Zari Kovo

Zari David "Bebo" Kovo (a.k.a. Kobo; born February 1951)[2] is an Israeli-Bulgarian property developer, the co-founder of property company Camden Market Holdings & Developments (including Stanley Sidings and the Stables Market Property Group), with nearly $880 million in assets as of 2014.[3][4][5][6] Camden Market Holdings owns, operates, and manages real estate properties mainly in Camden Town, London, England. Properties include Camden Market, Stables Market, Camden Lock Market and Developments, recognized as the second largest tourist attraction in Europe with over 40 million annual visitors.[7][8]

Zari David (Bebo) Kovo[1]
Born
Eliezer Kovo

1951 (age 7172)
NationalityBulgarian, Israeli
OccupationBusinessman
Known forCamden Town, Stables Market
Spouses
Ruth Braha
(m. 1973; div. 2006)
    (m. 2008)
    Children6, including Oded David Kobo
    Websitezarikovo.com

    In 2014, a majority portion of the company's assets were acquired for $680 million by Lab Tech Holdings.[9]

    Career

    In the 1970s, Kobo was based in Hong Kong, as a clothing manufacturer, working closely with the Nakash Group, who owned the fashion brand Jordache. In the 1990s, Kobo expanded into real estate development in Florida by acquiring several buildings on Miami's famed Ocean Drive and developing the Opa-Locka Flea Market prior to its sale of $80 million.[10]

    In the 1990s, Kobo alongside Richard Caring, and Elliott Bernerd, head of the British property company Chelsfield, teamed up to acquire London's Camden Market as well other properties in Camden Town. In 2014, they sold "a huge swathe" to fellow Israeli, the gambling billionaire Teddy Sagi, for £440 million.[10][11] The transaction was handled by PIR Equities, which is the private equity arm of Kobo's eldest son O.D. Kobo.

    By 2008, Kobo along with his eldest son businessman OD Kobo were the largest single property holders in the Camden area, with 9 acres of freehold property.[12]

    Personal life

    Kobo was convicted in 1979 of raping a woman who was a passenger in his car, and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.[13][14]

    He is the father of businessman Oded David Kobo,[10] and has five other children.[15]

    He is married to Israeli model Miri Bohadana.[10]

    In 2015, he bought a 960 sq m house in Arsuf, an "exclusive cliff-top community", for NIS 106 million, as part of a creditors' arrangement for brothers Eliyahu and Moshe Shushan and brothers Gad and Dov Slook.[16][17]

    References

    1. "Zari David Kovo Passport".
    2. "בבו קובו: סוחר הג'ינסים שנהפך לטייקון לונדוני". Calcalist. 22 July 2010. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
    3. "Camden Town owner bought out by gambling billionaire founder". BOLSAMANIA. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
    4. TheMarker (19 June 2019). "The Top 30 Richest People in 2019 Israel, and Where They Get Their Money". Retrieved 22 June 2019 via Haaretz.
    5. "Restaurant tycoon Richard Caring earns £260m 'war chest' for new". Evening Standard. 13 March 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
    6. Says, Bargainsfound (16 March 2014). "Teddy Sagi Buys London's Camden Stables Market in Deal Valued at US$664 Million". Jewish Business News. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
    7. Lawrence-Jones, Charlie (15 June 2019). "21 amazing London attractions that tourists don't know about". getwestlondon. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
    8. Sharon, Itamar. "Israeli buys hugely popular London market for £400m". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
    9. "Teddy Sagi buys Camden Stables Market for £400m – Globes". en.globes.co.il. 16 March 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
    10. Sadeh, Shuki (10 June 2016). "Who Is Oded Kobo? Natural-born Businessman or Celebrity Sidekick". Haaretz. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
    11. "Restaurant tycoon Richard Caring earns £260m 'war chest' for new ventures after Camden Market deal". London Evening Standard. 13 March 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
    12. "Bebo Koko". About Me.com. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
    13. דנון, יצחק (17 December 2007). "הפסד לבבו קובו בערעור: הרשעתו באונס תיכלל בתגובה לתביעת הדיבה שהגיש" via Globes.
    14. "ביהמ"ש: הרשעת בבו קובו באונס רלוונטית לתביעת הדיבה נגד "אנשים"". 18 December 2007 via Haaretz.
    15. Bebo KoboLondon, United Kingdom. "Bebo Kobo – London, United Kingdom". about.me. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
    16. "Bebo Kobo buys home near Herzliya for NIS 16m". Globes English. Archived from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
    17. Harriet Sherwood, Beny Steinmetz: Israeli diamond dealer who likes to keep a low profile, The Guardian, 30 July 2013.
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