:: Executive Profile
A. Eddy Zai understands global business. As founder and CEO of The Cleveland Group, Mr. Zai is an experienced, award-winning international entrepreneur focused on facilitating global business expansion and investment.
Founded in 1998, The Cleveland Group was recently named the fastest-growing company in the state of Ohio (U.S.) Mr. Zai’s relentless drive and precise focus has positioned The Cleveland Group as a world player through strategic partnerships and key alliances forged in North America, Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Given Mr. Zai’s background, it’s no wonder that he adjusts so seamlessly and performs so consistently regardless of the city, nation or continent.
A Muslim born in Iran of Indian parents, Mr. Zai grew up in England and Switzerland. He attended college at Boston University in the U.S. He owned a textile business in New York City, which he sold prior to moving to Ohio.
Since launching The Cleveland Group, the business has expanded exponentially, growing more than 8,000 percent during a five-year period. Diversification and constant innovation—fearless reinvention—are the tools Mr. Zai employs to realize success. Mr. Zai is often described as a “serial entrepreneur.”
At home and abroad, Mr. Zai applies his innate abilities in marketing and global economies to build bridges for new business in diverse industry sectors: tech, biotech, private equity and real estate.
Mr. Zai has attracted international media attention as an expert in foreign commerce and “third-country transactions” and has appeared in publications and on news networks throughout the world. Today, Mr. Zai travels extensively to identify opportunities in emerging global markets. Mr. Zai’s deep relationships with federal, state, and local governments position him as a valuable resource for those wanting to penetrate overseas markets.
Named as one of the top business leaders in the region by Crain’s Cleveland Business, Mr. Zai also served as a Fellow in the American Marshall Memorial Fellowship program - which fosters business and cultural dialogue between the U.S. and Europe. The State of Ohio named Mr. Zai as an official “Ohio Ambassador,” giving him the responsibility of building business relationships between Ohio and the world.
He recently helped launch the Ohio chapter of The International Entrepreneurs (TiE), a top international association for immigrants and entrepreneurs. He takes a leading role in mentoring entrepreneurs to build the next generation of globally informed businesspeople. Mr. Zai also enjoys speaking to business students throughout the world to educate the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Mr. Zai is a committed member of The Ishmael & Isaac Foundation, which fosters respect and understanding among interfaith communities. He also serves as an advisor to numerous economic development organizations. And when he is not in London, or Beijing or New York, Mr. Zai is a youth soccer coach in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio – where he lives with his family.
Don't just take our word for it...
"I've known Eddy Zai and The Cleveland Group for sometime now. Eddy is the kind of person you want to work with aggressive, hardworking, unique and innovative. He has a good reputation both locally and internationally, and they bring people together in ways no one ever has before."David Goldberg, Chairman
AmTrust Bank
"[Eddy Zai is] a serial entrepreneur, driven leader, and committed community mentor"Inside Business Magazine
"The Cleveland Group has shown that it is more than capable of being successful by having the market niche to evolve as necessary." Joseph Roman, President
The Greater Cleveland Partnership (Cleveland's Chamber of Commerce)
"We've been interested in establishing a real pipeline to the U.S. for our member companies and The Cleveland Group has the track record that gets results."Yael Karlin, Executive - High-Tech Division
Israel Export & International Cooperation Institute
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