Collector and CEO, Groupe Filatex, Madagascar
Since Hasnaine Yavarhoussen was appointed CEO of the real estate and green energy developer Groupe Filatex in 2011, he has spearheaded a range of philanthropic programmes supporting the socio-economic development of Madagascar, where the company is based. Last year he founded Fonds de Dotation HY (FDD HY), a fund dedicated to supporting Malagasy arts and culture. The FDD HY supported Madagascar’s inaugural national pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2019, featuring the work of Malagasy artist Joël Andrianomearisoa, and has since opened the newly designed Hakanto Contemporary – the first non-profit art space in the country. The centre, which is under Andrianomearisoa’s direction, initially opened to local audiences in February 2020 and is set to launch internationally in December 2020.
The mission of Hakanto Contemporary, Yavarhoussen has said, is to ‘inspire Madagascar’s young talent and expose them to art from around the world’ – and to do so, it will exhibit the work of local and international artists while offering residencies and rolling out an education programme for schools. Beyond FDD HY, the businessman has overseen the implementation of 32 philanthropic programmes, offering financial and other aid to healthcare, infrastructural and environmental initiatives.