Zia Yusuf Explained

Zia Yusuf
Office:Chairman of Reform UK
Leader:Nigel Farage
Term Start:11 July 2024
Predecessor:Richard Tice
Birth Name:Muhammad Ziauddin Yusuf
Birth Place:Scotland, UK
Education:Hampton School
London School of Economics
Occupation:Businessman
Party:Reform UK
Otherparty:Conservative (before 2024)

Muhammad Ziauddin Yusuf (born October 1986) is a British businessman and political campaigner who has been the Chairman of Reform UK, a right-wing populist political party, since 11 July 2024.

Early life

Muhammad Ziauddin Yusuf[1] was born in Scotland in October 1986.[2] His parents migrated from Sri Lanka to the UK in the 1980s, and both worked for the NHS. His father is a doctor and his mother is a nurse.[3]

He was educated at fee-charging Hampton School in west London, where he met his future business partner, Alex Macdonald. He earned a BSc in international relations from the London School of Economics in 2009.[4] [5]

Career

Yusuf worked for Goldman Sachs, rising to executive director.

In 2014, Yusuf and Macdonald founded a luxury concierge company, Velocity Black, of which he was the CEO.[6] In 2023, they sold the company to Capital One for £233 million, and Yusuf made an estimated £31 million.[7] [8]

Politics

Yusuf was the largest donor to Reform UK in the run-up to the 2024 general election.[9] Nigel Farage has suggested that Yusuf might one day lead Reform UK. In June 2024, Yusuf spoke at the NEC in Birmingham.

On 11 July 2024, he succeeded Richard Tice as Chairman of Reform UK.[10]

Yusuf, despite a major donation to Reform UK in June 2024, was a paid member of the Conservative Party until August 2024.[11]

Personal life

He is a Muslim.[12] Yusuf describes himself as a "British Muslim patriot".

Notes and References

  1. News: Lynch . David . Reform UK received £600,000 in one week's donations, as Labour outstrips Tories . 11 July 2024 . Evening Standard . 8 July 2024.
  2. Web site: Muhammad Ziauddin YUSUF personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK . 2024-07-30 . find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk . en.
  3. News: A Conversation with Velocity Black's Zia Yusuf . 11 July 2024 . Matter of Form . 24 April 2019.
  4. Web site: Zia Yusuf Co-Founder, Velocity Black . Expert Impact . 11 July 2024.
  5. Web site: LSE Alumni . 11 July 2024.
  6. News: Shapland . Mark . Zia Yusuf at Velocity Black profile: the workaholic who smoothes the way for the rich and famous . 11 July 2024 . Evening Standard . 2 August 2018.
  7. News: Whannel . Kate . Entrepreneur Yusuf replaces Tice as Reform chairman . 11 July 2024 . BBC News . 11 July 2024.
  8. News: Mulla . Imran . UK: Muslim millionaire becomes largest donor to Nigel Farage's party . 11 July 2024 . Middle East Eye . 20 June 2024.
  9. News: Holl-Allen . Genevieve . Reform announces donor Zia Yusaf as new party chairman . 11 July 2024 . Daily Telegraph . 11 July 2024.
  10. News: Quinn . Ben . Nigel Farage stirs tensions in Reform UK as he ousts deputies . 11 July 2024 . The Guardian . 11 July 2024.
  11. News: Courea . Eleni . correspondent . Eleni Courea Political . 2024-08-08 . Reform UK chair was member of Conservatives until last week . 2024-08-08 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  12. News: Rayner . Gordon . Muslim entrepreneur gives Reform biggest donation of campaign . 11 July 2024 . Daily Telegraph . 19 June 2024.