Chris Lazari
Christos Lazari | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth year and age Dora, Cyprus |
| Died | July 27, 2015 (aged 69) North London, England |
| Occupation(s) | Property developer, businessman |
| Known for | Founder of Lazari Investments, British billionaire |
Christos Lazari (May 1946 – 27 July 2015) was a British billionaire and property developer originally from Cyprus.
Early life
Born in Dora, Cyprus, Chris Lazari was the son of a builder. At the age of 16, in 1962, he moved to England after learning that his parents were actually his foster family. He arrived in the UK carrying only £20.
Career
Lazari financed his studies in fashion design in London by working as a dishwasher and waiter. He subsequently created the Drendie Girl clothing brand, which achieved strong sales through major high-street outlets. In 1978, drawing on profits from his fashion business and inspired by his father's construction experience, he transitioned into property development.
By 2002, Lazari had acquired commercial and residential properties in London's Mayfair, Baker Street, and along Tottenham Court Road. His enterprise, Lazari Investments, owned approximately 2.5 million sq ft (230,000 m2) of predominantly office space within prime locations across London's West End of London by 2015. Six key estates made up 92% of the portfolio, with an additional asset situated in north London. The most recent significant purchase was the Brunswick Centre in 2014 for £135 million, which included 45 retail units, a cinema, and 408 residential flats.
Reflecting on his investment strategy in 2012, Lazari stated that he started acquiring small properties during his early twenties to ensure financial security for his family, using capital generated from his fashion ventures. In May 2014, The Sunday Times estimated his net worth at £1.104 billion.
Personal life
Chris Lazari lived in Hampstead, London with his wife, Maritsa Lazari, and their three children. Maritsa co-founded Lazari Investments alongside him, while their children Len, Nicholas, and Andrie hold director roles within the company. The sons possess degrees in economics; Andrie's expertise lies in property law.
Lazari maintained a longstanding friendship with Cyprus president Nicos Anastasiades, who was a former schoolmate. In 2014, he offered to cover private jet costs for Anastasiades if required.
He passed away on 27 July 2015 at his residence in north London due to a heart attack.