Tay Za

Tay Za (IPA: [tèza̰]; Burmese: တေဇ, pronounced: [tèza̰]; also spelled Tayza or Teza; born 18 July 1964^[2]) is a Burmese business tycoon, and a close associate of the country's former head of state, Than Shwe.

According to one source, he was born in 1964 in Yangon. His father, Myint Swe, is a retired lieutenant colonel working for the Ministry of Industry.^[3] He is the youngest of six siblings. He passed 10th standard at TTC of Yangon in 1982. He attended the Defence Services Academy, as part of the 1982 intake, but dropped out during his third year to marry Thida Zaw (daughter of U Zaw and Daw Htoo of Gyobingauk), without the consent of his or her parents.^[3]

Business holdings

His major business interests include Htoo Group and Air Bagan, the country's first and only fully privately owned airline.^[4] In 2006–2007, Htoo Trading, a division of Htoo Holdings involved in teak log exports, was Burma's top private exporter and fifth largest overall, with gross revenues of $65.1 million.^[5] He began his career in the 1980s and started Htoo Group in the early 1990s to extract timber from Burma's forests.^[6]

Other activities include construction, tourism, infrastructure projects, and mobile phone services.

He was an arms broker for ex-military regime, helping to buy military hardware from Russia.^[7]

Tay Za's airline Air Bagan is the main sponsor of Yangon United Football Club, one of the nine professional football clubs in Myanmar competing for the Myanmar National League (MNL) title. His son is chairman of the club.

Sanctions

In 2007, following protests against the junta on the streets of many cities in Burma, the United States government imposed sanctions against Tay Za and the companies he controls, including Htoo Trading and Air Bagan.^[8][9]

On 19 May 2010, his son, Pye Phyo Tay Za, lost a legal battle to overturn European Union sanctions against him at the Council of the European Union.^[10] In March 2012, the European Court of Justice ruled that Pye Phyo Tay Za be allowed to regain access to his accounts in Europe, as he had testified that he was not at all connected to his father's business interests.^[11]

Reputation

Forbes noted that "[Tay Za] has a reputation as a generous boss who instills loyalty in 40,000 full-time staffers. Hundreds of employees have gone overseas to study, including Burma’s first female pilot, and perks quickly accrue to hardworking managers." ^[3]

Charity work

Tay Za and his companies provided emergency relief supplies to the survivors of Cyclone Nargis in Bogalay Township, Ayeyarwady Region. His company spent over US$ 8.0 million for the reconstruction of schools, hospitals, monasteries, and government offices in Bogalay Township.

He established Htoo Foundation on 5 May 2008 to conduct and assist in health, education, culture, regional development, preservation of the national habitat and offer emergency assistance if a natural disaster should occur. Htoo Foundation is now actively participating in humanitarian works and providing help in the promotion of education, culture, health care and regional development in remote areas of the country. Htoo Foundation established vocational schools in remote areas and is helping to promote the living standards of the local people by creating job opportunities for them.^[12]

References