ICONIA Capital LLC was formed in April of 2014 by Seth Bly-Char, a seasoned Wall Street investment and management professional. As a boutique sized investment management and property development firm, ICONIA is comprised of experienced individuals hailing from the real estate, banking, legal, and construction industries, offering a combined 50 years of experience in these fields.
Seth Bly-Char
Managing Member and CEO, ICONIA Capital LLC
General Manager, Hippodrome Skytowers
Seth Char brings 12 years of experience to the table as a skilled financial professional. Over his extensive career, which began as an employee with a major “Top 3” Hawaii bank, he has been a successful stockbroker, insurance agent, investment banker, financial advisor, portfolio manager, derivatives trader, and financial company Principal.
From 2008 to 2012, Mr. Char was the founder and Principal of an asset management firm, Kingson Bly Investments (“KBI”), which oversaw the wealth of hundreds of clients throughout the world. The firm operated two locations, with one in Honolulu, Hawaii and the other on Wall Street in New York City. Compared to the firm’s national peers, the company grew to be the 11th largest in the U.S. by the end of 2009.
During this time, Mr. Char worked closely with institutional real estate developers and managers. He individually raised over $1.1 million in preferred equity funding for Gemini Real Estate Advisors, a boutique hospitality developer and operator in Manhattan which owns and operates the renowned “GEM” brand of hotels. In addition, he has brokered over $7.6 million in capital for private real estate funds and non-traded REITs, which included sponsors such as Grubb and Ellis, Wells, CNL, BehringerHarvard, and Strategic Storage Trust.
A native of Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, Mr. Char now resides in Tbilisi, Georgia, where he is responsible for the general management and financing for Hippodrome Skytowers.
Managing Member and CEO, ICONIA Capital LLC
General Manager, Hippodrome Skytowers
Seth Char brings 12 years of experience to the table as a skilled financial professional. Over his extensive career, which began as an employee with a major “Top 3” Hawaii bank, he has been a successful stockbroker, insurance agent, investment banker, financial advisor, portfolio manager, derivatives trader, and financial company Principal.
From 2008 to 2012, Mr. Char was the founder and Principal of an asset management firm, Kingson Bly Investments (“KBI”), which oversaw the wealth of hundreds of clients throughout the world. The firm operated two locations, with one in Honolulu, Hawaii and the other on Wall Street in New York City. Compared to the firm’s national peers, the company grew to be the 11th largest in the U.S. by the end of 2009.
During this time, Mr. Char worked closely with institutional real estate developers and managers. He individually raised over $1.1 million in preferred equity funding for Gemini Real Estate Advisors, a boutique hospitality developer and operator in Manhattan which owns and operates the renowned “GEM” brand of hotels. In addition, he has brokered over $7.6 million in capital for private real estate funds and non-traded REITs, which included sponsors such as Grubb and Ellis, Wells, CNL, BehringerHarvard, and Strategic Storage Trust.
A native of Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, Mr. Char now resides in Tbilisi, Georgia, where he is responsible for the general management and financing for Hippodrome Skytowers.
Zurab Gigauri
Head Architect, Hippodrome Skytowers When there is a need for a building design that is both aesthetic and functional, delivered on time and on budget, experienced developers in Georgia look no further than Frizi LLC: headed by veteran architect Mr. Zurab Gigauri. Mr. Gigauri heads a 5 man, full service architectural design company in the heart of Tbilisi. With over 40 years of experience as a professional building designer and architect, Zurab Gigauri has overseen the design needs of over fifty five major construction projects in both Georgia and Russia. Notable current projects under construction include a multistory apartment complex in the cozy neighborhood of Vera in Tbilisi, which is being managed and built by the renowned Turkish construction company “INSAAT SYSTEM.” Mr. Gigauri is a resident of Tbilisi. On his free time, he enjoys long walks and fine tobacco. |
Levan Zhvania
Lead Project Architect, Hippodrome Skytowers Levan Zhvania is the lead project architect and designer for the Hippodrome Skytowers project. As a designer, he is responsible for the core building design, interior layouts, and exterior park areas. He is also managing the strenuous task of ensuring that the project is compliant with current Georgian government building codes, by-laws, and site and space requirements. Before his employment with Frizi LLC, Levan started his career as a professional interior designer at New Modus Vivendi, followed by postings at the design firms of Axis Development, Nike, Iberia Architectural, TMN Architectural and the Burji Group. Mr. Zhvania has an extensive working knowledge of computer assisted design programs. He is proficient in AutoCAD, ArchiCAD, 3D Max, and Adobe Photoshop. Levan is a graduate of the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts in Georgia and holds a degree in Architecture and Design. He speaks Georgian, Russian, and English. |
Giorgi Gogshelidze, Attorney at Law
Chief Counsel, Hippodrome Skytowers Giorgi Gogshelidze serves as legal counsel for the Hippodrome Skytowers project. He is responsible for drafting ICONIA Capital’s major contracts and agreements, and also occasionally represents the company during negotiations. Further responsibilities include ensuring the company’s corporate compliance with local Georgian laws and regulations. Mr. Gogshelidze has an extensive legal background. Starting from 2010, he has held positions at Tbilisi City Hall, the Georgian International Energy Corporation, and at Korzdadze LP’s Tbilisi Arbitration Chamber. Giorgi holds a Master’s degree in Private and Public Law from the Georgian American University. He also holds an International Legal English Certificate from Cambridge University in the United Kingdom and holds further certifications in Tax Law, Civil Law, and Business Law. 
Lela Djashi
Accountant and Auditor Lela Djashi is the chief accountant and auditor of Iconia Capital LLC. Ms. Djashi comes to the team with an extensive background in accounting work within the real estate and energy sectors. Prior to joining Iconia Capital, Lela served as Chief Accountant for Tethys Petroleum, a major oil and gas operator in Georgia. While working with Tethys, she was responsible for the the company's tax compliance in Georgia, and also coordinated tax and budget related matters with the Tethys head office in the United Kingdom. Most notably, in 2011, Ms. Djashi worked for JSC Lisi Lake Development. Serving also as their Chief Accountant, she was responsible for budget controls, local and national tax compliance matters, and also handled the company's construction related bookkeeping. Lela is a graduate of the Georgian State Zootechnical University, where she matriculated with a degree in the hard sciences. She later went on to attend and graduate from GAENATI National University, where she earned a degree in Banking Accountancy. Recently, she also completed a certificate program with the National Bank of Georgia in Cash Operations. |
David Chrikishvili, Attorney at Law
Of Counsel, Hippodrome Skytowers David Chrikishvili is a practicing attorney and a graduate of the Georgian American University, where he matriculated with a Master’s Degree in Jurisprudence. He began his legal career as a lawyer with the Georgian supermarket chain “Populi JSC,” then rose to the prestigious position of Legal Department Head at AS Georgia DIRSI LLC. David represents ICONIA Capital as an independent attorney and consults with the company regarding legal contracts and agreements. Mr. Chrikishvili is also a skilled criminal and civil law attorney and has represented several high profile clients in legal actions against a variety of contemptuous opponents. He is fluent in three languages: English, Georgian, and Russian, and on his spare time, enjoys being with his family and practicing sport shooting. |