Manny Mashouf

{{Short description|Iranian-American businessman and philanthropist}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Manny Mashouf

| image = Manny Mashouf-02-13-08.jpg

| caption =

|birth_name = Manoucher Mashoufhttps://www.encyclopedia.com/journals/culture-magazines/mashouf-manny#:~:text=B%20orn%20Manoucher%20Mashouf%2C%20c,San%20Francisco%20State%20University%2C%201966 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1938}}

| birth_place = Tehran, Pahlavi Iran

| nationality = Iranian, American

| other_names =

| years_active =

| known_for = Founding Bebe Stores and Chairman

| occupation = Businessman, fashion designer, philanthropist

| spouse = Neda Nobari (married 1984–2006; divorced)

| children = 2

| website =

}}

Manoucher "Manny" Mashouf ({{langx|fa|مانی مشعوف}}, born 1938) is an Iranian-American businessman and philanthropist known for founding Bebe Stores.

Early life and education

Born in 1938 in Pahlavi Iran, he came to the United States in his teens and settled first in Washington D.C., then in San Francisco. He attended San Francisco State University (SFSU) and graduated in 1966 with a political science degree.{{Cite web |date=2005-06-03 |title=Alumni donate to SFSU |url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2005/06/03/alumni-donate-to-sfsu/ |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=East Bay Times |language=en-US}}

Career

He first managed a steakhouse in the early 1970s, before founding his own fashion line in 1976.{{cite web |title=Manny Mashouf |url=http://iranians.kodoom.com/en/manny-mashouf/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161123054943/http://iranians.kodoom.com/en/manny-mashouf/ |archive-date=23 November 2016 |access-date=22 November 2016 |publisher=iranians.kodoom.com/en}}

He was the manager and chairman of Bebe stores and in 1998, he took the company public.{{Citation |year=2006 |title=#242 Manny Mashouf & family |work=Forbes |url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/54/biz_06rich400_Manny-Mashouf-family_CFHU.html |access-date=April 23, 2017 }} In 2006 Mashouf was worth US$1.5 billion - resulting in Forbes listing him as the 242nd richest American. By 2007 that has dropped to US$1.3 billion.{{cite magazine| title = The World's Billionaires #754 Manny Mashouf & family| magazine = Forbes| date = 2007-08-03| url = https://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/10/07billionaires_Manny-Mashouf-family_CFHU.html| access-date = 2007-08-03 }}

Manny Mashouf partnered with Giovanni Agnelli and Scott Bloom, they founded the production company Argonaut Pictures in 2007.{{cite web |last=Hayes |first=Dade |date=September 5, 2008 |title=Equity players enter risky film sector: Argonaut, Barbarian, Social have different mandates |url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117991716.html?categoryid%3D3235%26cs%3D1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915070423/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117991716.html?categoryid=3235&cs=1 |archive-date=2008-09-15 |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=Variety magazine}}

It was announced in 2015 that he was to sell his 59% stake in Bebe Stores.{{Citation|year=2015|title=Bebe Founder Manny Mashouf Sells 59 Percent Stake|publisher=ubmfashion.com|url=http://www.ubmfashion.com/blogs/bebe-founder-manny-mashouf-sell-59-stake|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424173828/http://www.ubmfashion.com/blogs/bebe-founder-manny-mashouf-sell-59-stake|archive-date=2017-04-24|url-status=dead}} All of Bebe's stores were scheduled to close and liquidate inventory by the end of May 2017.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-21/bebe-said-to-plan-to-shut-its-stores-in-brick-and-mortar-retreat |title=Bebe Plans to Shut Its Stores and Focus on Web Sales |date=21 March 2017 |website=bloomberg.com}}

Philanthropy

In 2005 Mashouf pledged $10 million to his alma mater, San Francisco State University for a performing arts center. The donation was later redirected to the construction of the Mashouf Wellness Center.{{cite news |last=Barba |first=Michael |date= April 22, 2017 |title=Founder of Closing Bebe Stores had Philanthropic Ties to State |url=http://www.sfexaminer.com/founder-closing-bebe-stores-philanthropic-ties-sf-state/ | work=San Francisco Examiner |access-date=April 24, 2017}}

Personal life

In 1984, he married Neda Mashouf (née Nobari, or Shafigh-Noubari), who later worked as the former vice chairman and manager of merchandise at Bebe.{{Cite web |date=November 16, 1984 |title=Manny Mashouf in the California, U.S., Marriage Index, 1960-1985 |url=https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1144/ |url-access=subscription |website=Ancestry.com}}{{Cite web |last=Barba |first=Michael |title=Founder of closing Bebe stores has philanthropic ties to SF State |url=https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/founder-of-closing-bebe-stores-has-philanthropic-ties-to-sf-state/article_33b2bc37-ae2e-5ce1-9bc3-312162592fb8.html |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=San Francisco Examiner |date=22 April 2017 |language=en}}{{Citation |date= June 7, 2005|title=San Francisco State Receives $10 Million for New Arts Center |publisher=Philanthropy News Digest |url=http://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/san-francisco-state-receives-10-million-for-new-arts-center|access-date=April 23, 2017 }} In 2006, the couple filed for divorce, and Neda resigned from her position at Bebe.{{Cite web |last= |last2= |last3= |date=December 1, 2006 |title=Bebe's Neda Mashouf Resigns |url=http://www.apparelnews.net/news/2006/dec/01/bebes-neda-mashouf-resigns/ |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=ApparelNews.net |language=en}} Together they had two children, Daria Mashouf and Iman Mashouf.{{Cite web |last= |date=March 21, 2008 |title=Celebrity Car: Bebe's top guns |url=https://www.eastvalleytribune.com/money/celebrity-car-bebes-top-guns/article_43acdf87-d229-573a-a0ae-00bac7686255.html |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=East Valley Tribune |language=en}}

In 2017, Mashouf sold his home in Bel–Air in Los Angeles for US$30 million.{{Cite web |last= |date=2017-02-23 |title=Off with a bang? L.A. County sees two sales of $30 million or more in early February |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/hot-property/la-fi-hp-top-sales-20170225-story.html |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}