STARWOOD APPOINTS FORMER BLACKSTONE EXEC. AS PRESIDENT
Starwood Capital Group, the global private investment firm primarily concentrating on real estate, has appointed Jonathan Pollack, a former Blackstone executive, as its president. Pollack is slated to join the executive leadership team at the beginning of 2025.
“After an extensive search, I am extremely pleased to welcome an executive of Jonathan’s caliber as President of Starwood Capital,” said Barry Sternlicht, chairman and CEO of Starwood Capital. “I have known Jonathan for more than a decade, and he is universally respected across our industry with unparalleled relationships and a track record of success, which will help lead a firm of our scale and ambition. Jonathan’s background is global, and he will join all of Starwood’s committees, including its Executive, Investment, Disposition and Operating Committees, which he is expected to lead. He is a proven manager and shares my vision that talent thrives in a fun and rewarding workplace. We will continue to strive to make Starwood the best place to work in the industry, and I could not be more excited to start this next leg of our journey with him as part of our already accomplished leadership team.”
Previously, he served as the global head of Blackstone’s Real Estate Credit business (BREDS) from 2016. Before joining Blackstone in 2015, Pollack held the position of global head of commercial real estate at Deutsche Bank, overseeing the bank’s prominent role as a CMBS issuer and a special situations investor. Pollack has also been a member of Blackstone’s Real Estate Executive Committee, Investment Committee and Operating Committee.
NEW DIRECTORS
Hyatt Regency Orlando has appointed Paul Joseph as managing director, scheduled to start at the property on March 11th.
Joseph has been general manager at four Hyatt properties, most recently at Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. Before his current role at Grand Cypress, Joseph served as general manager of Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay for ten years.
Pendry Manhattan West has appointed James Winning as the new director of sales and marketing. Before this new role, Winning served as director of sales and marketing at Pendry Chicago since its opening in 2021.
Winning has garnered extensive hospitality sales and marketing experience for 19 years, particularly within major global brands. Winning first began his career with Hilton Hotels and went on to hold leadership positions at various Fairmont Hotels & Resorts properties in St Andrews, Dallas and Chicago.
Luxury soft brand Elegant Hotel Collection has appointed luxury lifestyle brand and marketing strategist Anna Payne as director of marketing, partnerships & loyalty.
Payne holds more than 15 years of experience in the luxury and hospitality sectors, having worked with Small Luxury Hotels of the World and Firmdale Hotels across multiple markets and hotel openings in London and New York.
NEW GMs
Arlo Hotels has promoted Kierra Moore from director of operations to hotel manager at Arlo Chicago. Moore will continue to oversee the operational duties and departments and help grow the brand through the Chicago property, which opened in April 2023.
A Chicago native, Moore holds more than ten years of experience in the hospitality industry, working in various leadership, operational, director and audit roles for major hotel brands such as The Public Chicago, Hiltons at McCormick Place, Highgate and DoubleTree by Hilton Chicago Magnificent Mile. Before that, Moore joined the US Marine Corps, focusing on aviation mechanics in Miramar.
The Point in the Adirondacks of Upstate New York, the first Relais & Châteaux in North America, has announced the appointment of Kris White as general manager. With nearly two decades of hospitality management experience, White joined The Point from the Bohemian Club, a private members club based in San Francisco, CA. White started as a summer management intern and rose to general manager and chief operating officer over his nine-and-a-half years with the club.