London-based property investor, Rex Ekaireb started his journey into the world of property investment in the 1970s. Becoming a chartered accountant and qualifying to practice, he sought to polish his skills in accountancy before moving to pastures anew. After some years practicing his trained vocation, he moved to London’s renowned jewellery district, Hatton Garden. It was in Hatton Garden where Rex would start to propel himself to his success of today.
Rex started working in a jewellery wholesale business in 1982 with his brothers in-law, supplying jewellery to a number of sellers. After just four years, in 1986, the company in which he was working had grown enough to garner the interests of a large, publicly listed company in the UK. Company sought to purchase Ekaireb’s jewellery wholesale business and did so, retaining Rex on its board. It is here in which Rex Ekaireb further grew the business into one of the most popular and well-renowned in all of Hatton Garden; he was the go to man for jewellery in the area.
Rex advised the large company to start purchasing retail outlets such as jewellery shops and they successfully did so.
Furthermore, by purchasing the retail outlets and the businesses which operated in the area, they gained a valuable and further foothold into the industry and had in effect, purchased an already captive audience. This also provided the ripe opportunity for Ekaireb to grow both a viable property portfolio with the company as well as further the jewellery proposition of the business.
The company, with Rex on its management board grew larger and more successful into the 1980s and 1990s and were, by the time Rex Ekaireb left it, one of Argos’s largest suppliers of wedding rings in the UK, no small achievement.
In 1992, Rex left the large company and put his time and efforts into growing the family jewellery business, with the property portfolio very much still in his mind. The profits from the Hatton Garden side of the business were wisely invested into the property and freehold purchasing side of the Ekaireb family’s business. This led them to purchase sought after properties in areas which included Knightsbridge and other Central London postcodes, purchasing properties with the aim of building a buy-to-let property portfolio for the future of the Ekaireb family.
In 2005, Rex Ekaireb and the family business managed to complete the purchase of the Hatton Garden freehold from where they operated in the area, which they own to this very day. By 2006, the jewellery business was declining to some extent, with celebrities, footballers and the well-to-do less keen on flashing their wealth in the form of jewellery. Thus, Rex turned his efforts and expertise to the property side of the business. As an advisor to the Ekaireb family’s property and investment business, Rex has played no small part in helping the portfolio grow in size and success, an achievement he remains proud of.
Had he not been qualified and had he not practiced as a chartered accountant though, Rex Ekaireb may never have learned some of the industry insights and the business nous to have succeeded as he has. Thus, he remains grounded with an appreciation for the business world. It is with this in mind that he has, over the years tirelessly worked with the likes of Great Ormond Street, the United Nations (UN) and the British Red Cross, to name but a few of his charitable involvements. He has ensured their commendable ventures have been able to succeed and flourish and much like his business, Rex Ekaireb plans for the charities to enjoy prolonged and sustained success.
