Team
Managing Director, Head of Starwood Impact Investors
Starwood Capital Group
Bakari Adams is a Managing Director and Head of Starwood Impact Investors at Starwood Capital Group. In this role, Mr. Adams is responsible for overseeing investments with diverse real estate owners and operators.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital Mr. Adams was a Partner, Investment Committee Member, Head of Asset Management and Head of ESG at Interstate Equities Corporation (IEC).
Prior to IEC, he was Senior Director of Asset Management at Veritas Investments and Vice President for 10 years at MacFarlane Partners, which focuses on investments that promote smart growth, urban revitalization and sustainability, where he was responsible for investment management, development oversight and asset management. In his career, he has been involved in both equity and debt investments involving many asset classes including apartments, office, retail, condos, hotels and land.
Mr. Adams received a B.A. degree in Finance and International Business from Howard University, and an M.B.A. degree with a concentration in Real Estate and Finance from Columbia Business School. He is a member of San Francisco’s District 10 planning committee and is also a board member of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco which includes the de Young and Legion of Honor.
Managing Director, Acquisitions
Starwood Capital Group
David Baker is a Managing Director in Acquisitions at Starwood Capital Group. In this role, Mr. Baker is responsible for leading Starwood’s investment activities in the multifamily sector. Since joining the firm in 2014, he has been involved in both equity and debt investments involving apartments, industrial, office, retail, and residential land asset classes, as well as purchases of distressed loan pools.
Mr. Baker previously served as a Senior Vice President at GEM Realty Capital and worked with Lehman Brothers Real Estate Private Equity and Macquarie Capital Partners.
Mr. Baker received an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a B.S. degree in finance from Tulane University.
Managing Director, Acquisitions
Starwood Capital Group
Anthony Balestrieri is a Managing Director in Acquisitions at Starwood Capital Group. In this role, Mr. Balestrieri focuses on digital infrastructure investments. In his career, he has been involved in both equity and debt investments involving data centers, apartments, office, retail, condos, industrial, hotels, and land asset classes.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 2019, Mr. Balestrieri was a Director and Head of Acquisitions in Washington, D.C. for MetLife Real Estate. Before that, he was a Director of Acquisitions and Development with Tishman Speyer, and was previously with Akridge and Ernst & Young.
Mr. Balestrieri received a B.A. degree in finance from George Washington University, which included a year of studies at the London School of Economics.
Managing Director, Acquisitions
Starwood Capital Group
Andrew Coren is a Managing Director in Acquisitions at Starwood Capital Group. In this role, he is responsible for originating, underwriting, structuring and executing investments across all property types, with a focus on Florida and the healthcare sector including medical office and senior housing. He has been involved in both equity and debt investments in apartments, office, industrial, retail, affordable housing, distressed loan pools, and residential land.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 2009, Mr. Coren worked in the investment banking division at Goldman Sachs.
Mr. Coren received a B.S. in economics, magna cum laude, from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Managing Director, Co-Head of Debt Origination, Europe
Starwood Capital Group
Callum Laithwaite is a Managing Director and Co-Head of Debt Origination for Europe at Starwood Capital Group. Mr Laithwaite is responsible for originating, underwriting, structuring and executing the firm’s debt investment activities across all asset classes and geographies in Europe.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 2017, Mr Laithwaite worked in Wells Fargo’s EMEA Commercial Real Estate team based in London. Before that he started his career in Corporate Banking UK Coverage and Structured Property Finance at Barclays.
Mr Laithwaite received a 1st Class BSc (Hons) Economics degree from The University of York.
Managing Director, Head of Lending, Asia
Starwood Capital Group
Michael Li is a Managing Director and Head of Lending, Asia at Starwood Capital Group. Mr. Li is responsible for real estate debt origination and asset management for Starwood’s lending platform in Asia.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 2021, Mr. Li was a Managing Director at Värde Partners where he focused on real estate investment opportunities across Asia. Mr. Li started his career in the investment banking division at Lehman Brothers.
Mr. Li received a B.A. in International Relations from Stanford University.
Managing Director, Co-Head of Debt Origination, Europe
Starwood Capital Group
Irakli Meskhi is a Managing Director and Co-Head of Debt Origination for Europe at Starwood Capital Group. Mr Meskhi is responsible for originating, underwriting, structuring and executing the firm’s debt investment activities across all asset classes and geographies in Europe.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 2015, Mr. Meskhi spent five years at BNP Paribas Corporate & Investment Banking in the Real Estate Finance team originating and structuring large CRE loans for private equity sponsors. At BNPP, he was also responsible for the listed UK REIT and non-listed corporate real estate sector coverage advising on senior unsecured and convertible bond issuances. Before that, Mr. Meskhi was part of BNP Paribas’ Equity Derivatives & Structured Products team.
Mr. Meskhi holds an MSc in Finance degree with Distinction from Cass Business School and is a CFA charter holder.
Managing Director, Acquisitions
Starwood Capital Group
Anthony Murphy is a Managing Director in Acquisitions at Starwood Capital Group. In this role, he is responsible for originating and executing investments across multiple property types, with a primary focus on corporate investments. He has been involved in both equity and debt investments in public companies, apartments, office, industrial, healthcare, development, residential land, and lodging.
Mr. Murphy joined Starwood Capital in 2014 upon graduation from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a B.S. in economics.
Managing Director, Acquisitions
Starwood Capital Group
Matthew Parrott is a Managing Director in Acquisitions at Starwood Capital Group. In this role, Mr. Parrott is responsible for the firm’s investment activity in the U.K., Ireland and Northern Europe and has been responsible for direct real estate investments, corporate acquisitions and public company situations across the region.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital Group in 2018, Mr. Parrott was a Principal at CBRE Global Investment Partners’ European indirect investment strategy and began his career at Deloitte.
Mr. Parrott received a B.A. degree in Business Economics from University of Exeter.
Managing Director, Acquisitions
Starwood Capital Group
David Smith is a Managing Director in the European Acquisitions team at Starwood Capital. In this role, Mr. Smith is responsible for leading Starwood’s equity investments in the DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and CEE regions and Digital Infrastructure investments on a Pan-European basis.
Mr. Smith was previously a member of the International Capital Markets team at Starwood where he closed >$10bn in financing across greater than 60 transactions in 16 different countries. Prior to joining Starwood in 2016, Mr. Smith spent five years at Citi, across a number of roles in real estate finance and corporate & investment banking.
Mr. Smith received a BSc. (Hons) degree in Economics and Finance from University College Dublin.
Managing Director, Acquisitions
Starwood Capital Group
Jeff Wechsler is a Managing Director in Acquisitions at Starwood Capital Group. Mr. Wechsler is responsible for originating, underwriting, and executing investments across all property types, with a focus on New York.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 2022, Mr. Wechsler was a Managing Director at Tishman Speyer having held roles in New York Acquisitions, New York Asset Management, Boston Acquisitions and Development, Equity Capital Markets and Debt Capital Markets. Prior to Tishman Speyer, he worked in the Bridge Equity Group at Lehman Brothers.
Mr. Wechsler received a B.A. in economics from Cornell University. He serves on the Madison Council for Madison Square Boys and Girls Club.
Managing Director, Acquisitions
Starwood Capital Group
Francesco Zanella is a Managing Director in Acquisitions at Starwood Capital Group. In this role, Mr. Zanella leads the Firm’s investment efforts in the southern European markets and manages European hotel acquisition opportunities.
Prior to joining Starwood in 2013, Mr. Zanella was part of Deutsche Bank’s Special Situations team and previously worked as a fixed income trader on Deutsche Bank’s CMBS principal desk.
Mr. Zanella received an MSc in Finance & Investments from Rotterdam School of Management and an MSc in Accounting, Financial Management and Control from Universitá Bocconi, Milan.
Senior Vice President, Acquisitions
Starwood Capital Group
Jon Asumendi is a Senior Vice President in Acquisitions at Starwood Capital Group. In this role, he is responsible for originating, underwriting, structuring, and executing investments across all property types, with a focus on Southern Europe and European hotels. He has been involved in both equity and debt investments involving corporate acquisitions, direct real estate investment in hotels, logistics and office, and distressed loan pools.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 2011, Mr. Asumendi worked in the real estate investment banking division at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
Mr. Asumendi received a B.S. in management from the University of Navarra in Spain.
Senior Vice President, Acquisitions
Starwood Capital Group
Nick Haechler is a Senior Vice President in Acquisitions at Starwood Capital Group. In this role, Mr. Haechler is responsible for sourcing, execution, and asset management of single-family rental investments across the United States. He was instrumental in the launch of Starwood Waypoint Residential Trust and its subsequent merger with Colony American Homes. Since joining Starwood in 2012, he has been involved in equity and debt investments for single-family, multifamily, and office properties.
Prior to joining Starwood in 2012, Nick spent five years at BlackRock in its Financial Markets Advisory group.
Mr. Haechler received a BSc in Business Administration with a concentration in finance from Ithaca College.
Senior Vice President, Acquisitions
Starwood Capital Group
HaNa Park is a Senior Vice President in Acquisitions at Starwood Capital Group. Ms. Park is responsible for executing and sourcing acquisition opportunities across multiple sectors. Since joining the firm in 2018, she has been involved in equity investments involving multifamily, office and industrial assets.
Prior to Starwood, she was a Director at True North Management Group where she led west coast acquisitions, asset management and dispositions of various real estate assets and distressed debt across three opportunistic funds. Previously, she held positions at Deutsche Bank and Citigroup where she started her career in investment banking.
Ms. Park received a B.S. from Cornell University.
Senior Vice President, Acquisitions
Starwood Capital Group
Peter Reid is a Senior Vice President in Acquisitions at Starwood Capital Group. In this role, he is responsible for investing in all property types and has been involved in investments in public companies, direct real estate assets, opportunity zones and programmatic joint ventures.
Prior to joining Starwood in 2013, Mr. Reid worked in the investment banking division at Deutsche Bank, focusing on mergers and acquisitions and equity and debt capital markets for real estate companies.
Mr. Reid received a B.A. in history with honors from Duke University.