Iran in New York

Over the past decade, Iran has isolated themself from the rest of the world. Now they are in the rebuilding stages, but need at least $150 billion in annual investments to move them along in the process, which brings Hamid Biglari to New York. Biglari is a 57 year old Iranian-American and a graduate of Cornell University, who also is an ex-Citigroup banker under the wings of Robert Rubin and Sandy Weill. He is not an official representative, actually he has no official role, but is definitely President Hassan Rouhani’s “go-to-man” when it comes to financials. Biglari puts his efforts into brining investments back to his home country by bringing together Iranian power brokers through conferences and private meetings. He had left in 1979, prior to the revolution, and did not return a single time until three decades later under the reformation of Rouhani. As a successful story, he is offered many opportunities such addressing the Iranian central bank. However, Biglari knows that he is facing an uphill battle, he comments, ““Iran missed the golden era of globalization from the late nineties to 2008, where a rising tide lifted all boats…Iran can’t afford to miss the next wave.”