Zaya Younan was born in Iran, a member of the minority group of Assyrian Christians in the country. His father was a truck driver, and his family lived in poverty. As a child, Younan met some American tourists, and from that point on, he knew he wanted to move to the United States. He took on odd jobs and saved up money to buy a plane ticket. At the age of 13, he arrived in the US with $25 and a Bible. He lived with his uncle in Chicago until his parents and siblings joined him in the US the following year.

At the age of 19, Younan graduated from the University of Illinois (like other prominent investors) with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. For the next decade, he worked in many industries, quietly climbing the rungs of the executive leadership ladder in major companies like General Motors, Johnson Controls, and TRW.

Younan Properties, Inc.

In 2002, at the age of 39, he decided to branch out on his own. He founded the commercial real estate firm, Younan Properties, Inc. (YPI), of which he is also the CEO and Chairman. The company’s first investment was in January 2002; he bought a 21,800-square-foot building and worked side-by-side with contractors to learn the ins and outs of making a livable rental property.

Since its launch, Younan Properties has expanded greatly, managing over 120 transactions, acquiring more than 35 properties, and closing transactions exceeding $10.8 billion.

When the recession hit in 2008, Younan Properties had been planning an IPO. Everything was in place to launch, and then the recession hit, and Zaya Younan decided to wait. He waited and waited, and thought the delay was terrible, but ultimately realized that not launching the IPO was “the best thing that happened to us,” as it allowed the board and executives to move quickly and more efficiently than a publicly held company. The crash also facilitated the company’s shift from a real estate investment firm to a private equity firm.

Expansion to Europe

In 2016, Younan expanded his real estate endeavors to Europe. Under the subsidiary La Maison Younan, he invested in several luxury Chateaux throughout Europe and quickly transformed them into luxury hotels. As a child who grew up in dire poverty, he loved the idea of buying castles all over Europe. From there, it was a hop, skip, and jump to investing in European vineyards, premium cigars and wine, spas, resorts, golf courses, and the like.

Awards and Committees

Younan Properties was recognized as one of the 100 Leading Companies by Real Estate Forum, while Younan was awarded a Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Illinois.

He has served on the board of directors of the Lusk Center for Real Estate at the University of Southern California and the Smithsonian Institute’s Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas, Texas, and as a member of the board of advisors of Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village, California.

He is an active philanthropist and is especially passionate about supporting Assyrian causes. He funds scholarship programs for Assyrians to attend universities in the US, is an avid supporter of the Assyrian Aid Society of America, and donates to Assyrian churches worldwide.

Family Life

Zaya Younan met his wife, Sherry Younan, through a priest at an Assyrian church in Los Angeles. They have been married for more than 30 years and have five children together: one girl and four boys. Younan’s children are active in various parts of his business holdings. Younan and his wife live in a 20-acre Los Angeles mansion.

In June 2025, Younan launched an official YouTube channel, The Zaya Younan Playbook, to share his unique perspectives on life.

Notable Investments

In 2010, Younan became Dallas’ largest office property owner, with 14 office buildings totaling over 6.4 million square feet.

In 2019, Younan acquired El Septimo, a French luxury cigar producer, and subsequently became CEO.

In the News

In 2022, Zaya Younan became the first American winemaker to be inducted into the Jurade of Saint-Emilion as a Winemaker of Honor, Bourgeois of St Émilion by the Grand Jury Council. Later that year, La Maison Younan acquired Chateau Ascumbas, its third vineyard in Bordeaux, France.

In March 2025, Younan won a patent for a cooling ashtray, which will belong to El Septimo.