26 May 2014

Investcorp, a global provider and manager of alternative investment products, is delighted to announce that Nemir Kirdar, the firm’s Executive Chairman and CEO, has been awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Fordham University in New York. The award was presented to Mr Kirdar in New York as part of the University’s 169th Commencement ceremonies.

The award recognises Mr Kirdar’s achievements since he received his MBA from Fordham University in 1972, notably “his professional accomplishments and his efforts to bring the Middle East and the West closer together through commerce.” The degree citation adds, “Integrity, dedication to his native country, and commitment to building bridges between the Middle East and the West have earned Nemir Kirdar a reputation as a pioneer in the global business community.”

Fordham’s President, Father Joseph McShane, said of Mr Kirdar: “You are one of Fordham’s most distinguished alumni. Your success in business coupled with your breadth of philanthropy gives evidence to the fact that you truly represent our goal of ‘men and women for others’.”

The award ceremony took place on Monday, May 19th at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. Mr Kirdar also delivered the address at Fordham’s Graduate School of Business Administration’s diploma ceremony.

In his address, Mr Kirdar spoke of four “pillars of success” – ambition, the drive to overcome obstacles, the ability to recognise opportunities and building reputational capital by being needed, respected and trusted. He outlined how these pillars influenced his early career in Iraq and the US, their impact on the formation of Investcorp in 1982 and how they’ve guided the firm’s development for over 30 years. As a result, he commented, Investcorp is an institution that is “built to last.”

In commending these principles to Fordham’s graduates, Mr Kirdar added: “To this day, Investcorp continues to be upheld by these four pillars. We are ceaselessly ambitious, never settling for the status quo. Whatever obstacles block our path, we find a way around them. We remain vigilant for opportunities and we never forget that our reputational capital is the true wealth of our institution.”