Team
Chairman & CEO
Starwood Capital Group
Barry Sternlicht is Chairman & CEO of Starwood Capital Group, the private alternative investment firm he formed in 1991 that is focused on global real estate. Mr. Sternlicht also serves as Chairman & CEO of Starwood Property Trust (NYSE: STWD), a leading diversified finance company.
For the past 33 years, Mr. Sternlicht has structured investments with an asset value of $250B+. Starwood Capital’s investment vehicles have invested in approximately 290,000 residential units, 4,000 hotels, 100M SF of office properties, 78M SF of industrial, 56M SF of retail and 85,000 lots of land in residential subdivisions. The Firm currently manages approximately $115B of assets on behalf of its high net worth and institutional partners. Starwood Capital, its affiliates and externally managed public companies encompass over 5,000 employees. The Firm maintains offices in Arlington, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Greenwich, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., and affiliated offices in Amsterdam, Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Sydney and Tokyo.
From 1995 through early 2005, Mr. Sternlicht was Chairman and CEO of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, a company he founded in 1995. During his tenure, he built Starwood Hotels into one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world, employing more than 120,000 people with 895 properties in 100 countries. Mr. Sternlicht created W Hotels, perhaps the world’s most successful “boutique” brand, and built the St. Regis Hotels brand from a single hotel to a global brand.
In 2008, Mr. Sternlicht founded SH Group, his new hotel management company. SH Group is the owner and manager of Baccarat Hotels & Resorts and 1 Hotels brands.
In 2016, Mr. Sternlicht was the recipient of PERE’s inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2015, he was named the Global Industry Figure of the Year by PERE, received the Cornell Icon of the Industry Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Hotel Investment Forum. In 2013, Mr. Sternlicht was named the Most Important Person in Commercial Real Estate Finance by The Mortgage Observer. In 2010, Mr. Sternlicht was named Executive of the Year and Investor of the Year by Commercial Property Executive. Mr. Sternlicht was also named America’s Best Lodging CEO by Institutional Investor Magazine. He is a member of the Interior Design Magazine Hall of Fame. He has received the Preston Robert Tisch Distinguished Industry Leadership Award from New York University, the CEO Diversity Award from Diversity Best Practices/Business Women’s Network, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Travel Marketing Executives, the Hospitality Heritage Award from the American Hotel and Lodging Association, and the Marketer of the Year Award from Brandweek. Mr. Sternlicht’s humanitarian efforts have garnered prestigious national honors such as JDRF’s Man of the Year, JDRF’s Living and Giving Award and JDRF’s Chairman’s Award.
Mr. Sternlicht serves on the Board of Directors of The Estée Lauder Companies and the Real Estate Roundtable. Additionally, he formerly served as Chairman of the Board and is currently a Board member of The Robin Hood Foundation, and also serves on the Boards of the Dreamland Film & Performing Arts Center, and the Executive Advisory Board of Americans for the Arts. He is a member of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Foundation Trustee Council, the World Presidents Organization and the Urban Land Institute.
Barry Sternlicht received his B.A., magna cum laude, with honors from Brown University. He later earned an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School.
President
Starwood Capital Group
Jeffrey Dishner is President of Starwood Capital Group. In this capacity, he works in conjunction with the Firm’s Chief Executive Officer in the day to day management and operations of the business with a particular focus on strategy. In addition, he is responsible for overseeing all international debt and equity investing, capital markets and investor relations. Mr. Dishner is a member of the Firm’s Executive and Investment Committees, and also serves on the Investment Committee and board of trustees of Starwood Property Trust (NYSE: STWD), an affiliate of Starwood Capital that is one of the largest commercial mortgage REITs in the U.S.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 1994, Mr. Dishner worked in the commercial mortgage finance group at J.P. Morgan & Co., where he focused on whole-loan dispositions and securitizations for various thrift institutions. Before that, Mr. Dishner was a member of the acquisitions group at JMB Realty.
Mr. Dishner received a B.S. degree in Economics from the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania and is currently on the Athletic Board of Overseer’s. He also received an MBA from the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. Mr. Dishner is a member of the Class of 1983 (P 15’) of the Lawrenceville School and on the Board of Trustees from 2008 to 2017.
Senior Managing Director, Chief Operating Officer
Starwood Capital Group
Andrew Sossen is a Senior Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of Starwood Capital Group. In this role, Mr. Sossen works in conjunction with the Firm’s Chief Executive Officer in the day-to-day management, operations, and strategy of the business. In addition, he is responsible for overseeing Accounting, Information Technology, Portfolio Management, ESG and Human Resources. Previously, he spent nearly 14 years with Starwood in various capacities, most recently as Chief Operating Officer of Starwood Property Trust from July 2011 to July 2023 and the Company’s General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Executive Vice President since January 2010.
Prior to joining Starwood Property Trust in 2010, Mr. Sossen served as the General Counsel of KKR Financial Holdings LLC, a publicly traded specialty finance company, and KKR Asset Management, where he was a member of senior management and was involved in both policy and strategic decision-making, as well as in the business’ day-to-day operations. Mr. Sossen’s career began at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, where he specialized in capital markets and mergers and acquisitions.
Mr. Sossen received both his B.A. and J.D. degrees from the University of Pennsylvania.
Senior Managing Director, Head of Global Investment Strategy
Starwood Capital Group
Christopher Graham is a Senior Managing Director and Head of Global Investment Strategy at Starwood Capital Group, where he focuses on our various investment strategies globally, and advises and mentors our investment teams around the world. He is also a member of the Firm’s Executive, Investment and Disposition Committees.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 2002, Mr. Graham worked at CB Richard Ellis in Washington, D.C., where he was Director of the financial consulting group for the Eastern Region of the U.S. Mr. Graham was previously Associate Director, Eastern Region, of CB Richard Ellis’ investment properties group.
Mr. Graham received a BBA degree in finance from James Madison University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Senior Managing Director, Co-General Counsel
Starwood Capital Group
Ellis Rinaldi is a Senior Managing Director and Co-General Counsel at Starwood Capital Group. Mr. Rinaldi has represented Starwood Capital’s legal interests since 1991, and is actively involved in all the legal aspects of the Firm’s business, including acquisitions, financing, asset management and strategic planning. Mr. Rinaldi became an officer of Starwood Capital in 1999 and is a member of Starwood’s Executive Committee.
Mr. Rinaldi was an associate at the law firm of Winthrop, Stimson, Putnam & Roberts and then Pircher, Nichols & Meeks, prior to forming Rinaldi, Finkelstein & Franklin, L.L.C., Starwood Capital’s lead outside counsel. Mr. Rinaldi is the managing member of RFF.
Mr. Rinaldi received his J.D. from George Washington University, where he was a member of the GW Law Review, and his BBA degree, summa cum laude, in accounting from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Honors Program.
Managing Director, Head of Business Development and Strategy
Starwood Capital Group
Mark Deason is a Managing Director and Head of Business Development and Strategy at Starwood Capital Group. In this role, Mr. Deason is focused on the various strategic business needs of the firm, such as growing business lines, diversifying revenue streams, and enhancing relationships with our larger partners/ investors so that we can capitalize on the strength of the firm and build our global franchise. Prior to taking over in his current capacity, Mr. Deason spent 8 years as the Head of U.S. Asset Management and 13 years in the Acquisitions Group, ultimately overseeing the West Coast investment activities. While at Starwood Capital, Mr. Deason has participated in investments throughout the capital structure, including commercial, hospitality and residential acquisitions and developments. He is a member of Starwood’s Executive and Investment Committees.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 2003, Mr. Deason worked for Merrill Lynch in the firm’s real estate investment banking group, assisting West Coast real estate, hospitality and gaming companies with a range of capital origination and M&A activities.
Mr. Deason received a B.A. degree, cum laude, in business economics with a minor in accounting from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Managing Director, Co-Head of Global Hotel Group
Starwood Capital Group
Tim Abram is a Managing Director and Co-Head of Global Hotel Group at Starwood Capital Group. In this role, Mr. Abram oversees the Firm’s hospitality acquisition activities, as well as asset management of the Firm’s hospitality investments. He has been responsible for direct real estate investments and corporate acquisitions in the hotel space, as well as the logistics and office sectors.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 2015, Mr. Abram was an Associate Director in Real Estate, Lodging & Leisure Investment Banking at UBS in London, working across M&A, equity and debt capital markets product groups. Prior to UBS, Mr. Abram worked in the Distressed Debt Group at Citi in London.
Mr. Abram received a 1st Class BSc (Hons) Economics degree from University College London and an MSc Finance with Distinction from the London School of Economics.
Managing Director, Chief Financial Officer
Starwood Capital Group
Nick Antonopoulos is a Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer for Starwood Capital Group. In this role, he is responsible for all financial and accounting functions, treasury operations, financial reporting, tax planning and compliance. He is also involved in the evaluation of new business integrations. Mr. Antonopoulos previously served as Management Company CFO at the Firm.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 2009, Mr. Antonopoulos was responsible for evaluating potential investments and overseeing the integration of new acquisitions at Athena Real Estate. Before that, he supported the various operational and reporting needs of the investment banking group at Bear Stearns.
Mr. Antonopoulos holds a B.S. degree in finance from Fairfield University.
Managing Director, Co-Head of U.S. Acquisitions
Starwood Capital Group
Ethan Bing is a Managing Director and Co-Head of U.S. Acquisitions at Starwood Capital Group. In this role, Mr. Bing oversees the Firm’s investment activity including corporate acquisitions and direct real estate investments in North America. He has been responsible for investments across multiple sectors, corporate acquisitions, investments in public securities, and purchases of distressed loan pools. He is also a member of the Firm’s Investment Committee.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 2010, Mr. Bing was a Vice President at Embarcadero Capital Partners and an Associate in the real estate group at Stanford Management Company.
Mr. Bing received a B.A. in economics from Princeton University and an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
Managing Director, Chief Operating Officer & Chief Financial Officer for Europe
Starwood Capital Group
Starwood Capital Funds Luxembourg
Sarah Broughton is a Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer for Europe. Ms. Broughton is head of our Luxembourg office and oversees the day to day management and operations of the firm in Europe. Ms. Broughton also coordinates Starwood Capital Group’s internal financial functions in Europe, including tax, reporting and accounting and is an observer on the International Investment Committee in her capacity as a board member of the Luxembourg General Partner and associated Luxembourg entities.
Prior to taking up her current responsibilities, Ms. Broughton played a key role in the asset management of a diverse portfolio of assets throughout Europe—including spending two years in Paris as a member of Groupe du Louvre’s management team. Prior to joining Starwood in 2007, Ms. Broughton spent five years as a Financial Reporting Manager for Whitbread Plc. Ms. Broughton began her career at Andersen and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2001.
Ms. Broughton received a first-class honors degree in economics from Brunel University. She is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, as well as the Securities Institute.
Managing Director, Head of Asset Management, Europe
Starwood Capital Group
Nick Chadwick is a Managing Director and Head of Asset Management, Europe at Starwood Capital Group. He is based in Starwood Capital’s London office where he asset manages the firm’s European equity investments. In this role, Mr. Chadwick oversees and drives the investment strategy for a wide range of investments across all asset classes. Prior to his current role, he led the asset management of Starwood Capital’s European hotel portfolio where he worked on the operational turn-around, redevelopment, rebranding, refinancing and disposition of a wide range of hotel real estate.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital, Mr. Chadwick worked at Ernst & Young in the real estate audit department where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant.
Mr. Chadwick received a Bsc in Economics from the University of York and he is a former President of the Hospitality Asset Managers Association European Chapter.
Managing Director, Co-Head of Europe
Starwood Capital Group
Lorcain Egan is a Managing Director and Co-Head of Europe for Starwood. Mr. Egan is responsible for Starwood’s international lending platform covering Europe and Asia. Since joining Starwood in 2013, Mr. Egan has structured and executed financing transactions and secured financing for Starwood’s equity acquisitions across Europe and Asia.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital, Mr. Egan was a Vice President at Barclays Bank where he worked in their Structured Property, Debt Finance team based in London. In this team, Mr. Egan focused on originating, structuring and executing real estate debt opportunities for Barclays. During his time at Barclays Bank and Allied Irish Bank Mr. Egan has worked across a variety of areas of specialist asset based financing including trade, working capital, M&A, corporate finance and structured real estate financing.
Mr. Egan received a degree in Law & Economics from the University of Ulster.
Managing Director, Co-Head of Global Hotel Group
Starwood Capital Group
Steve Goldman is a Managing Director and Co-Head of Global Hotel Group at Starwood Capital Group. In this role, Mr. Goldman oversees the Firm’s hospitality acquisition activities, as well as asset management of the Firm’s hospitality investments. Mr. Goldman previously led sourcing, structuring, underwriting and investment execution in the hospitality and leisure sectors in the Americas at Starwood Capital Group.
Mr. Goldman has more than 40 years of lodging industry investment experience within private equity, public company and family businesses. He has held Chief Executive Officer roles at two NYSE lodging REITS: FelCor Lodging Trust (through the integration of its merger with RLJ Lodging Trust), and Sunstone Hotel Investors. Mr. Goldman served as President of SH Group (now called SH Hotels & Resorts), Barry Sternlicht’s innovative hotel brand management company, and as Chief Executive Officer of Societe du Louvre, a Paris-based holding company owned by an affiliate of Starwood Capital that owned both luxury and economy hotel real estate, brand and management companies. Mr. Goldman held senior acquisitions and asset management roles for Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Hotels Corp. Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide and the Walt Disney Company.
Mr. Goldman received a B.S. degree from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, and an MBA concentrating in finance from the University of Chicago.
Managing Director, Co-Head of U.S. Acquisitions
Starwood Capital Group
Mark Keatley is a Managing Director and Co-Head of U.S. Acquisitions at Starwood Capital Group, where he oversees the Firm’s investments throughout the United States. In this role, Mr. Keatley is responsible for originating, structuring, underwriting, and closing investments in a wide variety of property types across all markets throughout the country. During his long tenure at the Firm, he has been a key contributor to our equity investments involving residential (market rate apartments and Affordable Housing), life science, industrial, condos, office, retail, and land / development. Mr. Keatley also has considerable experience buying various types of distressed debt and non-performing loans, including those in bankruptcy. He is also a member of the Firm’s Investment Committee.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 2005, Mr. Keatley worked in the acquisitions and development group at Tishman Speyer Properties. Before that, he worked as an Associate on the institutional investment sales team at CB Richard Ellis, following his role as an Analyst in the firm’s financial consulting group.
Mr. Keatley received a BBA degree in finance from James Madison University.
Managing Director, Head of Real Estate, Asia
Starwood Capital Group
Kevin Lee is a Managing Director and Head of Real Estate, Asia, at Starwood Capital Group. Mr. Lee is responsible for the Firm’s real estate investments and real estate asset management across Asia. He is a member of Starwood’s Investment Committee.
Previously, Mr. Lee was a Managing Director at Lone Star Funds, where he led its Pan Asia commercial real estate origination efforts, with focus in the China NPL sector. Mr. Lee was instrumental in building out the China NPL platform, leading Lone Star to be one of the most active foreign investors in the China NPL sector.
Mr. Lee has also worked as Portfolio Manager for the Real Estate Department of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. In this role, Mr. Lee was responsible for sourcing investment opportunities, executing business plans and dispositions, overseeing transactions over $3 billion. Mr. Lee began his real estate career at Starwood Capital on the Asset Management team out of the San Francisco office.
Mr. Lee received a B.A. degree in Business Economics, Magna Cum Laude with highest departmental honor, from University of California, Los Angeles.
Managing Director, Global Head of Capital Raising and Investor Relations
Starwood Capital Group
Michael Lefton is a Managing Director and Global Head of Starwood’s Capital Raising and Investor Relations Group. In this role, he is responsible for raising capital globally on behalf of the Firm’s private investment funds and co-investments. He is a member of Starwood’s Investment Committee.
Prior to this role, Mr. Lefton served as a Managing Director on the team where he was responsible for targeted regions and investors since 2017. From 2015 to 2017, Mr. Lefton was a Managing Director on the investment team at Cadre, a real estate technology platform, and also served on the company’s investment committee. Prior to that, Mr. Lefton held a variety of roles at Starwood from 2004–15 including as a Vice President on the Firm’s Acquisitions team, where he executed both equity and debt acquisitions through various vehicles, including multifamily, condominium, mixed use and hospitality investments across geographic regions.
Mr. Lefton received a B.S. in economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is Co-chair of the PREA Rising Leaders Committee.
Managing Director, Head of Capital Markets, International
Starwood Capital Group
Duncan MacPherson is a Managing Director and Head of Capital Markets, International for Starwood Capital Group. In this role, Mr. MacPherson is responsible for all debt capital markets activities for Starwood Capital in Europe, including financing, foreign exchange and interest rate hedging for the Firm’s European investments. He is a member of Starwood’s Investment Committee.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 2012, Mr. MacPherson spent six years at Citigroup, where he served as a Director on the commercial real estate finance team in London. Before that, he held a number of roles at Barclays Capital, including trading bond options on the exotic interest rate derivatives desk, and developing real-timing pricing and risk systems for the firm’s electronic trading platform.
Mr. MacPherson received a B.S. degree in physics from the University of Edinburgh and an M.S. in information technology systems from the University of Strathclyde.
Managing Director, Co-Head of Europe
Starwood Capital Group
David Matheson is a Managing Director and Co-Head of Europe, at Starwood Capital Group. Mr. Matheson is responsible for the Firm’s real estate investments and real estate asset management across Europe. He is a member of Starwood’s Investment Committee.
Previously, Mr. Matheson was an Executive Vice President at Oxford Properties Group, where he was a member of their Executive Committee and Investment Committee. Mr. Matheson spent eight years at Oxford, leading investment and development activity across Europe and Asia Pacific. In this time he completed transactions totaling over $20 billion and was responsible for leading the firm into new markets and sectors in Europe and Asia, such as built-to-rent residential and logistics. David also sits on the Board of ESR, the leading Asia-focused logistics real estate platform.
Prior to his time at Oxford, David spent over a decade in European investment banking, most recently at Goldman Sachs, completing over $10 billion in transactions across M&A, equity and debt capital markets.
Mr. Matheson received a B.A. degree in Modern Languages (Honours) from Oxford University.
Managing Director, Head of Capital Markets for the Americas
Starwood Capital Group
Austin Nowlin is a Managing Director and Head of Capital Markets for the Americas at Starwood Capital Group. In this role, he is responsible for all debt capital market activities for the Firm’s investments in the Americas, including, the origination, structuring, and execution of asset-level and fund/corporate-level financing activity. Since joining the Firm in 2011, Mr. Nowlin has completed financings across all asset and product types, including revolving credit facilities, domestic and foreign balance sheet loans, construction financing, fixed and floating rate commercial mortgage-backed securities, preferred and mezzanine financing. He is a member of the Investment Committee at Starwood Capital and a member of the Investment Committee at Starwood Property Trust.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital, Mr. Nowlin worked at Wells Fargo and its predecessor, Wachovia Securities, in leveraged finance. He began his career at Raymond James, where he focused on making equity investments in multifamily assets.
Mr. Nowlin received a B.A. degree in economics from Florida State University.
Managing Director, Head of U.S. Asset Management
Starwood Capital Group
Andres Panza is a Managing Director and Head of U.S. Asset Management at Starwood Capital Group. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing the asset management of all U.S. non-hotel assets, as well as the Firm’s design and construction function. Prior to taking over in his current capacity as Head of U.S. Asset Management, Mr. Panza provided oversight for the Firm’s U.S. equity investments in multi-family, single family residential, affordable housing, data centers, east coast office, industrial, life science, medical office buildings, net lease, and student housing sectors across Starwood’s Opportunity Funds (“SOF”), Starwood Property Trust (“STWD”), and Starwood Real Estate Income Trust (“SREIT”).
Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 2016, Mr. Panza was an Associate in The Carlyle Group’s U.S. real estate fund. Before that, he worked as an Analyst at Strategic Investment Group.
Mr. Panza received a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and an MA in International Studies from The Lauder Institute of the University of Pennsylvania. He has held the Chartered Financial Analyst designation since 2011.
Managing Director, Head of Portfolio Management
Starwood Capital Group
Laura Mestel Rubin is a Managing Director and Head of Portfolio Management at Starwood Capital Group, with responsibility for overseeing and reporting on the Firm’s real estate opportunity funds. She is a member of Starwood’s Investment Committee.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 2002, Ms. Rubin was a Vice President in Goldman Sachs & Co.’s real estate investment banking division, where she worked on both principal and brokerage transactions. She also worked at JMB Realty and Urban Development Corp. in Chicago in the mid-1980s.
Ms. Rubin received a B.S. degree, summa cum laude, in economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Senior Managing Director, Co-General Counsel
Starwood Capital Group
Madison Grose is a Senior Managing Director and Co-General Counsel of Starwood Capital Group. He also is a Senior Advisor of Lotus Infrastructure Partners. In addition, Mr. Grose served as a Trustee or Director of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide (formerly NYSE: HOT, since merged with Marriott Hotels) from 1994 until 2001, and as a Director of iStar Financial (NYSE: STAR), from 1999 until 2003.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 1992, Mr. Grose was a Senior and Founding Partner with Pircher, Nichols & Meeks, a law firm specializing in complex real estate-related transactions.
Mr. Grose received a B.A. degree with distinction and highest departmental honors from Stanford University, and a J.D. from UCLA School of Law, where he served as Chief Comment Editor of the UCLA Law Review.
Vice Chairman
Starwood Capital Group
Jerome Silvey is Vice Chairman at Starwood Capital Group. Mr. Silvey joined Starwood Capital in 1993 and has had many responsibilities at the Firm including overseeing all of the Firm’s investor relations, debt financing, equity fundraising, treasury operations, investor reporting, and tax planning and compliance. In his current role, he focuses on certain fund-related activities and in assisting with the Firm’s Strategic Planning.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital, Mr. Silvey worked for 13 years with Price Waterhouse.
Mr. Silvey received a B.A. degree in mathematical economics from Colgate University in Hamilton, NY, and an MBA from Rutgers Graduate School of Management. He is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Fisher Island Club and was the Chairman (and remains a member) of the NCREIF/PREA Reporting Standards Board.