Zaya S. YounanPosted: Tuesday, June 08, 2010 at 04:53 PM CT | Updated: July 14, 2026
Zaya S. Younan, an Assyrian born in Tehran, Iran, is a real estate entrepreneur who founded Younan Properties in 2002 and serves as its Chairman & CEO. He has more than three decades of executive management experience with publicly traded Fortune 500 companies, including General Motors, Johnson Controls, and TRW, spanning the United States, Asia, and Europe. His background also includes leadership at several high-tech startup companies in Silicon Valley and Europe. Mr. Younan brings deep operational experience in turnaround management, continuous improvement practices, strategic planning, marketing, engineering, acquisitions, and operations. He has successfully leveraged this expertise in the commercial real estate industry for nearly two decades. Since 2016, the company has expanded its portfolio to include hotels, golf courses, and other luxury properties in France, Portugal, and Switzerland. Younan Properties’ strong performance in leasing and operational management stems from applying continuous improvement, process control, and efficiency management strategies typically utilized in manufacturing and high technology. Mr. Younan’s disciplined approach has earned him widespread recognition, including being named by Real Estate Forum as one of the industry's top leaders. Mr. Younan earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois, which honored him with the University Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2016. This award is presented to select alumni who have built a tradition of excellence and brought credit to the university through personal, professional, and humanitarian achievements. Deeply involved in leadership and philanthropy, Mr. Younan has served on the executive committee of the board of directors for the Lusk Center for Real Estate at the University of Southern California, the board of directors for the Smithsonian-affiliated Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas, Texas, and the board of advisors for Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village, California. He also supports numerous charitable endeavors, including the Boys & Girls Clubs, the Wounded Warrior Project, the Red Cross, and A Child’s Hope Fund. |
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