Behdad Eghbali
{{Short description|Iranian–American businessman (born 1976)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Behdad Eghbali
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|5|6}}
| birth_place = Iran
| alma_mater = Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley (B.S.)
| occupation = Co-founder and Managing Partner, Clearlake Capital
}}
Behdad Eghbali ({{langx|fa|بهداد اقبالی}}; born May 6, 1976) is an Iranian–American{{cite web |title=Behdad Eghbali |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/behdad-eghbali/?sh=1568ad033ab9 |work=Forbes |access-date=March 4, 2024}} billionaire businessman and a co-founder and managing partner of the investment firm Clearlake Capital. According to Forbes, Eghbali had a net worth of US$3.8 billion as of January 2024. Eghbali was first placed on Forbes’ Forbes 400 and Forbes Billionaires lists in 2021.{{cite web |title=The Richest Private Equity Billionaires On The Forbes 400 List 2021 |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2021/10/05/richest-private-equity-billionaires-forbes-400-2021/?sh=5728f82e3e45 |work=Forbes |access-date=March 20, 2024}}
Early life and education
Eghbali was born in Iran and moved to the U.S. with his family when he was a child.{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/behdad-eghbali/?sh=1568ad033ab9|title=Behdad Eghbali|website=Forbes}}
He graduated from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor of Business Administration.{{cite web |title=Who are the nine members of Chelsea's new board? |url=https://theathletic.com/3375556/2022/06/27/chelsea-board-owners-billionaires/ |publisher=The Athletic |access-date=March 4, 2024}}
Career
Eghbali began his career in investment banking in the technology group at Morgan Stanley and later joined San Francisco-based private equity firm TPG Capital, where he focused on buyouts and turnarounds.{{cite web |title=24. Behdad Eghbali |date=September 9, 2022 |url=https://labusinessjournal.com/special-editions/wealthiest-angelenos/wealthiest-2022/24-behdad-eghbali/ |publisher=LA Business Journal |access-date=March 6, 2024}}
In 2006, Eghbali and José E. Feliciano co-founded Clearlake Capital, described by Financial Times in 2022 as “one of the fastest-growing buyout firms in the world".{{cite web |title=Inside the low-profile firm behind Boehly's buyout of Chelsea |url=https://www.ft.com/content/4f32dba1-9376-4232-a084-90563e7ab3f5 |publisher=Financial Times |access-date=March 6, 2024}}
In May 2022, a consortium of investors co-led by Clearlake acquired Chelsea Football Club for £2.3 billion.{{cite web |title=The Chelsea ownership crisis: Why Clearlake and Boehly’s marriage is at breaking point |date=September 9, 2024 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5753020/2024/09/09/chelsea-clearlake-boehly-fallout/ |publisher=The Athletic |access-date=September 9, 2024}} After the deal, Clearlake owned about 60% of the club.{{cite web |title=Clearlake Follows Its Chelsea Deal With A $14.1 Billion Buyout Fund |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevindowd/2022/05/18/clearlake-follows-its-chelsea-deal-with-a-141-billion-buyout-fund/?sh=5ad4612e1169 |work=Forbes |access-date=March 6, 2024}} Among consortium members, Eghbali is considered among the most visible owners.{{cite news |title=Behdad Eghbali ignores Todd Boehly backlash to make Chelsea dressing room visits |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2023/09/25/behdad-eghbali-chelsea-dressing-room-visit-todd-boehly/ |newspaper=Telegraph |date=September 25, 2023 |access-date=March 6, 2024 |last1=Law |first1=Matt }}{{cite news |title=Todd Boehly, Chelsea's self-styled revolutionary, is facing failure |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/dec/27/todd-boehly-chelsea-transfer-failure-premier-league |work=The Guardian |date=December 27, 2023 |access-date=March 6, 2024 |last1=Brewin |first1=John }}
Eghbali is on the boards of several Clearlake portfolio companies, including Chelsea Football Club, Confluence, Constant Contact, Cornerstone OnDemand, DigiCert, Diligent, EagleView, Ivanti, Newfold Digital, Perforce, and Quest.{{cite web |title=Who are the nine members of Chelsea's new board? |url=https://theathletic.com/3375556/2022/06/27/chelsea-board-owners-billionaires/ |publisher=The Athletic |access-date=March 8, 2024}}{{cite web |title=Behdad Eghbali |url=https://www.sporticolive.com/InvestInSports/speaker/493273/behdad-eghbali |publisher=SportiConference |access-date=March 8, 2024}}
Personal life
He is on the boards of nonprofits, including Noor Foundation, his family foundation.
In 2024, Ehbali paid £56 million for a penthouse in Grosvenor Square in London's Mayfair district.{{Cite web |last=Lucking |first=Liz |date=January 3, 2025 |title=Chelsea FC’s Billionaire Co-Owner Was the Buyer of a £56 Million London Penthouse |url=https://www.mansionglobal.com/articles/chelsea-fcs-billionaire-co-owner-was-the-buyer-of-a-56-million-london-penthouse-c67c43cb |access-date=January 4, 2025 |website=www.mansionglobal.com |language=en-US}}{{cite web | title=Chelsea FC co-owner pays £56mn for London penthouse | website=Financial Times | date=January 3, 2025 | url=https://www.ft.com/content/c3e3193d-e2a0-446d-9161-d2ddca840420 | access-date=January 4, 2025}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eghbali, Behdad}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Haas School of Business alumni
Category:Morgan Stanley people
Category:American people of Iranian descent
Category:Businesspeople of Iranian descent
Category:Chelsea F.C. chairmen and investors