An innovative and exclusive corporate financier, Amin Amiri has an excellent track record of investing in and acquiring private companies for two decades. He is the Founder and CEO of a2e Industries established in 2001. Previous to this he was head of Corporate Finance Advisory for a top international firm.
He focuses on the strategic development of businesses, revitalizing businesses, and enhancing the shareholders’ value of investee companies and clients. Regarded for his unique expertise and eminent stature in the industry, business organizations and journalists highly perceive and value his insights.
Since founding a2e in January 2001, he has acquired controlling stakes in 48 Mid-Market Companies, achieved turnarounds in many, exited from 10, and created spectacular results for his investee companies. This conglomerate of controlled companies now has an aggregate annual turnover and EBITDA of £150m and £14m respectively. Currently, he is the Chairman of 6 companies and provides leadership to all of the investee companies.
Amin Amiri was also a Co-founder of IBS, an independent business school in Tehran with world-class standards. He serves on the Court of Liverpool University, the regional CBI Council, the board of Maggie’s, the cancer charity, is a trustee of Iran Heritage Foundation, is a fellow of RSA, and was a patron of Raleigh International in Merseyside.
A Sneak Peek into the Early Days
Amin Amiri won a 7-year scholarship from The Ministry of Finance Iran in 1973; to train as a Chartered Accountant in the UK. Previously, he was destined to study as an electronics engineer or a medical doctor. However, he progressed through the ranks at a top 6 accounting firm, and the catalyst was another scholarship to complete an Executive MBA at Harvard Business School. This was a game-changer for his development as an executive and an individual. Thereafter, Amin Amiri worked on Wall Street for 2.5 challenging years and learned M&A skills from the icons of the industry.
Serving the Customers with Utmost Offerings
a2e Industries was formed with the aims of offering an inspirational and sustainable investment model; fit for the 21st Century applied with passion and integrity.
The target audience for Amin’s investment vehicle is “under-performing midmarket industrial companies” and “technology firms focused on the medical, infrastructure and logistics arena.” The company invests in this kind of situation in a true partnership with key managers, other stakeholders and enhances shareholder value by “transforming” all the fundamentals of products/services, corporate strategy and operational capabilities fit for the 21st Century. As the economic paradigms change (2008 – great recession, 2020-COVID19), the organization’s approach to investment and the methodology to enhance value has evolved; but remains as valid and appealing a prospect for its target audience.
A Grand Achievement
Amin Amiri started his investment vehicle, a2e Industries, with only £50,000 of capital. The investment strategy has remained intact through large-scale market shifts in 2008, 2016, and 2020. Realizations of £50M to date are impressive as is Enterprise Value of circa £110M for the remaining portfolio. Amin Amiri never accepted to manage other people’s monies.
All About Proactive Leadership
Stepping into a role as a business leader is adventurous yet challenging. To be successful as a leader, key characteristics include transparency, honesty, and loyalty. Every leader should aim to be a visionary driven by their unflinching ambition. It is a must to be receptive to learning new insights and master the leadership skill of being a great strategist and negotiator.
Here’s what Amin’s leadership style includes:
- An appealing vision of inclusive wealth creation for the good of all stakeholders.
- Clarity of thought and transparency of business objectives and ethics.
- Being realistic, honest, with a long-term and consistent perspective of fairness, loyalty, and trustworthiness.
An Overview of Success in the Business Field
One must acknowledge that success is a RELATIVE terminology. Amin Amiri defines success in business as exceeding most of the goals and yardsticks in wealth creation, despite circumstances, economic shocks,
personal challenges, and sustainability of these goals, and sharing of the wealth created with all the
stakeholders.
Talking about the Biggest Setback
Amin’s University days were adversely influenced by a keen desire to socialize. He achieved average grades, which impacted his career for a good few years. “I think good marks from a more prestigious institution would have made the early part of my career easier to manage.”
Amin’s Vision to Live a Fulfilled Life
Amin Amiri strives to be the best-in-class in all attributes – Health, Friendships, Family, Happiness, and Continuous Growth. Also, he aims the creation of wealth for sustaining and improving all the good in societies and communities.
As a business leader, Amin looks forward to implementing these new ideas:
- Integrating sustainable ownership structures to award shares to all employees. This is a robust 21st Century.
- Driving digitalization of manufacturing/operations, to be best in class globally.
In the current times, one key piece of advice Amin Amiri has received is “Consult with the heart rather than the brain in personal pursuits”.
Resourceful Perspective of the Current Times
The economic paradigm continues to shift as businesses emerge from the lockdowns and global supply chains are transforming and being rationalized. The penetration of digitalized processes and AI in business operations will have a significant impact on all businesses. a2e Industries has a long-term perspective in business. It uses low/controllable levels of debt in its investments, remains “nimble” and creates alignment of interests between stakeholders, i.e management, employees, funders, suppliers/customers, and themselves. This is a fundamental “BOND”, underpinning its success.
A Lucrative Future for a2e Industries
At present, a2e Industries stable of investee companies consists of 18 businesses involved in four sectors, Aerospace, Logistics, Education/ Training, Medical equipment/services. These sectors will continue to be affected by fundamental changes compelled by technological advances, supply chain rationalization, and a global drive for efficiency, sustainability, and adaptability. These should positively impact the demand for a2e Industries products and services for the upcoming 5-10 years.
