NEW YORK, Jan. 3, 2018 — SH Group, the hotel brand management company created and owned by Starwood Capital Group, today announced the appointment of Arash Azarbarzin as President, effective immediately. In his new role, Azarbarzin will oversee all operations and expansion for SH Group. SH Group currently operates the fast growing 1 Hotels, a nature-inspired luxury lifestyle brand with locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn and South Beach, as well as the five-star luxury Baccarat Hotel brand.
"Arash is a superb addition to our team who has the expertise and talent to guide the unparalleled 1 Hotels and Baccarat Hotels & Resorts to the next level as we rapidly expand our global footprint and continue to innovate," says Barry Sternlicht, Chairman and CEO of Starwood Capital Group. "Arash and I worked together at Starwood Hotels. His impressive results and successes with W Hotels & Resorts, St. Regis and others as well as his terrific track record operating and developing the sbe Hotel brands make him an invaluable addition and welcome member to SH Group."
Azarbarzin joins SH Group with more than 30 years of industry experience, including as a founding member of sbe Hotel Group, where he served as president for 12 years. He spent several years in leadership roles at W Hotels & Resorts, where he worked alongside Mr. Sternlicht, who created the W brand, as well as with St. Regis and Four Seasons.
"I have always wanted to reunite with Barry Sternlicht, one of my long-time mentors, and someone with the vision and resources to build a world-class hospitality organization. This is an opportunity of a lifetime and I am honored to join this industry-leading team," said Azarbarzin. "As a mission-driven brand, 1 Hotels offers a unique experience that resonates with today's travelers and inspires them to reflect on living sustainably, while Baccarat provides guests an unparalleled level of luxury. Both 1 Hotels and Baccarat Hotels & Resorts are experiencing startling market success and are positioned for incredible growth and my goal is to fuel each brand's expansion while continuing to cement each hotel as leaders in their market."
In addition to day-to-day operations, Azarbarzin will spearhead scheduled 1 Hotel openings in Los Angeles, Cabo, Sunnyvale, Sanya (China) and Paris. Additionally, he will direct global initiatives geared toward the 1 Vision of leading hospitality forward and becoming a platform to spark conversation and action that transform the industry and our lives. He will also work on the soon to be announced pipeline openings for Baccarat Hotels & Resorts, bringing limitless luxury to new markets.
For more information about all SH Group's properties, please visit www.shgroup.com.
