Ignace Meuwissen

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Ignace Meuwissen
Ignace Meuwissen - DSC 7896 (1) (1).jpg
Born (1965-07-29) 29 July 1965 (age 56)
Genk, Belgium
OccupationBusinessman, real-estate entrepreneur
Known forHolder of highest residential real estate transaction of Paris penthouse in history for €65 M (US$75.8 M) in 2017
Spouse(s)
Naomi El Haimer
​
(m. 2008)​

Ignace Rene Louisa Valentinus Meuwissen is a Belgian real estate entrepreneur, philanthropist and founder of Friends4East and Property4East, born 29 July 1965 in a family of manufacturers. Meuwissen is renowned as an influential advisor for wealthy Russian-speaking clientele, special among Russian oligarchs.

Business career[]

At the age of 25, he began his real estate business and in 2008 established with his wife his own company Property4East.[1][2]

In 2010, he cooperated with Chelsea Football Club owned by Roman Abramovich that offered its Millennium Suites to rent it out.[3]

Since 2014, Meuwissen starts to relocate the first Russian oligarchs to the Netherlands.[4][5]

In November 2017, Meuwissen sold a Kazakh government official a luxurious high-security flat in Paris for €65 million (US$75.8 million) that Mansion Global named one of the priciest residential transactions in the city this year.[6][7][8] The Kazakh, who bought an apartment for 65 million euros in Paris, decided to re-sell the apartment for 125 million euros. This is twice the price for which he bought it.[9] The authorities of Kazakhstan are trying to find out who bought the luxury apartment in Paris for 65 million euros, but Meuwissen doesn't want to mention who the buyer is. Various media reports state that the penthouse may have been purchased by the vast riches accrued by Kazakhstan's ruling Nazarbayev family. BBC reported on March 10, revealed that assets owned by Dariga Nazarbayeva, of the speaker of the Senate and the president's daughter, and her son, .[10][11][12][13][14]

In 2018, Meuwissen signed with Mohammad Zahoor a partnership to launch Property4East.com in 2019, the first platform for brokers and owners of luxury real estate specialized for Russian, Kazakh and Ukrainian clientele in collaboration with Eastern European major media channels.

In 2019, Meuwissen signed an agreement with financial specialist PWC and a private bank to move 15–20 families of Eastern European origin from Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine to new locations in the Benelux, due to the Brexit. This operation won't do him any harm since he has been instructed to sell the British homes of the Eastern European families for a fee of 6%. According to well-informed sources, the estimated transaction value of the entire UK portfolio is worth more than 1 billion euros. The portfolio of relocation homes in the Benelux would exceed 200 million euros.[15][16][17][18][19][20]

In July 2019, Meuwissen completed the business transaction to sell 20 homes for 500 million pounds in the better suburbs of London to large real estate agent groups in the world. The total initial value of the contract was estimated at a sales value of 1 billion pounds, based on an analysis by Knight Frank. Meuwissen, known for its harsh statements and knowledge of the market, values the global value of the homes at 500 million, with the fact that London is no longer "hot". Meuwissen had signed the deal with an investment bank on the basis of a consortium contract at a 6% reimbursement of which 4.5% as a success fee. On the transaction, he earns 1.5% fee that must be paid over the maximum duration of 2 years, with a watchful eye on the transactions on behalf of his clientele. The deal was guided by the law firm Magic Circle (law firms).[21]

The 25 of May 2020 announced in Quote magazine that Meuwissen sold his property, Villa Rose in Meggen, Switzerland. After the sale Van Gansewinkel his company in 2007, which now has about 4000 employees and a turnover of 620 million euros, to an estimated 800 million euros to investors he moved to a villa in Meggen in Switzerland. In 2019, he died after a few months of health problems in Meggen, Switzerland. Meuwissen sold the villa for €100 million to a Russian oligarch who active is in the fish industry.[22]

In November 2020, Meuwissen sold his company to a private investor of Russian origin, who is active in the banking and real estate sector. A number of parties from the world of real estate and the financial sector were interested in closing a deal with Meuwissen. The key factor was his unique client portfolio of UHNWI, most of whom are oligarchs. Many of his clients are looking to relocate to Europe, chiefly Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. With Brexit Meuwissen handles an order book and waiting list of 70 searches. This full portfolio has an estimated value of between EUR 750 million and 1.5 billion. The purchase price was based on the transaction value of real estate operations in recent years, and future searches. This gives a figure of between EUR 1.6 billion and 2.35 billion.[23]

Philanthropy[]

Friends4East support economic and business-mission of West Europe, with Eastern Europe, focused on Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. The organization also supports cultural and artistic projects, talented people including supporting animal foundations, especially cats.[24]

Since 2015, Meuwissen supports yearly Mohammad Zahoor and his wife Kamaliya with her foundation to help children in need. The foundation organizes annual charity nights to raise money.[25]

On 18 November 2017 in Luxembourg the Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities with the support of Friends4East and the Russian Ambassador to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Viktor Sorokin opened the space exhibition #Sputnik60 to celebrate 60 years since Sputnik became the first satellite in space and changed the world forever.[26][27]

Books[]

In 2015, Meuwissen collaborated with the publisher teNeues as author for the coffeetable book Living in Style Morocco sold at Amazon.[28] In 2018 Meuwissen has asked by the publisher teNeues to collaborate in different projects as member of advisory board. A must-have book for all classic car fans worldwide with the title ``Classic Cars Review`` together with Rolf Sachs, Maximillion Cooper CEO of the Gumball 3000 and Prince Luitpold of Bavaria, including the coffee table book Interior Designer Review in collaboration with sister of Nicolas Sarkozy.[29]

Media[]

On Christmas Eve in 2017, Nederland 3 broadcast a TV program about Ignace and his wife Naomi about their daily life presented by Lauren Verster.[30] Since May 2020, Meuwissen has his own monthly column in about luxury real estate and relocation.

Telefacts a Belgian current affairs programme of the Belgian television channel VTM (TV channel) broadcast the 15 Dec 2020 a program around Ignace. It shows his way of businessmodel: the marketingtools, the staging done by Naomi and the most expensive and secure properties in Belgium and The Netherlands, including panic rooms. The programme is made in collaboration with VTM Nieuws[31]

On 12 January 2021 PR Newswire announced that Ignace Meuwissen and Naomi El Haimer are the new partners of the website , with the idea to organize a yearly event and the publication of a magazine. It mentioned that both will be possible new owners in the future.[32]

PR Newswire announced 22 July 2021 that Meuwissen discovers a new buyer's market for luxury real estate in Mongolia and surrounding countries. He developed the miniseries 'Object X' in which human interest is linked to luxury real estate. The broadcast of 'Object X' on the Bloomberg TV Mongolia channel was an undeniable success, resulting, among other things, in Meuwissen being the first Belgian to be interviewed by Bloomberg TV Mongolia. The 'Object X' series is currently sold in 7 countries and is broadcast in English, Dutch and Mongolian. The second series is made in collaboration with .[33]

References[]

  1. ^ "Rijke Russen mikken op villa in Amsterdam, 't Gooi of Bloemendaal". Quote. 30 August 2016.
  2. ^ SIMOENS, Kristof. "Wie is de Lanakense immo-man van de allerrijksten?" (in Flemish). Het Belang van Limburg.
  3. ^ "Roman Abramovich zoekt buren in stadion Chelsea". Quote. November 2010.
  4. ^ "Russen verhuizen naar Amsterdam". 26 June 2018 – via Vimeo.
  5. ^ "Blik op Nieuws". Blik op Nieuws. 29 August 2016.
  6. ^ "Limburger is makelaar voor rijkste Russen". De Standaard (in Flemish).
  7. ^ "ЭКСКЛЮЗИВ: МИД и Минфин РК ничего не знают о покупке квартиры в Париже за 65 млн евро – Политика – Новости". Astana TV.
  8. ^ "Квартира казахстанца за 65 млн евро в Париже выставлена на продажу". Forbes (in Russian). 27 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Квартира казахстанца за 65 млн евро в Париже выставлена на продажу". Forbes (in Russian). 27 August 2018.
  10. ^ "Nazarbayev family's luxury UK assets come to light". Eurasianet.
  11. ^ "Квартира казахстанца за 65 млн евро в Париже выставлена на продажу". Informburo.
  12. ^ "Продавший квартиру за 65 млн евро брокер рассказал о "звонке из ведомства"". Forbes. 21 November 2017.
  13. ^ "Kazakhstan Mystery Luxury Paris Apartment Buyers Eludes Investigators". Eurasianet.
  14. ^ "Казахский чиновник купил квартиру за 65 млн евро в Париже — фото жилья Об этом сообщает Рамблер". Finance Rambler.
  15. ^ "Rijke Russen vluchten voor Brexit en komen naar Belgie". Het Laatste Nieuws.
  16. ^ "Lanakenaar zoekt in Maasmechelen naar villas voor Oost Europese miljonairs". HBVL.
  17. ^ "Brexit: Rijke russen vluchten naar Nederland en Belgie". derijkstebelgen.be. 8 April 2019.
  18. ^ "Brexitangst drijft russische miljonairs naar Brussel". Bruzz.
  19. ^ "Ignace Meuwissen zoekt villa's voor de rijksten uit Rusland, Kazachstan en Oekraïne". Het Nieuwsblad.
  20. ^ "Pourquoi Les Milliardaires Russes Aiment Tant La Belgique". MSN.
  21. ^ "Vastgoedmakelaar Ignace Meuwissen sluit megadeal in Londen (en stapt uit de sector)". . 4 August 2019.
  22. ^ "Villa Rose van wijlen Leo van Gansewinkel voor €100 miljoen verkocht". Quote. 25 May 2020.
  23. ^ "Ignace Meuwissen successfully concludes sale of his real estate knowledge company". PR Newswire.
  24. ^ ""1,000 euros for those who give a golden tip": Foundation wants to know at all costs who Zoya heavily tagged the cat". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Flemish).
  25. ^ Kapinos, Mariya (8 December 2017). "Kamaliya's 4th St. Nicholas Charity Night raises $50,000 for children's cardiac center". Kyiv Post.
  26. ^ "Новости. РОСКОСМОС. #SPUTNIK60 – ВЫСТАВКА В ЛЮКСЕМБУРГЕ". Roscosmos (in Russian).
  27. ^ "Ouverture De Lexposition Sputnik60". allevents.in.
  28. ^ "Living in Style Morocco". Amazon.
  29. ^ "Coffee table book: Best Interior Design on the Planet". 17 March 2019.
  30. ^ "Lauren and her film crew followed Ignace and Naomi everywhere and penetrated into all secrets of their happy life!" (in Flemish). 26 June 2018. 24 December 2017
  31. ^ "Villa's voor miljardairs: superrijken kopen Vlaams vastgoed belastingvrij".
  32. ^ "Ignace Meuwissen wordt partner van De Rijkste Belgen".
  33. ^ "Meuwissen discovers new buyer's market for luxury real estate in Mongolia and surrounding countries".

External links[]

Media related to Ignace Meuwissen at Wikimedia Commons

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