Khedouri Zilkha
Khedouri Aboody Zilkha | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1884 Baghdad, Ottoman Empire |
| Died | 1956 New York City, United States |
| Occupation | Banker |
| Years active | 1902–1956 |
| Known for | Founder of Zilkha Bank |
Khedouri Aboody Zilkha (1884–1956) was a prominent banker of Iraqi-Jewish descent.
Early life
Born in Baghdad in either 1884 or 1886, Khedouri Zilkha was the sole son of Aboudi Zilkha (1862–1904), who was engaged in the textile trade.
Career
Starting his banking career in Baghdad in 1902, he established Zilkha Bank and subsequently extended his financial ventures to cities including Beirut (Banque Zilkha), Damascus, Cairo, Alexandria, Geneva, New York, Paris, as well as regions in the Far East.
Around 1941 or 1942, he relocated to New York City, where he passed away in 1956.
Personal life
Khedouri was married to Louise (Bashi) Zilkha, and together they had seven children:
- Ezra Zilkha
- Selim Zilkha
- Maurice Zilkha
- Abdullah Zilkha
- Helene Zilkha
- Hanina Zilkha
- Bertie Zilkha
Among his children, Ezra became a notable American financier and philanthropist; Selim founded the major British retail chain Mothercare; Abdullah oversaw the Zurich-based investment bank Ufitec; Maurice pursued a banking career in Egypt.
Legacy
Ezra Zilkha created the Khedouri Zilkha Fund at Princeton University dedicated to the Study of the History of Jewish Civilization in the Near East. This endowment supports a professorship currently held by Marina Rustow.
External links
- From Baghdad to Boardrooms at dangoor.com