British entrepreneur Vincent Tchenguiz was born in Tehran in October 1956. Originally the Khadouri family, Vincent’s Iraqi-Jewish parents moved from Iraq to Iran in 1948, when the name was changed to Tchenguiz. There they made their home until the Shah fell in 1979, when they departed again.
Following his schooling in Tehran until 1973, Vincent’s academic endeavours led him to Boston University and then McGill University in Montreal. While at Boston University, he earned a BSc Honours in Economics, followed by a BSc in Commerce gained in Montreal in 1978. He then completed an MBA or Masters in Business Administration in 1980 while attending New York University.
Upon finishing his education, Vincent began his career trading financial instruments at London’s Prudential Bache. There he earned the title of Senior Vice President, overseeing the fund management division. Vincent then moved on to Shearson Lehman Brothers, also in London, where he assumed the same title in 1986. Two years later, Vincent established Rotch Property Group with his brother Robert, as joint Chairman and Managing Director of the commercial property business.
His entrepreneurial ventures continued in 2002 when Vincent created the Consensus Business Group, an advisor forto a family trust (which is the ultimate beneficial owner of Consensus). As Chairman, Vincent advises on a high-value investment portfolio worth roughly £4.5 billion in commercial property and residential freeholds. Other investments, which encompassed environmentally friendly technology, healthcare, and homeland security, are assessed at roughly £200 million.
After Kaupthing collapsed in October of 2008, Vincent Tchenguiz and his Family Trust pursued civil action against the Icelandic bank for damages in Iceland and England, totalling more than £1.5 billion.
In relation to their investigation of the collapse, the UK’s Serious Fraud Office arrested Vincent as part of their investigation of the Kaupthing crisis in March 2011. Vincent was released later that day without charges. In September of that same year, Vincent Tchenguiz and the family trust reached an out of court settlement with Kaupthing. No details have been disclosed. Currently, Vincent Tchenguiz is single and resides in Mayfair, London. He owns houses in St Tropez and Cape Town as well as a 130 foot Mangusta motor yacht moored in the French Riviera, aptly dubbed “Veni Vidi Vici.” I came, I saw, I conquered.