Soheil Abedian, born in 1949 in Khoramabad, Iran, is a prominent Iranian-born Australian property developer and philanthropist. He is best known for co-founding the Sunland Group in 1983 alongside Foad Fathi. The company rapidly gained a reputation for developing luxury properties, including the iconic Palazzo Versace Hotel on the Gold Coast and the Q1 Tower, which once held the title of the world's tallest residential building.
After completing his master's degree in architecture at the University of Graz in Austria, Abedian immigrated to Australia in 1981, where he initially started a carpet business with his brother before venturing into property development. His contributions to the sector led Sunland to become the largest developer on the Gold Coast by 1997.
Abedian's leadership at Sunland has seen the development of numerous high-profile projects, including luxury homes and high-rise buildings, further cementing his legacy within the industry. Despite the firm's eventual decision to wind down operations in 2023, it remained a significant player in the Australian property market.
Abedian has been recognized for his philanthropic efforts, receiving multiple awards such as the Centenary Medal of Australia, the QCF Philanthropist of the Year, and the Order of Australia Medal.
His philanthropy includes substantial contributions to educational institutions, most notably Bond University, where the Soheil Abedian School of Architecture was established in his honor, and Griffith University, which awarded him an Honorary Doctorate in 2018.
Additionally, he and his wife Anne founded the Abedian Foundation and support various other charitable initiatives.