global investment group, Investcorp, which operates out of New York, London, Bahrain, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. Mr. Kirdar began his banking career in New York in 1969. Following two years of credit training, he covered South East Asia and Japan for Allied Bank International. In 1974 he joined The Chase Manhattan Bank, New York, as Vice President. Between 1976 and 1981 he served in the Arabian Gulf overseeing and directing Chase's banking network in the region. He founded Investcorp in 1982. Investcorp specializes in offering multi-product alternative investments on both sides of the Atlantic. These include direct investments in unquoted corporate entities, hedge funds, real estate and Gulf growth capital. The firm's mission is to act as a bridge between surplus funds in the Gulf and non-traditional investment opportunities in the US and Western Europe. Its 300 staff are drawn from over 30 nationalities. Mr. Kirdar graduated in Economics from the University of the Pacific in California and holds an MBA from Fordham University in New York. He has also completed Harvard Business School's Senior Management Program. Mr. Kirdar has been awarded an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Georgetown University, Washington D.C.; an honorary Doctorate in Laws from the University of the Pacific, California; and an honorary Doctorate in Economics from Richmond, the American International University in London. With his interests in business and geopolitics, Mr. Kirdar has spoken at various international forums. He is also the author of numerous articles and three published books - "Saving Iraq" (2009), which reviews Iraq's history and maps a course for its future restoration; "In Pursuit of Fulfilment" (2012) which records his life journey; and "Need Respect Trust" (2013) which tells the story of Investcorp.