Asif Aziz Asif Aziz is the founder and CEO of Criterion Capital Limited, a London based property management platform with c. £3.5 Billion AUM (assets under management). The business comprises 3 activities: COMMERCI AL I N VESTMEN T PROPERTY 21 properties that include some of London’s most iconic buildings. CEN TRAL L ON DON HOTEL S 7 operating hotels totalling 2048 rooms. 2 hotels totalling 650 rooms in planning & design stage. His vision is to build and operate 10,000 hotel rooms in London by 2030. RESI DEN TI AL DEVEL OP MEN T AN D I N VESTMEN T 1,367 flats in eight buildings let to key workers at below market rent. 3,247 flats in a committed development pipeline. His vision is to build for rental 15,000 flats in London by 2030. Asif is also chair of trustees of the Aziz Foundation; a charity that supports education for underprivileged and disadvantaged communities across Britain.
Business History In 1986, whilst still studying, Asif established his first property company in London to make small commercial investments. After completing his studies Asif worked at Morgan Grenfell Laurie as a real estate advisor, during which time his business experience and his private property investments grew. In 1995, Asif returned to his family’s trading roots in Africa and saw an opportunity in Angola to establish a wholesaling and manufacturing consumer goods business. The business grew rapidly into one of the country’s largest “fast moving consumer goods” operations with 30 cash and carry warehouses focused on food and personal care products under exclusive manufacturing and distribution agreements with Nestle, Kraft and Unilever. Whilst in Africa, Asif continued to invest in London commercial property and after ten years, sold the Angolan business to return to London to focus on Central London commercial real estate and in doing so, created Criterion Capital Ltd. Since returning to London, Asif has expanded his portfolio and successfully entered two new business sectors. Hospitality and private residential accommodation.
Creativity, Vision & The Private Residential Sector Asif is known for his creative mind. Continuously aware of the changing London landscape, Asif continues to innovate, looking for real estate opportunity that when added to the Criterion portfolio not only benefits its local area, but also, the London economy. Acknowledging the struggle for many Londoners to invest in property of their own in and around the capital, in 2010, Asif began to explore the private residential sector and how he could help various local communities through developing private rented accommodation in areas of London that needed the m the most at cheaper rents that tenants could afford. This allowed them not only to live comfortably, but also continue to save. To achieve his objective, Asif adopted a ‘no frills’ approach to developing. Adding more property for development to the portfolio, Asif focused his efforts on creating flats that delivered the basics well. Building