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12 Things You Should Know About Africa’s Largest Private Arms Maker

12 Things You Should Know About Africa’s Largest Private Arms Maker

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Ivor Ichikowitz makes selling military hardware sound like a moral crusade. He believes the arms deals he brokers make Africa a safer place. Some say his slogan should be “Give war a chance.” Industrialist, venture capitalist, philanthropist — those are some of the names people call the founder and chairman of South Africa’s Paramount Group, largest privately owned arms company in Africa. Just don’t call him an arms dealer.

Ivor Ichikowitz
Ivor Ichikowitz attends a screening of “Plot for Peace.” Photo: Karwai Tang/Getty Images

He studied theater and literature before he got into defense

As a Wits University student he was involved with protest theater, then traveled the continent studying African literature. He founded Paramount Group in 1994, the year South Africa became a democracy. Revenue approached $1 billion in 2015.

Sources: Globe&MailWikipedia

Ivor Ichikowitz
Ivor Ichikowitz, founder of Paramount Group. Photo: Waldo Swiegers/Getty Images

He’s a pan-Africanist

Ichikowitz believes unity is vital to economic, social, and political progress and aims to “unify and uplift” people of African descent. He wants Africans to share technology, collaborate and bolster intra-African trade.

Source: BusinessDayLive

Ivor Ichikowitz
Wearing his executive producer hat, Ivor Ichikowitz at the 66th international film festival, Cannes. Paramount Group/Flickr/DailyBeast

He’s a textbook case for diversified business interests

No one can accuse Ichikowitz of having all his eggs in one basket. His business interests include aviation, agriculture, medical supplies, energy, finance, infrastructure, tourism, mining, real estate and sustainable development.

Source: IvorichIkowitz.net

Ivor Ichikowitz
Ivor Ichikowitz, arabianbusiness.com

His Johannesburg office is decorated with model aircraft

Ichikowitz sells products ranging from fighter jets to naval patrol vessels. His office is decorated with model aircraft and armored vehicles. But he recently won an order to sell 50 armored vehicles to Jordan, each worth $1 million-plus. Some respect please.

Source: Bloomberg

P4P
Documentary on the last days of apartheid. ichikowitzfoundation.com

He started a South African oral history archive

The Ichikowitz Family Foundation started the African Oral History Archive, which collects eyewitness accounts of apartheid. The effort resulted in an award-winning documentary, “Plot For Peace,” in 2014.

Source: IchikowitzFoundation

AHRLAC
AHRLAC, the first multi-platform military aircraft designed and built in Africa. gizmag.com

He’s a pioneer of military aviation production in Africa

He’s credited with producing a revolutionary product — the Advanced High-performance Reconnaissance Light Aircraft, or AHRLAC. It’s the first fixed-wing military aircraft to be fully designed and built in Africa.

Source: Globe&Mail

Thaba Phuti Safari Lodge, vodacomgsezone.co.za
Thaba Phuti Safari Lodge, vodacomgsezone.co.za

He lost a lawsuit against an auctioneer

Ichikowitz lost a three-year legal battle with High Street Auctions, which he sued for faking bids to inflate the price of a property he was buying. Ichikowitz bought Thaba Phuti, a lodge and game farm near Rustenburg, for $1.5 million in 2011.

IndependentOnline

low-cost airline FlyAfrica
FlyAfrica.com
hahnair.com

He and the government of Gabon are “strategic partners”

The president of Gabon personally announced in 2015 that the country’s low-cost airline, FlyAfrica, was expanding thanks to funding from “African industrialist, venture capitalist and philanthropist Ivor Ichikowitz.”

Source: Reuters

Ivor Ichikowitz
Ivor Ichikowitz. defenceweb.co.za

Just don’t call him an arms dealer

In a 2012 CNBC interview, Ichikowitz said the defense industry gets a bad rap. “People don’t really understand the difference between the arms dealers and the arms industry,” he said. “Calling us arms dealers is like calling the chairman of a pharmaceutical company a drug dealer.”

Source: CNBCAfrica

Ichikowitz speaks to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, 2015 International Defence Exhibit, Abu Dhabi. Photo: emirates247.com
Ichikowitz speaks to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed at an Abu Dhabi Exhibit. Photo: emirates247.com

He is controversial

Ichikowitz said Paramount had never sold weapons to dictators. Activist Patrick Bond described him as a “dangerous asset” and Africa’s “most aggressive arms-dealing entrepreneur.” Ichikowitz said the U.S. should encourage an African defense industry to defeat terrorists. The Daily Beast suggested that Paramount’s slogan should be: “Give war a chance.”

Source: TimesLiveGlobe&Mail

Ivor Ichikowitz and Deputy Minister of Defence, Thabang Makwetla
Ichikowitz with SA Defense Official Makwetla. defenceweb.co.za

He’s a vocal supporter and funder of the ANC

Ichikowitz is close to President Jacob Zuma, earning him some criticism. “I’ve been an absolutely unashamed supporter of the movement that brought liberation to this country,” he said. He has made aircraft available to ANC leaders.

Sources: TimesLiveGlobe&Mail

Ivor Ichikowitz
Ivor Ichikowitz. ichikowitzfoundation.com

He makes selling military hardware “sound like a moral crusade”

Ichikowitz believes deals he has brokered have made Africa safer place. He says he won’t do business with a country if he does not have a close understanding with the head of state. He claims he walked away from a deal with Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi.

Source: JewishChronicle