Porsha Williams took to Instagram on May 10 to announce that she was “crazy in love” with her “Real Housewives of Atlanta” co-star Falynn Guobadia‘s ex (there are conflicting reports on whether or not he and Falynn are still married) Simon Guobadia following her head-turning Mother’s Day post which included both Simon and Williams’ ex Dennis McKinley, the father of her 2-year-old daughter.
Simon followed suit by thanking his followers a short time later for their well-wishes and announced that he and Williams were engaged. He proposed to Williams with a reportedly $1 million ring.
The “Dish Nation” co-host claimed the couple began their relationship a month ago after Simon filed for divorce from his “previous marriage” to Falynn in January. Although fans may know that Simon is an established entrepreneur, here are a few things some may not know about Williams’ new fiancé.
1) He Owns Several Businesses
Guobadia’s extensive résumé includes being the founder and CEO of SIMCOL Petroleum Limited Company, which is a national fuel supplier based in Atlanta. The company focuses on supplying and distributing ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) and other grades of gasoline products. According to LinkedIn, the company was founded 14 years ago after Guobadia worked as a tax manager at Big Four accounting firm Deloitte from the years 2004-2006.
His other business ventures included a newly opened barbecue joint called “Das BBQ,” and the nightclub Republic.
The 56-year-old Guobadia previously owned a restaurant called “Simon’s ATL,” which opened in 2017 but closed last year amid the global pandemic. He announced the news on his Facebook page last May.
He said, “To our Simon’s Family & Friends,We are truly saddened to announce that we are closing our doors at Simon’s Restaurant, effective Tuesday, May 19th, 2020. We do not foresee a successful return to business in the COVID-19 environment and the lasting impact on our operations. We thank the Atlanta community for welcoming us with open arms and for the endless support over the last few years. We are thankful for the amazing friends and memories we have made along this journey. Stay safe and healthy Atlanta!Thank you,Simon Guobadia, Founder.”
2) He Is a Doting Father to Five Children from Previous Relationships
Although it is uncertain how many children Guobadia has from his previous relationships, based on his Instagram posts he has five children, four sons and a daughter. His sons are Quentin, 25, Christian, 11, Benjamin, 9, and 8-year-old Liam. Guobadia’s 8-year-old daughter is named Ximena.
3) He and Falynn Were Introduced as Williams’ Friends on Season 13 of ‘RHOA’
The former couple appeared in the later half of season 13 of “RHOA” after Williams and Tanya Sam visited their house for a relaxing day hanging out poolside. Guobadia and Falynn announced their split last month after months of breakup allegations. Although it appeared that Falynn and Williams were close friends on the show, the mother of one denied it on her initial IG post announcing her relationship with Guobadia by saying, “Falynn and I are not friends.”
4) Guobadia Met Williams Through Her Ex Dennis McKinley
Last month, during an interview with Kandi Burruss’ “Speak on It” podcast, Falynn talked about how she and Williams became friends through the business partnership between Goubadia and McKinley without disclosing how long they have known each other.
She said “It was more so through Dennis and Simon. They knew each other. They were in the same industry. You know we own a nightclub called Republic and Dennis was in that industry. Simon was also in the restaurant industry, so it would just collide every here and there. At some point and time, Porsha and I got to meet and she was really sweet and always been very real and genuine so we clicked.”
5) He Proposed to Williams with a Reportedly $1 Million Ring
Williams’ ring is a 12 to 15 karat emerald cut stone and according to reports is valued at $1 million. The pricy stone also appears to feature a four-prong setting with a micro pavé band according to CEO of WP Diamonds, Andrew Brown.
“Assuming the diamond is a high color and clarity, like F VVS (and it looks like it could be, from the photo on Simon’s Instagram!), a ring like this would be $1-1.25 million at retail,” he told Page Six Style.
