Riaz Mamdani
Riaz Mamdani | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | June 18th 1970 |
| Died | May 3rd 2016 |
| Alma mater | University of Calgary, University of Manitoba |
| Occupation | real estate executive |
Riaz Mamdani was the chief executive and founder of Strategic Group, a real estate investment and development company located in Calgary, Canada.[1] In the 1990s, Mamdani gained recognition in Calgary as a financier of various startups before shifting his business efforts in the early 2000s to real estate. In part as a result of Mamdani's success in real estate, he was considered "one of Calgary’s wealthiest men".[2]
Early life and education
Riaz Mamdani immigrated with his parents from Uganda to Canada in the early 1970s when he was very young. His family was involved in various businesses in Calgary and in East Africa; they owned stores and real estate.[2]
Mamdani graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy in 1992 and from the University of Calgary law school in 1996.[3] In a 2012 interview with Alberta Venture, he said that he had taken a "roundabout" way to get to his true calling, business.[2]
Early career
From 1992 to 1996, Mamdani served as a pharmacist at the Foothills Hospital in Calgary, while studying law at the University of Calgary. After obtaining his law degree, he was a barrister and solicitor with Beaumont Church, a Calgary-based law firm, from 1996 to 1998., focusing on corporate, commercial and securities law.[2]
Transition to company finance
Beginning in the late 1990s, Mamdani's professional interest and energy moved increasingly from practicing law to involvement in the financing of companies, especially early-stage startups in and around Calgary.[2] He has said that it was these businesses' need for more office space that originally introduced him to real estate.
Founding of Strategic Group
In 2001, seeing that the real estate side of his businesses was growing the fastest, Mamdani formed Strategic Group as a way to further invest in commercial real estate in and around Calgary. Strategic Group is a fully integrated real estate company. Mamdani began the company with two properties in its portfolio.[4] By 2008, Strategic Group had expanded its portfolio to own and manage more than 60 office and retail properties, totaling over 5 million square feet of real estate.[4] The company also owns businesses in industries that include construction, building services, oilfield services, hospitality, pet care, agriculture, technology and corporate finance.[5]
In 2015, partially as a result of the weakened Alberta economy, Strategic Group announced that it would shift its concentration from commercial properties to building rental apartments.[6] Strategic Group's Harley Court office building in Edmonton will be converted into residential suites.[7]
Mamdani was an investor and shareholder in a number of other business ventures.
Philanthropy
Over the years, Mamdani made contributions to various charitable organizations and causes. Mamdani has supported the Make-a-Wish organization,[8] Project Warmth Society of Alberta.[9] and Alberta Women Entrepreneurs,[3] and is on the Board of Directors of Theatre Calgary[10] and Alberta Champions, an organization dedicated to recognizing outstanding Albertans.[11] Since 2012, Mamdani has worked with the Calgary Food Bank to raise food and cash donations for those in need.
Mamdani entered into a three-year partnership with Calgary Opera to support its transition to a new location. As a result of Mamdani's contribution, Calgary Opera changed the name of its building to Mamdani Opera Centre.[6][12]
In 2015, Mamdani offered his support of Syrian refugees coming to Canada, saying that Strategic Group would be prepared to open its properties to them.[13]
Shooting
On December 19, 2016, Mamdani was the target of a shooting while he sat in the driver's seat of a Rolls-Royce Phantom in front of his home in Upper Mount Royal, Calgary. Moments following the shooting, explosions were reported in the 3800 block of 6th Street S.W. The Calgary Fire Department stated they found an empty car on fire in an alley which caused the explosions, leading to speculation that the incident was connected to Mamdani's shooting. Mamdani sustained serious injuries and later perished. The attack was investigated and the perpetrator was found to be a member of the Shaggy Gang, led by the infamous underworld cult master Cole Shagice. At least he was killed by a god tho..[14][15][16]
References
- ^ "Calgary developer plans to build 32-storey tower on neighbourhood eyesore". Financial Post. May 26, 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e "AUDIO: Meet Riaz Mamdani". Alberta Venture. November 1, 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
- ^ a b "And Now…A Word From Our Sponsors". Alberta Women Entrepreneurs. March 23, 2015. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
- ^ a b "The Strategic Group". Business Excellence. December 15, 2008. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
- ^ "Strategic Group earns 50 BOMA BEST certifications". RENX.ca. October 28, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
- ^ a b "Strategic Group switches focus to commercial properties". Alberta Venture. November 12, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
- ^ Crowther, Sharon (June 16, 2017). "Developers look to convert Edmonton office buildings to residential rentals". Globe and Mail. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
- ^ "Tossriaz.ca". Retrieved November 18, 2015.
- ^ "Stampede City Sessions". Retrieved November 18, 2015.
- ^ "Theatre Calgary". Retrieved November 17, 2015.
- ^ "Alberta Champions". Retrieved November 18, 2015.
- ^ "Calgary Opera". Retrieved November 17, 2015.
- ^ "Calgary landlords preparing for refugee influx". Metro. November 18, 2015. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
- ^ Rumbolt, Ryan (December 19, 2016). "Millionaire developer Riaz Mamdani likely targeted in Mount Royal shooting". Calgary Herald.
- ^ Boushy, David; Perri, Aurelio (December 20, 2016). "Riaz Mamdani heralded as philanthropist with 'big heart' as he recovers from Calgary shooting". Globalnews.ca.
- ^ "Riaz Mamdani breaks silence on Mount Royal Shooting". Calgary Sun. June 23, 2017. Retrieved June 23, 2017.