Adrian Alexander of New York

Adrian Alexander of New York, born in 1946 in Bucharest, Romania, now holds dual U.S. and Italian citizenship. He moved to the United States in 1964 after completing high school. Just six months following their arrival, his father passed away, thrusting him into the role of provider for his mother while he pursued higher education.

He attended NYU Engineering School, overcoming personal challenges to graduate in 1970 with a Master's in Electrical Engineering. His academic journey continued at Harvard Business School, where he earned an MBA in 1972. His resilience during these formative years laid a solid foundation for his future successes.

Upon graduating from Harvard, he entered the world of investment banking, initially joining Morgan Stanley & Co. After three years, he transitioned to Lehman Brothers Kuhn Loeb as a VP of Mergers and Acquisitions. His career then took him to Milan, Italy, from 1978 to 1983, where he worked for Egon Zehnder, an executive search firm, and honed his skills in international recruitment.

Returning to the U.S. in 1983, he demonstrated his entrepreneurial spirit by acquiring and revitalizing Minneapolis Sport, a chain of sporting goods stores, which he successfully sold to over 50 franchisees. His strategic acumen was further showcased from 1987 to 1990 when he served as Vice President of Acquisitions at Polly Peck International, Plc. Here, he led the $875 million acquisition of Del Monte Fresh Fruit Company, significantly bolstering the company's U.S. operations.

The early 90s saw him advising the founder of a regional corporate stationery, aiding its expansion into a $2 billion multinational office products distributor. From 1995 to 1996, he was a principal at a boutique investment bank specializing in healthcare, facilitating critical venture capital investments.

In 1996, he founded the Phoenix Real Estate Fund in New York, acquiring over 200 properties and successfully managing the fund until its sale in 1999.