Paul Kazarian
Paul B. Kazarian (born October 15, 1955) is an American investor, financier, businessperson, and philanthropist. He is currently the Founder and Managing Director of Japonica Partners, an entrepreneurial co-investment firm.
Business
Japonica Partners has overseen the creation of approximately $2.0 billion in shareholder wealth. A long-time industry innovator, Japonica has achieved entrepreneurial returns with low risk. It is distinguished by its “perfectly aligned” not-a-fund structure and its best co-investors are strategic economic relationships (“SERs”), which include some of the most high value add investors in the world who’ve individually had over $500 million with Japonica.
Japonica’s high value add core competencies are “D-C-C”: Discovering Value Gaps, Changing cultures & operations, and Creating value through hands-on management. Japonica Partners has been independently verified as GIPS compliant since its inception in 1987.
Philanthropy
In 1993, Mr. Kazarian established two non-profit foundations whose charitable missions include economic development, education, and technology. The first one is named in honor of his grandparents, The Charles and Agnes Kazarian Eternal Foundation. The CAKE Foundation mandated USD 52 million for 2006 alternative asset allocation. The USD 52 million mandate is 18% of the Foundation's USD 291 million projected five-year alternative asset mandate.
The CAKE Foundation developed the Discover Armenian language software that was rated as the #1 language software in 2006 by the Armenian Armenian General Benevolent Union AGBU.
The second one is Japonica InterSect. Japonica InterSect is a global benchmarking and best practice research firm.
The mission behind Japonica InterSect and The CAKE Foundation is guided by the capitalist-philanthropist principles contained in his daughter’s book, New Philanthropy Benchmarking: Wisdom for the Passionate.
Among other philanthropic initiatives, Mr. Kazarian is involved with the Asia Society. In 2004, he co-chaired Asia Society’s annual dinner, “The China Connection.”
He also chaired the American India Foundation’s fifth annual spring awards gala on April 30th, 2008 in NYC.
Personal History
Mr. Kazarian is the grandson of Garabed (Charles) Kazarian, An Armenian Genocide survivor, who escaped Turkey in 1915, where he was forced to watch the torture and deaths of his first wife and two children. Charles Kazarian married another Armenian refugee, Haiganoush (Agnes Malian), and eventually settled in Pawtucket, Rhode Island on Japonica Street, where Paul B. Kazarian also grew up. Charles and Agnes had five children, three sons and two daughters. In Pawtucket, Rhode Island Charles Kazarian built up a small ice-packing company. His three sons took over the business after his death.
Paul Kazarian, Sr., Mr. Kazarian’s father, was one of the three sons, who expanded the small, family business to include real estate, retailing, and oil distribution. Later, Paul B. Kazarian took over this family business and sold it in 1987. With some of the profits, he founded Japonica Partners in Rhode Island.
Career History
Prior to Japonica’s inception in 1987, Mr. Kazarian was an investment banker at Goldman, Sachs & Co. His clients were diverse, ranging from global Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 multi-nationals and emerging growth companies to quasi-government organizations.
From 1990 to 1993, Mr. Kazarian was Chairman and CEO of Sunbeam-Oster during its rejuvenation from Allegheny International.
Education
Mr. Kazarian received his MBA from Columbia University, his MA from Brown University, and his undergraduate degree from Bates College.