Nasser Khalili

Nasser David Khalili
Born	(1945-12-18) December 18, 1945 Isfahan, Iran
Other names	Sir Nasser David Khalili KCSS
Occupation(s)	Academic, art collector, philanthropist
Years active	1970s–present
Known for	Khalili Collections, philanthropy in Islamic art and interfaith dialogue
Notable work	Khalili Collections

Sir Nasser David Khalili KCSS (born 18 December 1945) is a London-based British academic, art collector, and philanthropist. Originally from Iran, he pursued his education at Queens College, City University of New York and the School of Oriental and African Studies, later becoming a naturalised citizen of the United Kingdom.

He curated eight distinct art collections known collectively as the Khalili Collections, each recognized as preeminent in its category. Together, these encompass 35,000 pieces, featuring the world’s largest private Islamic art assemblage alongside a Japanese art collection comparable to that of the Imperial House of Japan. Khalili has dedicated tens of millions of pounds to the preservation, scholarly research, and publication efforts related to these collections, producing over seventy volumes. Exhibitions showcasing these works have toured globally.

Khalili’s collecting journey began in New York during the 1970s, followed by property investments in the UK throughout the 1980s. His financial success expanded significantly through ventures in art dealing, commodity trading, and real estate. He is noted for acquiring and restoring prominent properties across London and Glasgow.

Through the Khalili Foundation, he actively fosters dialogue among Abrahamic religions. His philanthropic contributions have established a research centre and the inaugural university chair dedicated to Islamic art at Oxford and SOAS. He also supports the development of educational resources focused on Islamic art and architectural heritage.

As a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Khalili has engaged in peace initiatives under UN and UNESCO auspices. His achievements have been honoured with honorary doctorates from five universities, distinctions from the French National Assembly and the High Sheriff of Greater London, France’s Legion of Honour, papal knighthoods, and a UK knighthood awarded in 2020 for his efforts in interfaith relations and charitable work.

Reflecting on his collections, Khalili remarked that he "discovered artefacts belonging to a magnificent heritage that had been overlooked... They were disconnected from their historical context and merited preservation and recognition."

Early life and education

Born in 1945 in Isfahan, Iran, Khalili was the fourth child among five siblings in a Jewish family engaged in dealing art and antiquities. The family relocated to Tehran during his infancy. By eight years old, he accompanied his father on purchasing trips for Persian lacquerware and Islamic artworks. Educated in Tehran, at age fourteen he authored a book profiling over two hundred notable figures following a disagreement with a teacher. This publication led to television appearances and newspaper column writing.

After completing military service as a medic in the Iranian Army, Khalili emigrated to the United States in 1967 with $750 earned from his book sales. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in computer science from Queens College, City University of New York in 1974 before earning a PhD focused on Islamic lacquerware at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, in 1988.

Business and collecting career

Khalili’s career began with art trading before expanding into property development and commodity markets. His art collecting started in 1970s New York City, where he retained exceptional pieces for personal ownership. Relocating to London mid-decade, he regularly attended auction houses and operated a gallery in Mayfair between 1978 and 1980. Initially specialising in Persian lacquerware—later central to his doctoral research—he capitalised on the decline in Islamic art prices after the 1978 Iranian Revolution and subsequent Iran–Iraq War, acquiring works that later gained substantial value due to increased global interest.

Renowned for discreet yet calculated investments, Khalili’s Mayfair gallery prospered alongside ventures in sugar and coffee trading, options markets, real estate acquisitions, and art dealings. In a 2010 interview, he attributed mid-1980s collecting capital to venture capital earnings, including $15 million from selling a company producing indigestion remedies in 1987. By 1992, he described his fortune as stemming from art transactions, commodities trading, and property investments.

During the mid-1980s he significantly expanded his collection by purchasing rare items at record auction prices. In the early 1990s, he began collaborating with leading scholars to publish catalogues documenting his Islamic art holdings. Industry speculation suggested he collected on behalf of an affluent investor; Khalili later confirmed these acquisitions were made for his family trust. Concurrently, he advised Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei on building an art collection catalogued at the Brunei Museum.

In 1992 Khalili proposed loaning his Islamic art collection to the British government for fifteen years under the condition it be publicly exhibited centrally in London as the Nasser D. Khalili Museum with public funding covering operational expenses and insurance. This offer attracted interest from figures such as Lord Young of Graffham, Lord Bell, and Prince Charles.

By 2007 Khalili’s net worth was estimated at £5.8 billion by the Sunday Times Rich List, though he did not feature in subsequent editions. Forbes recognised him as a billionaire from 2005 until 2013 with an estimated wealth of $1.3 billion before omitting him in 2014. The Art Newspaper suggested in 2008 that valuing his collection at £1 billion was more realistic than earlier higher estimates. Khalili himself has stated that he invested $650 million acquiring artworks.

Art collections

Khalili has curated eight distinct art collections collectively referred to as the Khalili Collections. These encompass a wide range of periods and cultures, including Islamic art spanning from 700 to 2000; Hajj and the Arts of Pilgrimage also covering 700 to 2000; Aramaic Documents dating between 353 BC and 324 BC; Japanese Art of the Meiji Period from 1868 to 1912; Japanese Kimono ranging from 1700 to 2000; Swedish Textiles from the 18th to 19th centuries; Spanish Damascened Metalwork produced between 1850 and 1900; and Enamels of the World spanning 1700 to 2000. Together, these eight collections hold approximately 35,000 pieces.

18–19 Kensington Palace Gardens

In 1995, Khalili purchased numbers 18 and 19 on Kensington Palace Gardens for £40 million. Number 19 had previously been occupied by the Egyptian embassy, while number 18 was once part of the Russian embassy. The acquisition and subsequent refurbishment amounted to £84 million. The extensive restoration engaged around 400 artisans and was second in scale only to the Windsor Castle restoration following the 1992 fire. Marble used for the pillars was sourced from the same Indian quarry that provided stone for the Taj Mahal. In 2001, the property was sold to businessman Bernie Ecclestone for £50 million before later being acquired by industrialist Lakshmi Mittal.

Sixty London

In 1997, Khalili acquired Bath House located on Holborn Viaduct for £7 million. Planning approval for an eleven-storey office complex named The Wave was granted in 2007; it was completed in 2013 with design by architects Kohn Pederson Fox Associates. Since 2010, this development has been a joint venture between Khalili's firm Favermead and AXA Real Estate Investment Managers. The building was leased by Amazon in 2013. In recognition of its successful integration of contemporary and historic architectural elements, it received one of the Urban Land Institute’s Global Awards for Excellence in 2014.

Philanthropy

The philanthropic activities led by Khalili are chiefly conducted through the Khalili Foundation. Among his significant contributions is a £2.25 million endowment made in 2004 to the University of Oxford, establishing the Khalili Research Centre for the Art and Material Culture of the Middle East, which was officially opened by Lord Patten in 2005. Additionally, he donated £600,000 in 1989 to establish the Khalili Chair of Islamic Art and Archaeology at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London—the first academic chair devoted exclusively to Islamic art—and supplemented this with a further £200,000 in 2003 for refurbishing a lecture theatre.

In 1992, Khalili funded a Research Fellowship in Islamic Art at Oxford University. Later, in 2011, he endowed the Nasser D. Khalili Chair of Islamic Studies at his alma mater, Queens College, New York. During his advisory role with the Sultan of Brunei in the early 1990s, he facilitated a £10 million donation towards establishing the Brunei Gallery at SOAS.

Founded in 1995, the Foundation’s Maimonides Interfaith Initiative fosters collaboration among Jewish, Christian, and Muslim communities through cultural, educational, and artistic programs. This includes the UNESCO-endorsed Maimonides Interfaith Explorers—an educational resource aimed at children aged 10–11—offered free to schools worldwide and supported by over 400 videos.

To promote interfaith understanding, Khalili commissioned artist Ben Johnson to create five paintings under the title House of Peace. Furthermore, his foundation distributed 20,000 copies of his book The Timeline History of Islamic Art and Architecture (Visions of Splendour) to educational institutions across both the UK and Islamic countries.

The Faith in the Commonwealth initiative—a collaboration between the Commonwealth and Khalili Foundation—provides Training of Trainers workshops targeting youth aged between 15 and 29 from various faith traditions. These programs support social action projects that address issues such as hate speech, girls’ education, and indigenous rights.

As chairman of Global Hope Europe—a branch of the Global Hope Coalition founded in 2016—Khalili oversees efforts that annually recognize individuals combating extremism and intolerance. The coalition’s honorary president is Irina Bokova, former Director-General of UNESCO.

Bibliography

Khalili is the author of The Timeline History of Islamic Art and Architecture, initially released in 2005 by Worth Press, which has since seen six editions across English, Arabic, French, and Dutch languages. Together with Nahla Nassar, he co-wrote A Selection of Islamic Art at the Brunei Museum (1990), and collaborated with Basil William Robinson and Tim Stanley on the two-part series Lacquer of the Islamic Lands (1996–1997). He has also managed a wide array of publications connected to his collections, encompassing both catalogues and academic essays. His memoir, titled The Art of Peace, was brought out by Penguin Books in November 2023.

Recognition

Khalili holds the unique distinction of being the sole non-Christian knighted by two Popes: Pope John Paul II appointed him as a Knight of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St Sylvester (KSS), while Pope Benedict XVI later promoted him to Knight Commander (KCSS) in recognition of his efforts toward peace, education, and cultural advancement. UNESCO designated him as a Goodwill Ambassador in 2012. In 2016, President François Hollande conferred upon him the rank of Officier within the Legion of Honour at the Élysée Palace. Additionally, Khalili was honored with a knighthood in the 2020 Birthday Honours for his contributions to inter-faith dialogue and charitable work.

Honours and awards

• Honorary Fellow at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London (1991)
• Trustee for the City of Jerusalem (1996)
• Knight Commander of the Royal Order of Francis I (KCFO) (2003)
• Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Boston University (2003)
• Knight of the Equestrian Order of Pope St Sylvester (KSS) (2004)
• Honorary Doctorate awarded by University of the Arts London (2005)
• Honorary Fellowship at Wolfson College, Oxford (2005)
• Member of the Chancellor's Court of Benefactors at University of Oxford (2006)
• Recipient of the High Sheriff of Greater London Award for cultural contributions to London (2007)
• Knight Commander of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Sylvester (KCSS) (2009)
• President's Award from Queens College, New York (2010)
• Named UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador (2012)
• Awarded Queens College President's Medal recognizing service through art, culture, and philanthropy (2013)
• Aladdin Award for Dialogue Among Cultures presented at the French Assembly (2014)
• Honorary Doctorate, Doctor of Humanities, Honoris Causa, from Franklin University, Switzerland (2015)
• Bestowed with rank of Officier in France’s Ordre national de la Légion d’Honneur (2016)
• Served on Honorary Board for INTERPOL Foundation for a Safer World (2018-2019)
• Eurasian Legend Award by Eurasia Academy in Baku, Azerbaijan (2019)
• Knight Bachelor title awarded "for services to interfaith relations and charity" (2020)

UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador

In 2012, Khalili received appointment as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador dedicated to advancing peace through education and cultural initiatives. He has actively engaged in global forums promoting intercultural and interfaith understanding, including delivering the keynote speech at UNESCO’s 2013 International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures. Furthermore, Khalili has highlighted culture’s critical contribution to sustainable development during various UNESCO conferences.

Personal life

In 1978, Khalili wed Marion Easton, whom he encountered during a jewellery purchase at her place of work. The couple has three sons: Daniel, along with twins Benjamin and Raphael.