Saif Durbar
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1961 (age 64–65)
Saif Durbar | |
|---|---|
| Born | Saifee Durbar 1961 (age 64–65) Gujarat, India |
| Other names | Saifee Durbar |
| Occupations | Businessman, investor, and property developer |
Saif Durbar (born 1961[1]) is an Indian-born Pakistani-Central African businessman, investor, and property developer.[2][3][4] He served as a key adviser to the former presidents of the Central African Republic Ange Felix Patasse and François Bozizé.[5][6] From 2008 to 2009, he was the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Central African Republic.[7]
Durbar is the founder and chief executive officer of Girc, Bridge Africa Counselage, and founder of philanthropic organisation Kutamani, which provides educational tools for students in Africa.[8][9][2]
Saif Durbar was born in 1961 in Gujarat, India, close to the Pakistan border.[5][6] After the decolonisation of India in 1947, his family remained close to the British, and was also closely connected to Gulf monarchies.[6] Following his studies in England and Pakistan, he joined the family manufacturing, textile, steel, plastics, and packaging businesses.[6] In 1987, he returned to the U.K. to start his own import export business, and eventually expanded in bond trading and banking.[6]
In 1993, Durbar started working in Africa, developing businesses in infrastructure and real estate in Zaire until the fall of Mobutu Sese Seko in 1997.[6] Throughout his business dealings in Africa, he has been close to several of the heads of states on the continent, including Mobutu, Laurent-Désiré Kabila, Omar Bongo, François Bozizé, and Alpha Condé.[6]
After the loss of nearly a billion dollars in 1995, Durbar expanded projects in mining and property development with large capitalisation.[6][8] He continued to create businesses in the Central African Republic, attracting international investors to the region. Durbar became an economic adviser to President Ange-Félix Patassé from 1999 until the end of 2000, whom he represented at the United Nations as well.[6][10]
In 2005, Dubar along with Paul Bloomfield, announced the $13 billion USD (£7.4 billion) partnership between Bovis Lend Lease and Foster & Partners to develop a new city in Saudi Arabia which included a plan for 750,000 new homes.[8] He also took part in setting up The Saudi Construction Group.[8] Previously, he started a property fund and was involved in several large property deals in Britain and Europe.[11][12][13]
In 2006, Durbar became an advisor to President François Bozizé, and in 2009 was appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.[14][5][15]