Zari David (Bebo) Kovo | |
---|---|
Born | Eliezer Kovo |
Nationality | Bulgarian, Israeli |
Occupation | Businessman |
Known for | Camden Town, Stables Market |
Spouses | |
Children | 6, including Oded David Kobo |
Zari David "Bebo" Kovo [1] is an Israeli-Bulgarian property developer, the co-founder of property company Camden Market Holdings & Developments (including Stanley Sidings and the Stables Market Property Group), with nearly $880 million in assets as of 2014. [2][3][4] Camden Market Holdings owns, operates, and manages real estate properties mainly in Camden Town, London, England. Properties include Camden Market, Stables Market, Camden Lock Market and Developments, recognized as the second largest tourist attraction in Europe with over 40 million annual visitors.[5][6]
In the 1970s, Kobo was based in Hong Kong, as a clothing manufacturer,[citation needed] working closely with the Nakash Group, who owned the fashion brand Jordache.[citation needed] In the 1990s, Kobo expanded into real estate development in Florida by acquiring several buildings on Miami's famed Ocean Drive and developing the Opa-Locka Flea Market prior to its sale of $80 million.[7]
In the 1990s, Kobo alongside Richard Caring, and Elliott Bernerd, head of the British property company Chelsfield, teamed up to acquire London's Camden Market as well other properties in Camden Town. In 2014, they sold "a huge swathe" to fellow Israeli, the gambling billionaire Teddy Sagi, for £440 million.[7][8] The transaction was handled by PIR Equities, which is the private equity arm of Kobo's eldest son O.D. Kobo.[citation needed]
Kobo was convicted in 1979 of raping a woman who was a passenger in his car, and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.[9][10]
He is the father of businessman Oded David Kobo.[7]
He is married to Israeli model Miri Bohadana.[7]
In 2015, he bought a 960 sq m house in Arsuf, an "exclusive cliff-top community", for NIS 106 million, as part of a creditors' arrangement for brothers Eliyahu and Moshe Shushan and brothers Gad and Dov Slook.[11][12]