Mahmoud Khayami
| Mahmoud Khayami | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | January 1930 (age 87) Mashhad, Iran |
| Residence | Los Angeles |
| Nationality | Iranian |
| Citizenship | French |
| Occupation | Businessman and philanthropist and Industrialist |
| Net worth |
 UK£ 140 million
|
| Spouse(s) | Zahra Seyedi Rashti |
| Children | 5 |
| Parent(s) | Hajd Ali Akbar Khayami |
| Relatives | Ahmad Khayami |
Mahmoud Khayami, CBE, KSS, GCFO (Persian: محمود خيامی) born 1930 in Mashhad, Iran, is an Iranian industrialist and philanthropist, of French nationality.
Mahmoud Khayami was born in 1930 in Mashhad where he attended elementary and high school. In 1951 he transferred to Tehran and before long he was involved in the automotive industry. Eleven years later he inaugurated the Iran National company in partnership with his brother, Ahmad Khayami (who later formed a separate company : Kourosh Department Stores). Iran National was destined to become the largest industrial complex in Iran, today known as Iran Khodro or IKCO.
One of the leading champions of Iran's industrialization of the 1960s-70s, he began the production of the popular Peykan cars in 1967, based on cooperation with the Hillman-Hunter company of England which provided the model for it. By 1979, 100,000 cars were produced annually with approximately 44 percent of the parts manufactured in Iran. By 1979 Iran National and its affiliated enterprises employed over 20,000 workers in Tehran, Mashhad and Tabriz.
Although Khayami has retired, his family is still involved in the automotive industry, primarily in dealership ownership of one of their previous international partners Mercedes-Benz, most notably in Berkshire, England and Southern California where they operate Mercedes-Benz of Anaheim in the city of Anaheim, Orange County.
In later life, Mahmoud Khayami has been active as a philanthropist and collector of fine Persian art, forming the Khayami Collection. He has promoted of inter-religious relations in the UK and internationally with a special emphasis on relations between the Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities. Among his activities have been the hosting at Chatham House (RIIA) of inter-religious conferences. He is involved with the Encyclopædia Iranica project, and chairs the board of editors.
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