carlos a. alonso - hola conferenceholaconference.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/hola... · page 1...

of 21

SPEAKERS as of May 3, 2016

Carlos A. Alonso PKF hotelexperts Latin America Carlos A. Alonso is the Managing Partner of PKF Latin America., based out of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Since 2008 the offices of PKF LA, have overseen and directed a full range of valuations, feasiility studies and Hotel operator selection in Brazil, Panama, Colombia, Honduras, Argentina and Paraguay. Currently PKF has the asset management of the portfolio of Panamericano Hotels & Resorts, the Hilton Garden Inn Project in Neuquen and the Anselmo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Hiltons first Curio branded property in Latin America. Carlos is originally from Barcelona, Spain, grew up in the US where he went Miami Dade College. He worked 13 years for Intercontinental Hotels in executive and hotel general manager positions, in the US, Brazil and Argentina. He holds a degree in Hospitality Management and a Certification in Real Estate & Hotel investments from Cornell University in Ithaca NY, and a specialization in Hotel development from Modul University in Vienna, Austria.

Jordi Amill Banco Sabadell Jordi Amill is a Technical Industrial Engineer at Polytechnic University of Catalonia, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business at Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona and a Degree in Business Administration at University of Catalonia. MBA for ESADE and McCombs Business School at University of Texas. He has more than 15 years of experience in Corporate Banking and Structure Finance, and has focused on finance Hotel Projects in North and South America during the last 6 years. Currently, he is Director of Tourism & Hospitality for The Americas at Banco Sabadell where he is financing hotel projects and creating new products for the hospitality sector all over this area. His experience comes from the projects he financed in Spain, country where the hospitality sector is important for its weight on the national economy. His current goal is to develop a balanced portfolio diversifying investments in different countries in North and South America in order to reduce risk.

Erick Aponte In Trade Erick Aponte is the Trade Commissioner of Peru in Miami, directing the Trade Commission which oversees the promotion of bi-lateral trade with the United States, tourism to Peru and Foreign Direct Investment to Peru for the southeastern region of the United States (Texas to the east coast and the Carolina’s south) as well as the Caribbean region. Mr. Aponte is the current President of InTrade (the International Trade Commissioners Association of Miami) and a sitting Board Member of the World Trade Center Miami, chairing their real estate committee. Mr. Aponte earned his MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania where he also served as President of the Wharton Hispanic American MBA Association (WHAMBAA) and earned his undergrad (cum laude) from the University of South Florida where he was a founding brother of the Alpha Psi chapter of Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity Inc. Prior to representing the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism of Peru, Mr. Aponte worked at South American Exploration in Peru overseeing procurement and contracting for national and international oil & gas exploration projects, real estate private equity with Valencia Capital Management in Dallas, TX and also Raymond James Financial in St. Petersburg, FL working on Tax Credit Investment/Development on Indian reservations throughout the United States.

of 21


Letvia M. Arza-Goderich Preston Arza LLP Letvia concentrates her practice in hospitality, vacation ownership and real estate projects, with a focus on international transactions. Her experience includes legal structuring and documentation of vacation clubs, fractional and other vacation ownership projects; negotiation and preparation of hotel management and related agreements; zoning and planning; commercial leasing; acquisitions and sales; international transactions; and commercial litigation. Originally from Cuba, she is multilingual and experienced in common law and civil law, handling matters in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean. She has practiced in California, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and her firm maintains offices in West Hollywood, California and San Juan. She serves as a Chairman’s League Member of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) and is a member of the Asociación Mexicana de Desarrolladores Turísticos (Mexican Tourism Development Association) and the Canadian Resort Development Association. She is in the Planning Committees of the Caribbean Hotel and Resort Investment Summit and the Hotel Opportunities Latin America Investment Summit. She is a past chairman, U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, California Regional Chapter, and since 2005 is a member of the Chamber’s bi-national board. Letvia is an active member of the State Bar of California, District of Columbia Bar Association, Puerto Rico Bar Association, Hispanic National Bar Association and the U.S.-Mexico Bar Association. Letvia graduated from the University of Louisville (B.A. 1972), Georgetown University School of Foreign Service (M.A. 1976), and Georgetown University Law Center (J.D. 1980).

José Carlos Azcárraga Grupo Posadas José Carlos Azcárraga is Chief Executive Officer for Grupo Posadas, since November 11, 2011. He holds a degree in Industrial Engineering and a MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School, Northwestern University, at Evanston, Illinois. Prior to Grupo Posadas, José Carlos worked for Booz Allen & Hamilton, and for Chase Manhattan Bank in New York City. He started his career in Posadas in 1994, leading different areas as Director of the Real Estate Division, CEO of Fiesta Americana Vacation Club and V.P. of Sales & Marketing for Posadas Hotel Management Division. José Carlos is member of Posadas Executive Committee since 2001 and part of the Board of Directors since 2008. Also, José Carlos was elected in 2008 for a 2 years term as Chairman of AMDETUR (the Mexican Resort Development Association) and since 2010 he is member of ARDA’s Board of Directors.

Pablo Azcárraga Consejo Nacional Empresarial Turístico (CNET) As chairman of Posadas board of directors, the leading Mexican hotel company with more than 140 properties and 23,000 guestrooms, Pablo Azcárraga is responsible for managing the board, maintaining board communication and acting as an adviser to the CEO. With more than 20 years of hotel industry experience, Azcárraga uses his expertise to oversee the hotel group’s investments and the inclusion of new hotels to the Posadas portfolio. Maintaining relationships with current and potential hotel owners, Azcárraga’s leadership also guides the management team in the development of new business. Under his leadership and dedicated work ethic, Posadas Hotels has seen tremendous growth and continues to be known as one of Latin America’s most-respected industry leaders. He is also the president of the National Assembly of Tourism Enterprises, the leading organization comprised of 16 national chambers and associations that represents 90 percent of Mexico’s private sector tourism activity. Azcárraga holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Universidad Anahuac in Mexico City. He graduated with a Master of Professional Studies degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and is also a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

of 21


Rogerio Basso Terranum With over 18 years of real estate and hospitality experience, Rogerio is responsible for growing Terranum’s portfolio of hotels across Latin America, and oversees all activities related to investment, acquisition and development. Terranum Hotels is an owner, developer and operator of all-inclusive, select-service, full-service and luxury properties across seven countries, operating under seven different brands. The company is sponsored by Colombia-based Santo Domingo Group, Estrategias Corporativas, a premier investment bank focused on complex M&A transactions, and Equity International, the Sam Zell-founded private equity firm focused on emerging markets. Prior to joining Terranum Hotels, Rogerio worked for over 11 years with Ernst & Young LLP in Miami, where he was responsible for leading the firm’s real estate and hospitality initiatives across Latin America. In this capacity, Rogerio led numerous complex consulting assignments and multi-billion dollar transactions, and is well versed on a variety of asset classes. His operational skills are drawn from having worked for InterContinental, Holiday Inn, Four Seasons, and Crowne Plaza Hotels. Mr. Basso is often quoted in industry publications on hospitality trends and topics, and is a guest speaker at industry related conferences in the United States and Latin America. He also served as a professor of feasibility analysis for the graduate hotel management program at Florida International University. Rogerio holds a Business Degree from the College of William and Mary and a Masters Degree from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University.

Andrea Belfanti ISHC Andrea Belfanti is the Executive Director for the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC). Andrea has been with ISHC since April 2009, has over 15 years experience in the hospitality industry and has previously held positions with InterContinental Hotels Group, The High Museum of Art, Walt Disney World and Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club and Lodge. Andrea earned her bachelor’s degree from the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Administration at the University of South Carolina. ISHC is a professional society with 200 members with work experience in over 60 countries. Membership is by invitation only and members are owners, principals, directors and/or officers in their firms and are leaders in the industry in their respective areas of expertise.

Camilo Bolaños Hyatt Hotels Corporation Camilo Bolaños is Vice President of Development & Real Estate for Hyatt Hotels Corporation in Latin America and the Caribbean. Mr. Bolanos is currently in charge of development and strategic business planning in Latin America for Hyatt with a specific emphasis in Mexico, Central and South America. He is focused in not only refining, but also spearheading the development strategies for these markets and structuring deals that bring together local needs and opportunities while successfully satisfying Hyatt’s mid- to long-term business model. In his role, Mr. Bolaños is also responsible in utilizing and leveraging Hyatt’s strong balance sheet through key asset acquisitions and the establishment of joint venture partnerships. Some of his core responsibilities for the region include the thoughtful management of Hyatt’s capital deployment by balancing both strategic and economic value objectives on a both a deal by deal and aggregate basis. Mr. Bolaños is an 18-year industry veteran having held senior level positions at leading companies such as Real Hotels and Resorts, Avianca Airlines and Carlson Restaurants Worldwide. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a double major in Management and International Business from Florida International University.

of 21


Patricia Boo STR Patricia Boo is based in Brazil and is responsible for the organization’s expansion throughout Latin America. Patricia spent her career in the hotel industry at property level, between Madrid and London, until she joined STR Global in 2008. Patricia often attends and presents at industry conferences and client meetings. Patricia has been a regular lector at the Rey Juan Carlos University in Madrid, Spain specialising in benchmarking for their Revenue Management courses. Patricia holds a degree in Tourism and a Strategic Leadership for the Hospitality Professional Certificate by Cornell University.

James E. Burba BHN Jim Burba is the co-founder and president of Burba Hotel Network LLC (BHN), the worldwide leader in developing and producing conferences for the hotel and tourism investment community. BHN hosts ten events each year around the world including: ALIS, ALIS Law, ALIS Summer Update, AOCAP, HICAP, HICAP UPDATE, HIFI, CHRIS, HOLA, and Hot.E. In 2008, BHN and Google teamed up to host Digital Discovery Day (D3) and in 2011, Burba was retained by the ITC, a joint agency of the UN and WTO to help organize WEDF which focused on tourism development in the least developed countries of the world. Actively involved in the hotel investment arena for 30 years, Burba was formerly: a principal at Pannell Kerr Forster, Senior Managing Director with Insignia/Hotel Partners, VP/Worldwide Director of Advisory Services at WATG, and President at Horwath HTL (US). A member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) and the Industry Real Estate Finance Advisory Council (IREFAC), Burba has received numerous honors including the Educational Institute Lamp of Knowledge Award, IREFAC’s first Crystal Ball Award, and the ISHC Pioneer Award. In 2007, California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, re-appointed Burba to his second term on the California Travel & Tourism Commission and he recently served on its Executive Committee.

Chris Burdette Best Western Chris Burdette is the senior director of North American Development for Best Western® Hotels & Resorts. He is responsible for the overall growth and development of all Best Western brands in the eastern United States, eastern Canada and the Caribbean. Chris’s leadership has been critical to the introduction of Best Western’s new boutique hotel brands in North America, Vib® and GLo℠. Chris has 17 years of hotel industry experience, with a corporate background in operations, national sales and franchise development, with a specialization in new construction. Prior to Best Western, Chris was with Wyndham Hotel Group and focused on growth and new construction development for multiple Wyndham hotel brands, including Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham, Wingate by Wyndham, Baymont Inn & Suites, Days Inn and Super 8. Chris established his career with U.S. Franchise Systems selling Microtel Inns and Suites and Hawthorn Suites. Chris is a graduate of Davis and Elkins College with a degree in hospitality and tourism management.

of 21


Lynn K. Cadwalader DLA Piper Lynn K. Cadwalader represents clients investing in acquiring, developing and operating hotels and mixed-use projects in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, including hotel and resort developments in Nayarit, Punta Mita, Mayakoba, Riviera Maya, Cabo San Lucas and Playa del Carmen, Mexico, Panama and Costa Rica. As part of her practice, Lynn also advises foreign investors seeking to invest in hospitality and real estate assets in the US, as well as representing hotel owners and developers in structuring investments through the EB-5 immigrant visa program. Lynn represents private equity firms, developers, owners and operators in all facets of hospitality and mixed-use real estate investment and development, including both single property and complex multi-state portfolio transactions. Through her many years of practice in the hospitality sector, she understands the business, operational and legal aspects involved in negotiating the key transaction documents involved in this area, including purchase and sale agreements, hotel management agreements and related sales and marketing, pre-opening and technical service, and development agreements. Lynn is well known for her ability to craft workable solutions to tough legal and business issues. Her clients think of her as a business advisor as much as a lawyer. Many of her projects in the mixed-use area involve a sophisticated blend of concepts and uses contained in one integrated campus, requiring extensive planning and coordination of all components of the project to insure seamless operation. Lynn is adept at creating hotel mixed-use legal structures that take into account varying uses and operational needs.

Raul F. Calvet Calvet & Associates Calvet & Associates is a leading consulting company specialized in Hospitality, Tourism and Real Estate Development based in Nicaragua, Central America since 1999. The company expanded its high quality services to Honduras, Panama, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Costa Rica since 2008. Raul F. Calvet, a Business Administration graduate served for many years as Commercial Director for the national airline of Paraguay. He later became a founding member of the Tourism Institute, the Conventions Bureau and the Tourism Marketing Commission of Nicaragua as well as of Central America’s COMECATUR and CATA. Calvet has a large number of business accomplishments having contributed to more than 279 projects since 1999. He developed the Air Charter Programs from Canada and the Cruise Ship programs to Nicaragua. Calvet has consulted for 75 residential real estate development projects, 20 commercial projects, 61 hotels, 37 investments and 7 Tax exemptions administration projects. Calvet has delivered presentations to the UN Finance for Development Committee and is a speaker in major investment forums like ALIS, CATHIE, RCI’s Luxury Markets, IMN, VISION, ISHC and HOLA. He is a member of ISHC, and has been an independent advisor for RCI’s Fractional and Time Share projects in Central America. C&A specializes in Market Analysis, Financial Feasibility, Strategic Planning, Property/Project valuations, Financial Structuring and Project Development Management. (www.rcalvet.com)

Mario Carbone Hilton Worldwide Mario Carbone is the Chief Development Representative for Hilton Worldwide and is responsible for overseeing development in the Central American region. Based in El Salvador, Mr. Carbone maintains a pulse on investment activities taking place in the region and responds to investors needs in navigating the nuances of the region. Mr. Carbone joined Hilton Worldwide in 2010 with the Feasibility & Investment Analysis team underwriting of the company’s development activities in Latin America. Previous to this role, he worked with HVS in the Consulting & Valuation division as an analyst. Mr. Carbone initiated his Hospitality career graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. His first job was with Hyatt Hotels working in the operations at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City where he held various management positions.

of 21


Roberto Chapur Duarte Legendary Vacation Club Upon completion of his studies, he began his hotel career as an Executive Trainee in the Vacation Club area in 2001. In January 2014 [sic], he was appointed Managing Director of that club and thanks to his versatility, innovation and charisma, he took on the Presidency of Legendary Vacation Club in 2006, assuming, at the same time, the role of Vice President of RCD Resorts, a brand now held by the hotel chain with the new international signature of Hard Rock Hotels. It has two hotels in Quintana Roo now, one in the Dominican Republic, one in Vallarta, two Golf Courses in Quintana Roo, two new projects in Riviera (one will have its own brand), two projects in Baja California and one new hotel in Santo Domingo, all under the all-inclusive concept, in addition to countless projects which will undoubtedly materialize in the short term.

Christian Charre CBRE Hotels Christian Charre is a Senior Vice President with CBRE Hotels, focused on serving owners and investors in Florida, the Caribbean and Latin America. A hospitality professional with more than 25 years of expertise, Mr Charre has sold in excess of $2 billion in hotel assets and has been involved with the operations, underwriting and asset management of numerous hotels and resorts worldwide. Prior to joining CBRE, Mr. Charre formed The Charre Group where he and his team earned a reputation in South Florida as a trusted real estate investment banking firm and advisor dedicated to the lodging industry. Mr. Charre also spent 10 years with Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels in Miami as Senior Vice President where he opened their Latin America and Caribbean office and built relationships with investors and lenders throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. During his tenure, Mr. Charre was involved in transactions, financing, asset management, operator selection and valuation throughout the region. Prior to joining Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, Mr. Charre was Vice President of Investment Sales at Hotel Source, Inc. in Chicago. Before returning to the United States to join Hotel Source, Inc. he spent two years in Moscow, Russia, as Chief Financial Officer for AeroIMP, a Canadian joint venture between IMP and Aeroflot. Mr. Charre also held various positions as CFO and Director of Finance with Hilton and Club Med. With Hilton Hotels Corporation and Club Med he held positions in various countries including France, Spain, Japan, Switzerland, Indonesia, Mexico, Dominican Republic and the United States.

Michael K. Cobb ECI Development At the height of a successful career in the computer industry, Mr. Cobb left to pursue pioneering opportunities in the emerging markets of Central America. In 1996, he and his business partner formed a mortgage company, later converted to an international bank under the jurisdiction of Belize. Predicting the need for high quality, residential product for Baby Boomer consumers, Cobb led the group into real estate. He formed ECI Development, a multi-country developer with projects in 5 countries: Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and Ecuador. The model is based on the Del Webb Sun City active senior communities in the U.S. and serves North American consumers with familiar product in multiple geographies. ECI’s assets include over 5 miles of beachfront real estate, 4000 acres, a golf course, homes, and condominiums. Mike Cobb speaks at dozens of international conferences annually, hosts a weekly radio program, contributes regularly to overseas publications, gives counsel to various real estate projects throughout Central America, and has served on the Presidents Advisory Group for NAR. Since 2002, Mike, his wife Carol, and 2 daughters, Amanda and Emily make their home in Central America.

of 21


Javier Coll Apple Leisure Group Javier Coll leverages more than 25 years of international hotel operations and finance experience to direct Apple Leisure Group’s (ALG) business development strategy and global expansion. ALG is the only vertically integrated hospitality company in the United States and parent company of the nation’s largest tour operators to Mexico and the Caribbean. In 2013, Javier oversaw the addition of Travel Impressions® and CheapCaribbean.com to ALG’s family of companies. This landmark acquisition doubled the Group’s distribution network and secured ALG’s standing as the world’s #1 provider of North American leisure travelers to Mexico and the Caribbean. Under Javier’s guidance, ALG broke industry records in 2015 by incorporating 17 hotels in the Caribbean and Central America in less than 12 months. This year, ALG, through AMResorts, will operate more than 50 upscale resorts in 23 premium beach destinations across the Caribbean, Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama. Prior to his 2012 appointment to ALG, Javier occupied various leadership roles at AMResorts. As Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, Javier defined the signature attributes of AMResorts’ six brands: Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts, Secrets, Breathless, Dreams, Now and Sunscape Resorts & Spas. Javier began his career as an economist and received his MBA from The University of Barcelona, Spain.

Kathy Conroy HVS Kathy Conroy MAI is a Director-Partner in the Shared Ownership Services Division of HVS. The Shared Ownership Division provides consulting and certified valuation services on timeshare and fractional properties, condo-hotels, and hospitality driven mixed use projects. HVS Shared Ownership Services has provided consulting and valuation services for every major company in the business, including Marriott, Hyatt, Wyndham, Starwood, Bluegreen, and Westgate. The HVS Shared Ownership team was also responsible for the valuation of the entire Hilton Grand Vacation Club division of Hilton Worldwide when the entire Hilton organization was purchased by Blackstone in 2007. Consulting services include feasibility studies, financial modeling, project re-positioning, help in finding JV development partners, and assistance in negotiating fee for service agreements and/or hospitality brand and management agreements. Valuation services include project appraisals, inventory valuations, and property tax appeals. The Division has completed over 300 assignments spanning the USA, Mexico, the Caribbean Basin, Central and South America, Europe and the Middle East. Kathy is a licensed real estate broker and has been a Member of the Appraisal Institute since 1982. She also authored the book, Valuing the Timeshare Property, published by the Appraisal Institute.

Raj Contractor Host Hotels and Resorts Raj Contractor is Senior Vice President of Investments for Host Hotels and Resorts and is responsible for acquisitions, dispositions, value enhancement projects and developments in Latin America as well as the Southeast and Central Regions of the US. Raj joined Host in 2008 and has been responsible for over $1.5 billion in global real estate investments including acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, developments, and redevelopments in the US, Asia and Latin America. Prior to Host Raj completed ground up and value-add hotel developments in the San Francisco Bay Area. Raj is originally from New Orleans and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Tulane University and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

of 21


Juan Corvinos Hilton Worldwide Responsible for corporate development for all brands in Central America, Andean & Hispanic Caribbean regions and for supporting the Latin America development team. Juan's main role is to drive the growth of Hilton Worldwide’s portfolio of brands in the region. Juan started with the company in 2010 in Malaysia. His Hilton adventure has taken him to: Barcelona, London and lastly Washington DC based in the company’s Global Headquarters. Juan is a graduate from Escuela de Hosteleria de Sevilla where he also specialized in international law and business, he holds Master Certificate from Cornell University in Hotel Management. A keen self-taught chef and also a voracious reader, Juan particularly enjoys travelling within the Americas and Asia. Most of his leisure time is devoted to voluntary teaching and fundraising activities as well as spending time with his family.

Richard F. Davis Greenberg Traurig Richard F. Davis has more than 30 years of experience in the global recreational and resort real estate industry and is Co-Chair of the Hospitality Group of international law firm Greenberg Traurig. Rick has counseled owners, developers, investors, operators, lenders, and advisors in connection with major global hospitality industry projects. He is a Trustee of the American Resort Development Association, a member of the Urban Land Institute and its Recreational Product Council, the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, the Association of Mexican Tourism Developers, and the Caribbean Hotel Association. He has been a member of industry task forces in Florida, California and other U.S. jurisdictions as well as with respect to Mexico, the Caribbean and other foreign locations. Rick holds political science and law degrees from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and is admitted to practice law in California, Washington D.C. and before all U.S. district federal courts, the U.S. Tax Court and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Gustavo de la Serna RCI Gustavo de la Serna is RCI’s Director of Business Development for Mexico and Central America where he is in charge of expanding RCI’s business in the region, as well as of RCI’s relationship with developers of more than 280 affiliated resorts from Northern Mexico to Panama . He joined RCI in 2006 and has held various positions. He was in charge of designing and developing RCI’s Tourism Oriented Real Estate (TORE - Advisory and Consulting services-). He was in charge of RCI’s premium exchange system for Latin America; The Registry Collection, and at one point also of the Caribbean Region. His former experience includes senior positions in Corporate Finance and Investment Banking in The Chase Manhattan Bank, Chemical Bank and MexCapital, a private equity firm. Gustavo de la Serna holds a CPA degree from the ITAM (Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México) and an MBA from the McCombs School of Business of the University of Texas at Austin.

of 21


Patricio del Portillo Starwood Hotels & Resorts Patricio del Portillo is the Developments & Acquisitions Director for Mexico and Central America at Starwood Hotels & Resorts. With 18 years of experience in commercial real estate, sales, financing, and investment, Patricio has built strong network of investors, owners, lenders, brokers and providers. As head of development for Starwood in Mexico and central America, he is responsible for growing Starwood’s footprint in the region through identify and evaluate business opportunities, including management and franchise contracts, across the region, manage the regional budget, and leading his team in a very aggressive growth plan. Before joining Starwood, Patricio worked in Business Development for Grupo Posadas, where he was responsible for the expansion of more than 50 new active investors and the negotiation of 25 new hotel development projects with investors, representing over 3,000 rooms with an approximate value of US 200 million in direct investment. Patricio, who loves to travel and play sports, has a BA degree from the ITAM, and currently is pursuing and executive MBA degree from the IPADE Business School, considered the top MBA in Latin America. He is married and father of two girls.

Hugo Desenzani Atton Hotels Hugo Desenzani is Chief Business Development Officer at Atton Hotels (Atton.com) a Latin American business hotel chain with properties in Chile, Peru, Colombia and currently building its first hotel in Miami. He has previously held executive positions in Real Estate, Hospitality and Beverage companies in Chile. Prior to that, Hugo worked for Starwood Hotels and Resorts in several management positions across the US, focusing on Food and Beverage concept development at new and existing W Hotels. Hugo holds a Management Diploma from Hotel Management School Les Roches, a Bachelors in Science from Endicott College, and a M. Sc (Global Affairs) from New York University.

Clay B. Dickinson JLL Hotels & Hospitality Mr. Dickinson leads JLL Hotel & Hospitality Group’s- Strategic Advisory and Asset Management practice in the Latin America region. He brings more than 30 years’ experience that encompasses most aspects of the real estate and hospitality industries, including corporate strategy, valuations, market and financial analysis, project development, operations improvement, asset management, and information technology. Mr. Dickinson has worked as both a hospitality industry executive and consultant. Prior to joining JLL in 2008, Mr. Dickinson held positions as the Client Industry Executive - Business Consulting for the global Travel and Hospitality industry segments of EDS and IBM. In this capacity, he was responsible for helping develop and implement business strategy and managing key international client relationships in the hotel, cruise line, tour operator and rental car industries. Previously, Mr. Dickinson spent 16 years focused on the real estate and hospitality industries in the SE United States, Caribbean, Mexico and Latin America as a Miami-based Managing Director with KPMG and as a Regional Vice President of Development for IHG. During this time, he provided advisory and due diligence services on more than $8 billion in transactions, led corporate strategy studies, and conducted hundreds of market feasibility studies, valuations and other advisory services on behalf of many of the world’s leading hospitality companies. Mr. Dickinson earned a BA in International Relations and Latin America Language and Area Studies from The American University School of International Service in Washington, DC. He also earned dual MIM/MBA degrees from the American Graduate School of International Management and ESADE in Barcelona, Spain and a Master of Science in the Management of Technology from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Mr. Dickinson is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and has held leadership positions in several industry organizations, including the AH&LA, HFTP, ULI and the Open Travel Alliance.

of 21


Guillermo Estrada G6 Hospitality, LLC Guillermo Estrada, International Business Development Director, joined G6 Hospitality in August of 2013 to lead the international expansion, development and strategic business planning in Latin America. Previous to G6 Hospitality, he was President of Pizza Patron, Inc. Estrada has over 16 years of experience in International Development, Strategic Planning and Sales. Estrada earned his bachelor’s degree in Business at the Iberoamericana University and also holds a Master’s degree in Business from the University of Texas at Dallas

Jaime Fasja Thor Urbana Jaime Fasja, Co-founder and Co-CEO. Mr. Fasja oversees the sourcing, acquisition and development of the company’s projects. Previously as Director of Acquisitions and New Development at GFa, Mr. Fasja was involved in the construction and financing of over 7 million square feet of residential, resort, and retail real estate property in Mexico. While at GFa, Jaime was also responsible for strategic oversight, investment structuring, development site evaluation, acquisitions and the negotiation of joint venture agreements, overseeing the development and construction of more than 3 million sq ft of projects during his tenure. He holds a BA in Architecture from the Universidad Iberoamericana and an MBA from Columbia Business School in New York. In addition Jaime is a member of several industry associations such as the ICSC and the ULI, among others.

Pamela Fredel Hilton Grand Vacations Pam Fredel is the Senior Director of Development at Hilton Grand Vacations (“HGV”), Hilton Worldwide’s global timeshare division. As part of HGV’s Development team, Pam has been and continues to be heavily involved with all aspects of HGV’s new resort development process. Over the last 11-years with HGV her responsibilities have included deal structuring, financial evaluations, feasibility analysis, business planning and acquisitions. Pam’s career has been focused on the hospitality industry and includes feasibility and development roles with Marriott Vacations Worldwide and Kerzner International. She earned her bachelor’s degree and MBA from Rollins College.

Pedro Freyre Akerman LLP Pedro Freyre is chair of Akerman's International Practice. He is a nationally recognized authority on the U.S. Embargo on Cuba. He regularly advises U.S.-based companies on the types of business transactions that are legal in Cuba under the U.S. embargo, helps U.S. entities that are engaged in authorized activities in connection with entering the Cuban market, and advises foreign entities that are involved in Cuba business on implications with U.S. law. He frequently serves as an expert commentator on the embargo and U.S. Cuba policy for print, radio, and television media, and has recently been quoted in publications such as the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and The Economist. He is also a Lecturer of Law at Columbia University School of Law, where he co-teaches a seminar titled “Cuba: Law Policy and Transition.”

of 21


Felipe Galeano Metro Hotels Mr. Galeano is the founder and CEO of METRO Hotels, a Colombian based development and management hotel company. METRO Hotels has partnered with major international hotel brands through multi unit roll out deals in Colombia, Peru and Chile, consolidating so far a portfolio of more than 12 properties and having raised and invested over US 100 MM in the past 5 years. METRO’s unique combined development and management strategy, and its focus on midscale and focus service hotels, has allowed the company to be among the fastest growing hotel companies in Colombia. Mr. Galeano started his career as a corporate strategy consultant and worked as investment professional for a regional private equity firm before founding METRO.

Arturo García Rosa RHC Latin America With over 35 years of experience in the industry, Arturo is regarded as one of the leading authorities and advisors in the hotel and in the travel and tourism business in Latin America, as well as an exceptional professional and mentor. His publications, articles, and presentations reflect his passionate interest in keeping current with industry developments, particularly in his region of the globe, as well as insights, vision, and in-depth knowledge of the industry as a whole. In 1995 he founded RHC Hospitality Consulting (www.rhc.la), a leading consulting firm in the hotel, tourism, and leisure industry, based in Argentina. In 2000, RHC incorporated HVS Argentina. In 2008 Arturo founded SAHIC - South American Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference. Arturo’s career is as extensive as it is prestigious for the hospitality sector in Latin America: He was President & Managing Director of the Alvear Palace Hotel from 1984 to 1995, where he led the project to rebrand and reposition one of Buenos Aires’ finest hotels. He also served as President of Welcome Argentina (1992-1994), was Founder and CEO of Destino Argentina (2003-2005), a non-for-profit organization comprising the major industry players and seeking to promote Argentina as a travel destination.). Arturo was also the force and brainpower behind the Argentina 2010 Travel & Tourism Plan (submitted in April 2003). Over the years, Arturo has been involved in consulting, valuation and advisory services throughout Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Panama, Paraguay, Perú, Uruguay and Venezuela In addition to his role as consultant, he has become increasingly involved as a speaker at the major industry conferences worldwide. His ideas and opinions are regularly published in the main newspapers and industry magazines.

Edgar Garin La Quinta Inns & Suites Edgar Garin is Director of Franchise Development Latin America for La Quinta Inns and Suites, a position he stepped into in December 2011. He brings to La Quinta a vast array of hospitality management experience in areas as diverse as Asset Management, Sales, Distribution, and Operations. He most recently served as Vice President of Development for Radisson Hotels & Resorts Latin America. In addition to his most recent position at Radisson he has held corporate management positions at Lexington Services/Vantis International/TravelClick; Carnival Hotels & Resorts, and Sonesta International Hotels, all of which included working with hotels in Latin America and the Caribbean. He was Asset Manager for a large hotel portfolio with VMS Realty. His operations background includes positions at Omni International Hotels and Hilton Hotels, capping that off with stints as General Manager with Taj Hotels and Potomac Hotel Group. He holds a B.S. from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and a Master’s degree in International Business from Florida International University. Edgar and his wife Vikki are long-time residents of Miami Beach, Florida.

of 21


Felipe Pinto Gomes BHG S.A. Mr. Felipe Gomes, 34, holds a degree in Business Administration and a MBA from Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). He began his career at Telecom Italy Mobile (Tim) in Brazil in 2003 working for 5 years in various financial areas of the company. In 2008 he worked at SulAmérica insurance, coordinating the M&A area of the company. In 2009 he joined the Latin America Hotels (Current BHG) as responsible for Mergers and Acquisitions, remaining until 2011. Over two years (2011 to 2013) the executive headed the Business Development area, for Latin America, of Host Hotels & Resorts (Host), the largest Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) focused on hospitality, in the world. Since he returned to BHG in 2013 he is heading the Business Development area and the Financial Area of the company as the CFO.

Cristiano Goncalves IHG Graduated from École Hôtelière de Lausanne, Cristiano (41) started his career as an intern in 1996 working for InterContinental Hotel & Resorts in Switzerland and Hyatt Hotels in San Diego - CA. In 1999 he joined Accor Hospitality and act as Assistant GM for 3 years. In 2002, Cristiano was promoted to Development Manager in Brazil. In 2007 Cristiano accepted the position of Director of Development for Central America and the Andean Region for Accor, based in Bogotá – Colombia. One year later, Cristiano also accumulated the responsibility of Director of Operations. At the end of 2008, Cristiano was hired by Hilton Worldwide as Vice President of Development for the Andean Region, where he worked for 5 years. Cristiano joined InterContinental Hotels Group on November 2013, as Regional Vice President Central America, Andean Region & Southern Cone.

Eduardo Gruener GFG Securities, LLC Eduardo Gruener is the co-founder and co-CEO of Momentum Real Estate Partners, LLC and GFG Holdings, LLC (“GFG”) with 4 subsidiaries: GFG Securities, LLC, GFG Capital, LLC, GFG Investments, LLC and GFG Family Office Services, LLC. GFG Securities is a boutique real estate investment banking firm that provides debt and equity capital raising to domestic and international hospitality and real estate development firms, and is registered as a broker-dealer with The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). GFG Securities has acted as Lead and Sole advisor in debt and equity capital raising transactions in excess of $1 billion. GFG Capital is a multifamily office managing approximately $1.2 billion that provides comprehensive wealth management services to ultra-high net-worth private clients and their families, and is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an investment adviser. Prior to GFG, Eduardo was a Vice President at Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. (formerly Bankers Trust Securities Inc.) in the Global Corporate and Investment Banking division. Eduardo holds a B.S. in Management Science from University of California San Diego, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a focus in Finance and Applied Mathematics. Eduardo is a member of Young Presidents' organization (YPO).

of 21


Marcelo Haddad Rio Negócios General Manager & Business Development executive with over 20 years´ experience leading firms as Pepsi-Cola, Citibank, HSBC and ADT-Tyco and 6 rewarding years´ in the public sector Since 2009 he joined the public sector in the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro, initially as the Director of Economic Development Secretary, accountable for the waterfront project renovation – US$ 1,8 bi investment across 5M sq/m in the largest public-private partnership (PPP) in Brazil. As of 2010 he became the President of the Rio de Janeiro Investment Promotion Agency, having attracted and facilitated more than 100 inward projects with US$ 4.3 bi of investment, generating 13K new direct jobs to the city. Bachelor of Law from Rio de Janeiro State University with specialization in Business Management at Harvard Business School.

Robbie Karver EY Robbie is a Senior Manager within the Hospitality & Real Estate practice based out of Miami, Florida where he leads EY’s efforts in Latin America focusing on inbound investment and with experience in the hospitality and real estate industries in advisory areas including valuation, strategic and operations, development, and acquisition advisory diligence and analysis. Robbie’s experience spans multiple asset classes, including but not limited to lodging (across all segments), residential (including branded residences, condominium-hotel and timeshare), recreational (marina, golf), commercial (office and retail), industrial, and other special uses (i.e. timber land, farmland, etc.). Having dual Mexican citizenship, Robbie is fluent (native) in Spanish and has experience in all major urban and resort markets in Mexico. Additionally, Robbie has extensive experience in all Central American urban and resort markets, as well as hospitality and real estate consulting, diligence, and valuation experience in South American markets including Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina. Robbie attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in International Business (European and Latin American Concentration) and Real Estate and Urban Land Economics.

José Koechlin Inkaterra José Koechlin established Inkaterra in 1975, pioneering ecotourism and sustainable development as an economic basis for biodiversity conservation. Aiming to underscore Peru’s natural and cultural richness, Inkaterra works under a holistic approach that generates added value to rural areas: it promotes scientific research for biodiversity inventories to be the baseline of profitable conservation, education and the economic growth of local communities. Major flora and fauna inventories have been sponsored by Mr. Koechlin since 1978, defining natural areas where Inkaterra hotels are located: the Amazon rainforest in Madre de Dios, the Machu Picchu cloud forest, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, the city of Cusco and the Cabo Blanco coastline. To promote travel experiences in Peru, Mr. Koechlin co-produced Werner Herzog’s classic films Aguirre, The Wrath of God (1972) and Fitzcarraldo (Best Director, Cannes Film Festival 1982), and Les Blank’s documentary Burden of Dreams (1982). Acknowledged by AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) in its ‘100 World Influential Leaders’ academic list, Mr. Koechlin is also Chairman of Sociedad Hoteles del Perú and E-Meritus Board Member of Conservation International (Washington D.C.). He has been honored with the first-ever HOLA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016 (Hotel Opportunities Latin America, US Conference) and the 2015 PURE Award in the ‘Contribution to Experiential Travel’ category.

of 21


Rafael Lang Mota Engil Turismo With more than 18 year of master plan and real estate development experience, Rafael has negotiated purchases and sales of megalots for the development of master planed communities, has overseen over 400 mdd in individual real estate transactions, and administered over 200 mdd in direct infrastructure investment. Rafael is currently responsible for the development of a 255 hectare master planed community, which has over 7 kms of shoreline in the coast of Nayarit, Mexico. This project is concieved around ocean and mountain outdoor experiences, which upon completion will host 5 luxury hotels, over 2,500 residential units, a Greg Norman-Lorena Ochoa Golf Course, a meya-yatch marina, restaurants and boutiques, fish market, mountain biking tracks, ziplines, skateboard and BMX parks, surfing, standup paddle board and kayaking. Mr. Lang holds a masters degree in project engineering and management from Stanford Univestiy and a bachelor degree in civil engineering from Universidad Iberoamericana. Mr. Lang is member of the Consejo Nacional Empresarial Tursitico (CNET), was president of the Consejo Coordinador Empresarial de Cancun from 2013-2016, and is a member of the board of the Red Cross in Cancun.

Francisco Levine Atton Hotels Francisco Levine is the Chief Executive Officer of Atton Hotels, a hospitality development and operating company, aimed at establishing a leading brand in Latin America for business travelers. Since Francisco joined Atton in 2008, the company has grown from two hotels to currently owning and operating 1,200 rooms via six properties throughout Chile, Peru and Colombia. In addition, the brand is developing a growing pipeline of 1,000 announced rooms in Miami, and Latin America. Earlier in his career, Francisco worked as a strategic management consultant with McKinsey & Company, serving large corporations in the hospitality, airline, banking, retail, television and basic materials industries in Latin America. Francisco holds a Master degree in Business Administration from UCLA Anderson School of Business in California, and an undergraduate degree in Business from Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez in Chile. Francisco serves as a board member at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez and at the Chilean Hotel Association. He enjoys cooking and has often been told he makes the best spaghetti carbonara west of the Andes.

Mark Lunt EY With over 20 years of experience, Mark Lunt leads E&Y’s efforts in providing hospitality and real estate advisory services for the U.S. Southeast Area, Caribbean and Latin American region. Major recent engagements included a detailed restructure analysis of regional demand characteristics to advise the lender on go-forward alternatives on major components of a large mixed-use resort, acquisition due diligence for the purchase of multiple luxury & all inclusive hotels in the US and Latin America, analyses of supply and demand characteristics for lodging, vacation ownership, golf and residential components as well as strategic guidance on development & exit strategy, phasing, and critical success factors related to mixed-use resort development in Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, South Florida, the Bahamas, Caribbean and throughout the United States. Mark has led advisory projects involving all types of hospitality assets, including hotels, vacation ownership, mixed-use resorts, condominium-hotels, golf courses, marinas, convention facilities and tourist attractions. He has focused his activities on transaction due diligence and strategic development consulting. Mr. Lunt is a graduate of Cornell University and serves as Chair of ULI’s Recreational Development Council. He is the author of many articles, is often quoted in industry and trade publications, and is an experienced speaker and lecturer on real estate and hospitality issues.

of 21


Ricardo Mader Rodrigues JLL Hotels & Hospitality With over 25 years experience in the consulting field, Ricardo Mader Rodrigues has developed comprehensive expertise in the hospitality and tourism industries in 10 countries in Latin America and other regions. His consulting experience includes market research and analysis, facilities evaluation, financial projections, feasibility studies, development of marketing strategies and marketing plans, planning and development assistance, hotel companies selection and contract negotiation, and asset management. Mr. Rodrigues has been a guest speaker on numerous topics in hospitality seminars, including market analysis and the state of the lodging industry in Brazil. Professional experience includes, responsible for the annual industry report "Lodging Industry in Numbers - Brazil". Managing consulting assignments for international hotel companies such as Marriott, Starwood, Hyatt as well as other domestic organizations. Mr. Rodrigues is a member of ISHC and is graduate of the Business Administration School of Fundação Getulio Vargas, Sao Paulo, Brazil. He has undertaken further study in hotel management, strategic planning for the hotel industry, and consulting for hotels and related industries at the "School of Hotel Administration, Cornell University". His professional training was supplemented by a formal on-the-job training program with an international consulting firm in the United States.

John McCarthy Leisure Partners Born in Mexico, received his degree from the school of Business Administration at La Salle University in Mexico City. McCarthy specialized in tourism early in his career, when he became involved in the development, marketing, sales and operation of a resort project in Ixtapa In February 2000, he was elected Chairman of the National Tourism Business Council. He was later appointed head of the Tourism Division of Bancomer, Mexico´s largest bank. In December 2000, President Vicente Fox named McCarthy to the post of C.E.O. of the National Trust for the Development of Tourism (FONATUR), where he was part of the expanded cabinet of the Mexican Presidency. McCarthy sat, on the Board of Mexican Tourism Promotion Board, and has been a member of the Boards of the Presidente Intercontinental Hotels, Raintree Resorts International. He also sits on the Boards of Christel House de México A.C., International Cruise and Excursions Inc. and Doc Solutions. Currently, he is developing and marketing various resorts throughout Mexico, as well as acting as an independent consultant in tourism real state.

Patrick Mendes Accor Hotels Patrick Mendes, 47, is a graduate of INSEAD Paris and IAE Aix-en-Provence. He began his career in the hospitality industry at Forte & InterContinental Hotels Group, and later as consultant for Tourism development in France and in Southern Europe, before joining Edenred in 1994 (ex-Accor Services). He went back to hospitality sector in 2004 as VP AccorHotels Global Sales & Distribution, before assuming an Executive Vice-Presidency, in charge of Luxury, Upscale & Midscale for South American hotels. On July 1st 2015, Patrick Mendes is appointed Chief Executive Officer HotelServices South America, with more than 250 hotels & 14.000 employees under his responsibility. He is a member of the Brazilian Hotel Federation (FOHB) as VP Strategy and Trends.

of 21


Fabian Monsalve Baker & McKenzie Fabian Monsalve joined Baker & Mckenzie in 2000 and is National Partner in the Real Estate & Infrastructure practice group and leads the Tourism and Entertainment sector in Mexico. Mr. Monsalve’s main areas of practice include Real Estate, Trust, Development, Construction, Foreign Investment, Banking & Finance and Mergers & Acquisitions. He obtained his LLM from the University of Warwick United Kingdom in 1999.

Roland Mouly Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group Mr. Mouly oversees all development activities for the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group in the Caribbean, Mexico and Latin America region. His responsibilities include guiding the deployment of company resources and leading an aggressive development staff focused on evaluating, negotiating and structuring management and franchise agreements to expend Carlson’s presence (today over 50 hotels). Roland’s role also encompass leveraging his expertise and extensive contacts with owners/developers/management companies and institutional investors (equity funds/REIT) to structure multi units development agreements as well as directing Carlson’s investment initiatives to secure brand enhancing acquisition, joint venture, management and franchise opportunities. He is currently guiding the company strategy to selectively expand in the upper upscale segment in major gateways with Radisson Blu, establish a network of Radisson Red, Carlson’s new upscale lifestyle offering, whilst still focusing on on-going initiatives to expand the rapidly growing mid-market Park Inn by Radisson brand, all three segments selectively complementing the already extensive regional Radisson portfolio. In his leadership role over the last 25 years, Roland has successfully acquired, built and negotiated an extensive hotel portfolio including a number of first class hotel assets, positioning several prominent international hotel companies as prominent operator and franchisor in various segments (Regent, Radisson, Renaissance, Park, and Ramada) Mr. Mouly is a graduate of Arizona State University, USA, and Université des Sciences Sociales Toulouse, France, where he respectively obtained an MBA in finance and a Master of Economics. He is fluent in Spanish, French and proficient in Portuguese.

Fernando Mulet Playa Hotels & Resorts Mr. Mulet has been with Playa Hotels & Resorts since its inception in 2006. With over 15 years of international hotel experience, Mr. Mulet has played a prominent role in the acquisition, development and asset management of the portfolio and currently heads the Acquisitions Group for Playa Hotels & Resorts. Prior to joining Playa Hotels & Resorts, he was the Director of International Investments & Asset Management with Highland Hospitality Corporation (NYSE: HIH). He helped HIH to successfully structure and close its first acquisition in Mexico. A native of Spain, Mr. Mulet began his career in the hospitality industry in 1999 at Barceló Hotels & Resorts. During his tenure at Barceló, Mr. Mulet held different positions both at the corporate and hotel level in Mexico, Spain and in the US. In 1999, he earned his Business Administration (E-2) degree at the Universidad Pontificia de Comillas (ICADE) in Madrid, Spain. He continued his education in the US at Cornell University where he earned a certification in Real Estate, Development and Hotels Investment from The School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University in 2004.

of 21


Paula Muniz Hyatt Hotels Paula is responsible for Hyatt Corporation brand’s expansion in Brazil and Southern Cone region. She joined Hyatt recently, but has dedicated last 10 years of her career in Hotel Development throughout the region. Her experience includes over 20 years in the hotel industry, dedicated to Sales and Marketing and Development Roles for international companies. Ms. Muniz has a Bachelor degree in Foreign Commerce from Methodist University of São Paulo, a concentration in Real Estate Investments and Asset Management at Cornell University (USA) and an Executive International MBA from FIA Institution. Paula speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Javier Navarro Latam Hotel Corp. Swiss Hotel School graduate, Cornell University PDH Executive Management Programs with more than 20 years hospitality industry experience both in operations and development in three continents. Involved in the opening of more than 15 hotels with international Hotel chains. Responsible for the opening of Maghreb (Morocco and Tunisia with Barceló Hotel and Resorts & Melia Hotels). Development of hospitality projects with investment funds in Morocco. Since 2012 CEO for Latam Hotel Corporation, Central America based company developing 680 rooms in five properties in Guatemala, Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, two of them already operating under Hyatt Place brand.

Maximo Pinheiro Lima Netto HSI Hemisfério Sul Invest Mr. Lima Netto is the founding partner of HSI-Hemisfério Sul Investimentos where he oversees over USD 2.5 billion of equity invested in real estate assets, real estate operating companies and high yield credit. Mr. Lima sits on the board of Cipasa Urbanismo, Saphyr Shopping Centers, Goodstorage and is chairman of the board at Doispontozero Hoteis. He has a B. A. in economics from the University of Chicago.

Greg O’Stean Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group Greg O’Stean serves as the chief development officer for Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the world’s largest and most dynamic hotel companies. Mr. O’Stean reports to Javier Rosenberg, chief operating officer of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. Mr. O’Stean is a veteran hospitality industry professional with more than 25 years of development and finance experience. Mr. O’Stean leads the aggressive growth strategy in the Americas for Carlson Rezidor and its brands including Quorvus Collection, Radisson Blu®, Radisson®, Radisson RED, Park Plaza®, Park Inn® by Radisson and Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM. Prior to joining Carlson in 2015, Mr. O’Stean held senior leadership roles with Piper Jaffray, Access Point Financial, Inc.; GE Capital; Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide; InterContinental Hotels Group; and Ernst & Young. Mr. O’Stean is an honors graduate of Georgia Tech, holding a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management and an MBA.

of 21


Santiago Porta IFC/World Bank Santiago Porta works at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, where he is a Principal Investment Officer at the Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services group. He is responsible for the origination and execution of transactions in the Tourism, Retail and Property sectors including Latin America. He has worked at the IFC for ten years across all regions including the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe. Prior to IFC, he worked in the corporate finance and structured finance groups of Price Waterhouse Coopers and Enron respectively, mainly in South America. He lives in Washington DC, US. Santiago obtained an Engineering Degree at the Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires (Argentina), followed by an MBA at the IESE Business School (Barcelona, Spain).

Alvaro Quijandria The World Bank Group Álvaro Quijandría is Head at the World Bank Group’s Trade and Competitiveness Global Practice in Latin America and Caribbean. His former position was Investment Climate Regional Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean at the International Finance Corporation. Before joining the World Bank Group, he was Partner at APOYO Consultoria, a business and economics consulting firm based out of Lima, Peru. He has lead technical assistance and consulting projects in more than 30 countries on business strategy, applied economics, business regulation, competition policy and trade. Mr. Quijandria has been Member of the Board of several leading microfinance institutions in Latin America, as Mibanco in Peru, Bancosol in Bolivia, and Forjadores in Mexico. He has been professor of strategy and applied economics at Universidad del Pacifico and Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, in Peru. Mr. Quijandria is BA in Economics from Universidad del Pacifico (Peru) and holds an MS degree on Agricultural Economics and complete courses at the PhD program in Economics at North Carolina State University (USA).

Fernando Rocha Fibra Inn With over 27 years of experience in the industry, he has ample experience in the integration of hotel projects. These projects include leading worldwide and domestic brands such as Marriott, IHG, Hilton, Starwood and Wyndham, as well as having been responsible for the growth of Grupo Posadas. He also has ample experience in hotel marketing and the time share business. He has been involved with the Mexico City Hotel Association, and was Chairman of the Mexican Franchise Association from 2000-2003. He was a professor in the Universidad Anahuac School of Hotel Administration, and of the Certified Franchise Administrator program at the IDEA institute of the Universidad Anáhuac. He has also participated as a hotel and franchise business expert in a national network radio show. Today he is Chief Development Officer at Fibra Inn, the leading hotel REIT in Mexico, with 41 hotels in its portfolio. His main responsibility is to find, evaluate and execute the hotel investments that will drive the REIT´s shareholders´ profits in the future years.

of 21


Blanca Rodriguez Banyan Tree Mexico Hospitality Fund With more than 17 years of real estate experience, Blanca has been actively involved in the capital raising, sourcing, structuring and execution of over $4.0 billion of debt and equity transactions in Mexico across all property types. Blanca is currently Managing Director of the Banyan Tree Capital Mexico Hospitality Fund, which will focus on real estate investments in all segments of Mexico’s hospitality sector. Blanca is one of the founding partners of Real Capital Investment Management “RCIM” (formerly DTZ Rockwood Mexico) where she collaborated for 10 years. Prior to RCIM, Blanca was the head of New Business and Equity for GE Real Estate Mexico and before GE, Blanca worked with AEW Capital Management and with Beacon Properties, both in Boston, MA. Throughout her career Blanca has served in various capacities, including asset management and advisory relationships on behalf of major foreign institutional investors. Ms. Rodriguez holds a Masters of Urban Planning, Finance and Real Estate and a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University. Ms. Rodriguez was Elected Chair of ULI Mexico 2007-2010 and is currently ULI Mexico’s Executive Director. She also participates as an active member of the editorial board of Inmobiliare, a Mexican Real Estate Magazine and Supporting Member of the Cornell University Real Estate Council.

Javier Rosenberg Carlson Rezidor Javier Rosenberg is responsible for leading operations and development for Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group which includes Radisson Blu, Radisson, Park Inn by Radisson, Park Plaza, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson as well as the recently introduced Radisson RED brand in the Americas, reporting to David P. Berg, chief executive officer, Carlson Hospitality Group. In this role, he is focused on the performance, and growth of the Carlson Rezidor brands in the Americas. Key Initiatives include further expansion of the revitalized Radisson brand; the introduction and growth of Carlson Rezidor’s upper upscale brand, Radisson Blu; the launch of Radisson RED, the new lifestyle brand announced in 2014; supporting the growth and modernization of Country Inns & Suites By Carlson; and focus on Carlson Rezidor’s owned and managed hotel portfolio in the Americas, ensuring operational excellence and optimizing performance of the hotels. Rosenberg has been with Carlson Rezidor since January of 2011 in a number of executive leadership roles. His past experiences include extensive global operational roles in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia with companies including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts and Raffles.

Salo Smaletz IHG Salo Smaletz is the Vice-President Development for Latin America for InterContinental Hotels Group. Salo graduated from Fundacao Armando Alvares Penteado in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1990 with a bachelor in Business Administration and Marketing. He ran his Tour Operator business in Brazil until 1997 when he moved to Miami, Florida to pursue a Master’s Degree in Hospitality and Food Science at Florida International University. Upon his graduation in 1999 he worked for Hilton International as a corporate trainee in Chicago and Toronto and as Development Director in the Miami Area Office until he joined IHG in 2006. Salo oversees development in 18 countries and together with his team has been responsible for the addition/retention of over 45 hotels/7,000 rooms in the past eight ten years.

of 21


Carolina Spinelli Horwalth HTL Carolina Spinelli joined Horwath HTL in 2008 after working 7 years at the Tax, Banking and Litigation Departments at Marval, O´Farrell & Mairal, the largest law firm in Argentina. Her field of expertise comprises Hotel Management Company Selection and Contract Negotiation; Market Entry Strategy; Market and Financial Feasibility Studies; Product Conceptualization; Capitalization and Financial Structuring; Transaction Management and general counseling related to start-up of real estate and hotel developments. Carolina Spinelli is leading business structuring processes, contracts negotiations and other tasks related to the startup of new real estate project developments. With a wide experience in the luxury travel segment, Carolina has participated in the conceptualization of different mixed use projects in the region and, also, has provided counseling to some of the main real estate companies, institutional investors, family offices and high net worth individuals in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.

Simon M. Turner Starwood Hotels & Resorts Simon M. Turner is responsible for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.’s global development activities, including property acquisitions and dispositions, and franchise and management growth. Previously, Turner was a principal of a hotel investment advisory and asset management firm representing a high net worth Middle East investor. Turner also served on the board of directors of Four Seasons Hotels and Fairmont Raffles Hotels International. Earlier in his career, Turner held positions at Salomon Brothers, Pannell Kerr Forster, and Gustar Hoteliers. Turner is a trustee of the Urban Land Institute and a member of ULI’s Greenprint Center for Building Performance advisory board. He previously served as a vice chairman of ULI’s hotel council, a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Cornell School of Hotel Administration and currently is a member of the Real Estate Roundtable.

Bruce D. Wardinski Playa Hotels & Resorts Mr. Wardinski is the Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Playa Hotels & Resorts (“Playa”). Playa is the owner of all-inclusive resorts located in Mexico and the Caribbean. Mr. Wardinski has served in his current position since founding Playa in early 2006. Previously, Mr. Wardinski was CEO of Barceló Crestline Corporation; Chairman of the Board of Highland Hospitality Corporation (NYSE: HIH); Chairman, President and CEO of Crestline Capital Corporation (NYSE: CLJ); Senior Vice President and Treasurer of Host Marriott Corporation (NYSE: HMT); and served in various other capacities with Host Marriott and Marriott Corporation. He graduated with honors from the University of Virginia with a B.S. degree in Commerce and earned an MBA degree in Finance from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Wardinski currently serves as Chairman of the ServiceSource Foundation, serves on the Board of Directors of the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts and is a member of the George Mason University Foundation Board of Trustees. Mr. Wardinski serves as a director of DiamondRock Hospitality Company (NYSE:DRH) and previously served as director of privately-owned international resort company Kerzner International.

of 21


Ricardo Zúñiga Massieu Vertex Real Estate Mr. Ricardo Zúñiga is Founding Partner, Chairman and CEO of Vertex Real Estate Investors, a private equity real estate platform focused on investing third party institutional capital in Mexico’s Real Estate Sector. Prior to his current responsibilities he was CEO of BCBA, Principal at O’Connor Capital Partners, Director at Hines Interests, Associate at Marriott Hotels and Operations Manager for Hardin Construction Group. Over his more than 23 years of real estate experience Mr. Zúñiga has been involved in either the construction, development, or financing of more than USD 3 billion of real estate property in Mexico including all asset classes. He is a member of the board of directors of Armoure Secure Title Mexico. Mr. Zúñiga was a board member of GAcción, DeMet and BCBA. He was also a member of the investment committees of GAcción, DeMet, BCBA, and the JVs between O’Connor and ARA, Aryba and Terrum. Mr. Zúñiga is a Civil Engineer by the Universidad Iberoamericana in México City. He obtained his MBA from the Wharton Business School were he was elected to serve in its Ethics Committee.

carlos a. alonso - hola conferenceholaconference.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/hola... · page 1...

Documents