Known For
Structuring over $270 billion in alternative real estate investments and creating the W Hotels boutique brand that revolutionized the hospitality industry.
About
Barry Sternlicht established Starwood Capital Group in 1991 as a contrarian investment vehicle that has orchestrated $270+ billion in structured deals, deploying capital across approximately 290,000 residential units, 4,000 hotels, and massive commercial portfolios globally. He spent a decade as founder and chairman of Starwood Hotels & Resorts (1995-2005), where he engineered the W Hotels concept into a cultural phenomenon and transformed St. Regis from a single property into a global luxury powerhouse operating 895 locations across 100 countries. In 2008, he established a new hospitality division managing premium brands including 1 Hotels, Baccarat Hotels, and Treehouse Hotels, with aggressive expansion plans that include Miami properties through 2028. Beyond real estate, Sternlicht directs Starwood Property Trust, a major commercial mortgage REIT, and serves as a board member of The Estée Lauder Companies and the Real Estate Roundtable. His strategic investments now target emerging opportunities in European markets and data center infrastructure, reflecting a consistent ability to identify and capitalize on transformative industry shifts.
