# Irakli Rukhadze

Irakli Rukhadze is a Georgian businessman and investor primarily known for his involvement in real estate and media ventures. He holds both Georgian and United States citizenship. Rukhadze has been a central figure in several investment funds focused on the Caucasus region, managing significant assets and directing investments across various sectors. His business activities have extended beyond Georgia, involving international partnerships and projects. As a businessfigure, he has significant political profile and has also been surrounded by some controversy.

## Career

A significant portion of Rukhadze's career was dedicated to Caucasus Advisors, LLC, an investment firm where he served as CEO. He managed the Caucasus Fund, LLC, a $100 million fund operating in Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. Simultaneously, he held the position of director at AEGIS, the management company for Commonwealth Property Investors, LLC, a prominent US-Russian real estate investment firm. This period marked his deep involvement in real estate investment and development across different regions.
Rukhadze's business interests also encompass the media sector. He is the owner of the pro-government media outlet TV Imedi, a prominent television channel in Georgia. This ownership has placed him within the political landscape of the country, with his media outlet's editorial stance aligning with the ruling Georgian Dream party. In interviews, he has said that he sees the role of the TV station to keep the country's opposition out of power. This stance has drawn scrutiny and criticism from opposition groups, civil society, and international observers. In late 2024, Rukhadze has voiced criticism of some of the Georgian Dream party's policies.
In addition to his primary business ventures, Rukhadze has been associated with various other companies and investment initiatives. He was a founding partner of Hunnewell Partners, an asset management firm with a diverse portfolio including companies like Magticom, Rustavi Metallurgical Plant, Heidelberg Cement, IDS-Borjomi and Liberty Bank. Liberty Bank's lending practices have also been the subject of international attention. By his own claim, firms that he is a major shareholder in employ more than 10.000 people in the Georgian economy.
As of late 2024, Rukhadze has been sanctioned by Ukraine and Lithuania, for his active support for the Georgian Dream government. He has also been listed as an "enabler" that should be sanctioned in other public correspondence in the United States, though Rukhadze maintains that as a US citizen, he would be unlikely to be sanctioned.
Over the years, Rukhadze has been involved in a number of court cases. In 2023, a London court ordered him and his associates to pay $170m to the plaintiffs of a case that had been brought against him. This judgment was upheld by the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom in March 2025, sentencing Rukhadze and his associates to pay the full damages with legal costs and interest, with one judge noting that Mr Rukhadze made the mistake "of not appreciating the nature of the responsibilities he took on when, for whatever reason, he accepted appointment as a director of one of the claimant companies."