Mohamed Amersi#Controversies
{{Short description|British businessman}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Mohamed Amersi
| image = Mohamed Amersi sept23.jpg
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|04|20|df=y}}
| birth_place = Kenya
| nationality = British
| education =
| occupation = Founder and chairman, Inclusive Ventures
CEO, Emergent Telecom Ventures
| partner = Nadezhda "Nadia" Rodicheva
| children = 1
}}
Mohamed Amersi (born 20 April 1960) is a British businessman. He is the founder and chairman of the Inclusive Ventures Group, and former chairman of QML Group. He is a donor to the Conservative Party, having given nearly £525,000 since 2018.
He is founder and chairman of the Amersi Foundation, which has made contributions across a range of issues, including multi-faith and youth programmes to the arts and heritage, education, anti-slavery, climate change, technology and poverty reduction. He holds a number of chairmanship and advisory roles in the charity sector.{{cite web |url=https://www.ineteconomics.org/research/experts/mamersi |title=Mohamed Amersi |author= |date= |website= |publisher=Institute for New Economic Thinking |access-date=23 March 2022 |quote=}} In October 2021, alongside the Pandora Papers leak, Amersi was identified as an advisor on a deal between Telia and Takilant, a company subsequently found to have been owned by Gulnara Karimova, the daughter of the President of Uzbekistan, through offshore structures. Telia later settled the matter by entering into a DPA with the US Department of Justice. In the only trial that took place in Sweden to determine guilt, three Telia executives were acquitted at first instance and on appeal.{{Cite news|date=2021-02-04|title=Appeals court upholds acquittal of former Telia bosses in bribery case|url=https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/appeals-court-upholds-acquittal-of-former-telia-bosses-in-bribery-case|access-date=2021-10-04|website=Sveriges Radio|language=sv|last1=Sweden|first1=Radio}} Representatives of Amersi said that he was not a suspect nor a witness in any of the multi enforcement agency investigations and acted in a limited advisory capacity to Telia on the deal.{{Cite web|date=2021-10-04|title=Major Tory donor advised on Uzbekistan deal later found to be $220m bribe|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2021/oct/04/major-tory-donor-advised-on-uzbekistan-deal-later-found-to-be-bribe-mohamed-amersi|access-date=2021-10-04|website=The Guardian|language=en}}
Early life and education
Amersi was born in Kenya to "a family from an Iranian-Indian background".{{cite news |date=4 October 2021 |title=Pandora Papers: Tory donor Mohamed Amersi involved in telecoms corruption scandal |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-58783460 |access-date=4 October 2021}} In 1976 he came to the UK, and studied at Merchant Taylors School.{{cite web|title=Mohamed Amersi|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=711808&privcapId=60351518&previousCapId=11482545&previousTitle=Indian%20School%20of%20Business|website=Bloomberg|accessdate=13 November 2017}} Amersi studied medicine and law at Sheffield and Cambridge universities, and went on to earn an Executive MBA at the Saïd Business School, Oxford in 2016.{{cite web|title=Mohamed Amersi|url=http://skoll.org/contributor/mohamad-amersi/|website=Skoll|accessdate=13 November 2017}}{{cite web|title=The Brazen Nose|url=https://www.bnc.ox.ac.uk/downloads/Vol_50_The_Brazen_Nose_2016_reduced_size.pdf|website=Oxford University|accessdate=13 November 2017}}
Amersi is an honorary fellow of Brasenose College, Oxford and a former governor of the Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester.{{cite web|title=Brasenose Welcomes Two New Honorary Fellows|url=https://www.bnc.ox.ac.uk/about-brasenose/news/1786-brasenose-two-new-honorary-fellows|website=Brasenose College|accessdate=13 November 2017}} Amersi since then has financed one of the most significant expansions at Brasenose, with the creation of the Amersi Foundation lecture theatre.{{cite web|title=Extended Teaching Space in the Heart of Brasenose|url=https://www.bnc.ox.ac.uk/about-brasenose/news/1783-extended-teaching-space-at-the-heart-of-brasenose|website=Brasenose College|accessdate=13 November 2017}}
Career
= Legal =
Amersi initially practised law as a barrister at 1 Brick Court. He was then a solicitor with Clifford Chance and Jones, Day Reavis & Pogue. Through his legal career, Amersi developed a specialisation in equity related deals, and represented issuers and financial institutions in over 100 transactions.
= Telecoms =
From 1997 to 2002, Amersi was a senior advisor at Telefónica{{cite web|title=Mohamed Amersi|url=https://www.mosaicnetwork.co.uk/people/mohamed-amersi/|website=Mosaic, The Prince's Trust|accessdate=13 November 2017|archive-date=13 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113224435/https://www.mosaicnetwork.co.uk/people/mohamed-amersi/|url-status=dead}} with whom he co-founded Gramercy Communications Partners in New York, and was its Managing Director.{{cite web|title=Mohamed Amersi|url=http://socialimpactcareersconference.com/portfolio/mohamed-amersi/|website=Social Impact Careers Conference|accessdate=13 November 2017|archive-date=14 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171114040309/http://socialimpactcareersconference.com/portfolio/mohamed-amersi/|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last1=Willis|first1=Andrew|title=Onex brings banker back to his roots|url=https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/investment-ideas/onex-brings-banker-back-to-his-roots/article767713/?ref=https://www.theglobeandmail.com&|accessdate=13 November 2017}}
From 2008 to 2013 he was also a senior advisor to the TeliaSonera Group, leading their M&A work including the IPO of Kcell and MegaFon. He was also the board member of various Rothschild Banking Group entities, Motorola, MegaFon and Mi-Fone.
Amersi, as head of the American investment bank Gramercy Communications Partners,{{efn|The American investment bank Gramercy Communications Partners was created by Juan Villalonga who also created the Spanish telecommunications firm Telefonica.}} and Juan Villalonga co-founded Emergent Telecom Ventures in 2002, an Emerging Markets advisory and consulting firm, specialising in Telecoms, Media and Technology.{{cite web|title=Mohamed Amersi, CEO, Emergent Telecom Ventures|url=http://www.tmtfinance.com/eastafrica/speakers/mohamed-amersi|website=TMT Finance|accessdate=13 November 2017|archive-date=21 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151021125603/http://www.tmtfinance.com/eastafrica/speakers/mohamed-amersi|url-status=dead}}CNews staff (17 June 2005). [https://www.cnews.ru/news/top/shvejtsartsy_kupili_rtkomm.ru_po_zakazu (Did the Swiss buy RTKomm.ru by order of St. Petersburg? The Swiss fund ETV acquired RTKomm.ru, Globus-Telecom and Telecom-Center - however, it is not known by whose order.)]. CNews. Retrieved 25 June 2021.Королев, Игорь (9 November 2020). [https://www.cnews.ru/news/top/2020-11-09_kak_partner_alfagrupp Как партнер «Альфа-групп» и «питерских» связистов работал в России за астрономический гонорар (As a partner of Alfa Group and St. Petersburg communications workers, he worked in Russia for an astronomical fee)]. CNews. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
= Inclusive Ventures Group =
While at Saïd Business School in 2014, Amersi founded Inclusive Ventures Group, a fund that focuses on making investments that have a positive social impact.{{cite news|title=UK's Inclusive Ventures invests 15 cr in rural BPO firm|url=https://www.pressreader.com/india/the-hindu-business-line/20150731/282368333353001|accessdate=13 November 2017|publisher=The Hindu Business Line|date=31 July 2015}} Through the fund, Amersi has supported RuralShores, a business that oversees outsourcing centres in rural areas of India. Additionally, Inclusive Ventures has worked to improve access and the quality of education in Kenya through United We Reach and Bridge, an education and technology initiative.{{cite web|title=Oxford Conference on Business and Poverty|url=https://progress-cobap.org/2016-oxford-conference-on-business-and-poverty/|website=Progress Daily|accessdate=13 November 2017|archive-date=13 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113225036/https://progress-cobap.org/2016-oxford-conference-on-business-and-poverty/|url-status=dead}}
= QML Group =
In 2018, Amersi became chairman of QML Group (now known as Neos International Limited), a Midlands-headquartered engineering supplier, with clients including Jaguar Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, GKN and McLaren. He resigned in 2020.{{Cite web |title=NEOS INTERNATIONAL LIMITED: Persons with significant control |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/10791247/officers |access-date=23 August 2022 |website=Companies House}}{{Cite web |date=2020 |title=Neos Annual Report |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/company/10791247/filing-history/MzMwOTIwMTI5NGFkaXF6a2N4 |access-date=23 August 2022 |website=The Gazette |publisher=The Stationery Office}}
Political activity
Amersi is a Conservative Party donor. He donated £10,000 each to Boris Johnson and Michael Gove during the 2019 Conservative Party leadership election.{{cite news |last1=Walker |first1=Peter |title=Boris Johnson has received £500,000 in donations since May |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jul/17/boris-johnson-has-received-500000-in-donations-since-may |accessdate=29 May 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=17 July 2019}} During the 2019 United Kingdom general election, he made donations of £99,500 and £7,400 to the central party,{{cite web |title=View donation |url=http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Donations/C0479415 |website=The Electoral Commission |accessdate=29 May 2020}}{{cite web |title=View donation |url=http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Donations/C0479413 |website=The Electoral Commission |accessdate=29 May 2020}} £5,000 to the Central Devon Association and £2,500 to the Rochdale Association.{{cite web |title=View donation |url=http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Donations/C0479412 |website=The Electoral Commission |accessdate=29 May 2020}}{{cite web |title=View donation |url=http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Donations/C0479414 |website=The Electoral Commission |accessdate=29 May 2020}}
On 4 October 2021, according to the massive leak of financial documents known as the Pandora papers, Amersi advised Swedish telecoms firm Telia on a £162m deal with Gulnara Karimova in 2010 which US authorities later described as a “bribe”.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/conservatives-donor-boris-johnson-sunak-b1931833.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220515/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/conservatives-donor-boris-johnson-sunak-b1931833.html |archive-date=15 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Conservatives must 'return donor money', says Labour after Tory backer linked to corruption scandal|accessdate=4 October 2021|website=Independent}}
According to the Conservative MP David Davis, Amersi has used a number of legal measures against his critic, former MP Charlotte Leslie, who had compiled a due diligence note on his background, related to a dispute over the Conservative Middle East Council. Davis, speaking under parliamentary privilege, described Amersi's behaviour as "bullying".{{cite web |title=Lawfare and UK Court System |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2022-01-20/debates/4F7649B7-2085-4B51-9E8C-32992CFF7726/details |website=Hansard, Parliamentary Record |access-date=January 20, 2022}} Davis also said that Amersi had with legal threats effectively "silenced" a report on his activities by Margaret Hodge MP, chair of the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on anti-corruption and responsible tax.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jul/03/tory-donor-accused-of-using-bullying-legal-threats-to-suppress-a-report|title=Tory donor accused of using bullying legal threats to suppress a report|first1=Haroon|last1=Siddique|date=3 July 2023|work=The Guardian}} In June 2023, Amersi's defamation claim against Charlotte Leslie was struck out by the High Court, and the judge criticised the way Amersi had conducted the legal proceedings.{{cite web |last1=Siddique |first1=Haroon |date=7 June 2023 |title=Conservative donor has defamation case against Tory MP struck out |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jun/07/conservative-donor-has-defamation-case-against-tory-mp-struck-out |access-date=9 June 2023 |work=The Guardian}}
Philanthropy
= The Amersi Foundation =
The Amersi Foundation was founded in 2012 and is one of several philanthropic initiatives Amersi is involved with. The Foundation has worked on issues such as modern-day slavery.{{cite web|title=President urges private sector to 'do its part' in fight against modern slavery|url=http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-06-14/local-news/President-urges-private-sector-to-do-its-part-in-fight-against-modern-slavery-6736175424|website=The Independent|accessdate=13 November 2017}}
A key project that the Amersi Foundation is involved with is the ‘Extremely Together’ project, coordinated by the Kofi Annan Foundation.{{cite web|title=Extremely Together|url=http://www.kofiannanfoundation.org/promoting-youth-leadership/cve-guide/|website=The Kofi Annan Foundation|date=28 March 2017|accessdate=13 November 2017}} The project brought together 10 of the world's leading young counter-extremism experts to provide guidance on how to prevent and counter youth radicalisation. When asked about the work both foundations were conducting, Amersi said that ‘it is more important than ever that young people feel engaged and energised’.
In 2017, the Amersi Foundation contributed to the funding of The Foundry at Oxford University, a centre for entrepreneurs opened by Tim Cook, CEO of Apple.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pcr-online.biz/features/oxford-startup-hub-to-be-opened-by-apples-tim-cook|title=Oxford startup hub to be opened by Apple's Tim Cook|last=Horgan|first=Rob|website=PC Retail|language=en-us|access-date=2019-03-06}} Amersi is listed as being a member of its advisory board.{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxfordfoundry.ox.ac.uk/foundry-advisory-board|title=Foundry Advisory Board|website=Oxford Foundry|language=en|access-date=2019-03-06|archive-date=6 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306235723/https://www.oxfordfoundry.ox.ac.uk/foundry-advisory-board|url-status=dead}}
= Other projects =
Amersi is also involved in several projects that were launched under the Prince of Wales, including the Prince's Trust International, the Prince's Trust Mosaic network and Dumfries House.{{cite web|title=Mohamed Amersi|url=http://princestrustinternational.org/whoweare1/mohamed-amersi/|website=Prince's Trust International|accessdate=13 November 2017}}{{cite web|title=Mohamed Amersi|url=https://www.ineteconomics.org/research/experts/mamersi|website=Institute for New Economic Thinking|accessdate=13 November 2017}} He is a Trustee and a member of the Global Advisory Board of Prince's Trust International, and a Trustee for the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He is also the chair of the International Advisory Council for the British Asian Trust, another of the Prince of Wales’ charitable initiatives.{{cite web|title=Our Supporters|url=https://www.britishasiantrust.org/who-we-are/our-supporters|website=British Asian Trust|accessdate=13 November 2017}} Additionally, he chairs the Board of Trustees for the Islamic Reporting Initiative, is a trustee of the Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation, the Rose Castle Foundation, which works with faith leaders to improve inter-faith communications and United We Reach.{{cite web|title=Expanding our Board of Trustees|url=https://islamicreporting.org/islamic-reporting-initiative-expands-board-of-trustees/|website=Islamic Reporting Initiative|date=4 February 2017|accessdate=13 November 2017}}{{cite web|title=The Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation|url=http://beta.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1170796&subid=0|website=Charity Commission|accessdate=13 November 2017}}{{cite web|title=Rose Castle Foundation|url=http://beta.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?subid=0®id=1159568|website=Charity Commission|accessdate=13 November 2017}} He is a Counsellor for One Young World.{{Cite web|url=https://www.oneyoungworld.com/counsellors|title=Counsellors|website=One Young World|language=en|access-date=2019-03-06}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.oneyoungworld.com/counsellors/mohamed-amersi|title=Mohamed Amersi|date=2017-07-21|website=One Young World|language=en|access-date=2019-03-06|archive-date=6 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306235420/https://www.oneyoungworld.com/counsellors/mohamed-amersi|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.elespectador.com/economia/la-corrupcion-vista-escala-global-articulo-716825|title=La corrupción vista a escala global|date=2017-10-06|website=ELESPECTADOR.COM|language=ES|access-date=2019-03-06}}
= Other affiliations =
- Member of the Development Board of the British Academy and a member of the Steering Group and the Corporate Advisory Group of the British Academy's Future of the Corporation Project.
- Trustee of the Foreign Policy Research Institute.{{cite web |title=Board of Trustees - FPRI |url=https://www.fpri.org/about/trustees/ |website=Foreign Policy Research Institute |date=23 July 2015 |access-date=31 August 2023}}
- Member of the Global Leadership Council of the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.{{cite web|title=Boards and Councils|url=https://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/school/about-sa%C3%AFd-business-school/boards-and-councils|website=Said Business School|accessdate=21 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226181931/https://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/school/about-sa%C3%AFd-business-school/boards-and-councils|archive-date=26 February 2018|url-status=dead}}
- Member of the Advisory Boards of the Global Thinkers Forum, Toucan and Faith in Leadership.
- Member of the Global Partners Council of the Institute of New Economic Thinking (INET).{{cite web|title=Mohamed Amersi|url=https://www.ineteconomics.org/research/experts/mamersi|website=Institute for New Economic Thinking|accessdate=21 November 2017}}
- Member of the Advisory Board of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council and of Commonwealth First.{{cite web|title=Mohamed Amersi|url=https://www.ineteconomics.org/uploads/cv/MOHAMED-AMERSI-April-2017.pdf|website=ineteconomics.org|accessdate=21 November 2017}}
- Member of the Advisory Board of the Education Outcomes Fund.{{cite web|title=Our Advisory Board|url=https://www.educationoutcomesfund.org/our-advisory-board/|website=The Education Outcomes Fund|accessdate=19 April 2018|archive-date=20 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420074122/https://www.educationoutcomesfund.org/our-advisory-board/|url-status=dead}}
Personal life
Legal action
Amersi engaged in legal claims for libel against former Conservative MP Charlotte Leslie after she complained to senior party members that Amersi was trying to take over the Conservative Middle East Council which she was then running. He engaged the law firm Carter-Ruck to launch an expensive and complex set of legal cases against Leslie. This was later considered by the UK government to be an example of a SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit against Public Participation) action against Leslie. Mr Justice Nicklin found that Amersi had failed to prove his case and several aspects of the case gave "real cause for concern".{{Cite news |date=2023-06-07 |title=Mohamed Amersi loses legal action against ex-MP Charlotte Leslie |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-65835253 |access-date=2025-06-16 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} David Davis MP and the British Government have described SLAPPs as an abuse designed to harass, intimidate and financially exhaust an opponent. In 2024 the Government used Amersi v Leslie as an example of misuse of the legal system to bring multiple claims in succession.{{Cite web |last=Dawson |first=Joanna |date=2024-02-21 |title=SLAPPs: Strategic litigation against public participation |url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9962/CBP-9962.pdf |website=researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk}} In November 2023 the Court of Appeal refused Amersi's appeal ending all possible pursuit of Leslie.{{Cite web |last=Castro |first=Bianca |title=Permission to appeal denied in high-profile defamation claim |url=https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/permission-to-appeal-denied-in-high-profile-defamation-claim/5118005.article |access-date=2025-06-16 |website=Law Gazette |language=en}}
Notes
{{Notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite book |last=Hedelius |first=Patricia |title=Telia: Aliansregeringen och korruptionen |trans-title=Telia: Alliance Government and Corruption |publisher=Massolit Förlag |date=2015 |isbn=9789176610121}}{{page needed|date=October 2021}}
External links
- {{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/feb/27/can-i-now-send-the-funds-secrets-of-the-conservative-money-machine|title='Can I now send the funds?': secrets of the Conservative money machine|work=The Guardian|author=Tom Burgis|date=27 February 2024}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Amersi, Mohamed}}
Category:Alumni of Saïd Business School
Category:People associated with the Royal Agricultural University
Category:British telecommunications industry businesspeople
Category:20th-century English lawyers
Category:21st-century English businesspeople
Category:20th-century English businesspeople