| WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Aug 10, 2001 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Barry S. Sternlicht,
Chairman and CEO of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc., announced today
that Atef Mankarios, former Chairman and CEO of Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, has
joined Starwood as President of St. Regis. Mankarios, most recently CEO of
Foresthills Hotels & Resorts, will lead a newly created St. Regis division that
is charged with aggressively growing the ultra-luxury brand through conversions
of existing hotels; acquisitions; and management contracts. Mankarios will
report to Bob Cotter, Starwood's Chief Operating Officer.
Joining Mankarios in his new endeavor at Starwood is his veteran team of elite
luxury hotel executives whom he led at Foresthills and Rosewood. The team
consists of Andy Anderson, Vice President of Sales; Scott Blair, Vice President
of Finance; George Fong, Vice President of Engineering and Construction; Michael
Matthews, Vice President of Marketing; and Kenyon Price, Director of Operations.
"There is perhaps no one in the world as uniquely qualified to run a global
luxury hotel brand than Atef," said Sternlicht. "Starwood's goal is for St.
Regis to be the world's number one luxury hotel brand, with the finest hotels in
premier city and resort destinations around the globe. The addition of Atef and
his entire team in one quick move is quite a coup, and will help us realize our
vision to expand this great brand on a global basis in an aggressive time frame.
We are thrilled."
St. Regis Poised for Rapid Growth
Since quietly creating the St. Regis brand just over two years ago, Starwood now
boasts nine St. Regis properties around the globe including New York, Rome, Los
Angeles, Beijing, Aspen, Houston and Washington DC. Last week the St. Regis
Shangai opened, marking the second St. Regis in China, and last month, the St.
Regis Monarch Beach opened in Southern California, representing the brand's
first resort property. New St. Regis hotels are currently under development in
Fort Lauderdale and San Francisco. Designed to capitalize on the extraordinary
reputation of The St. Regis New York, the St. Regis brand is the first new
luxury hotel brand in nearly 20 years.
According to Sternlicht, Starwood plans to convert several of its most luxurious
hotels to St. Regis properties such as the legendary Gritti Palace in Venice;
the Hotel Cala di Volpe and Hotel Pitrizza resorts in Costa Smeralda, Sardinia;
and the Imperial in Kuala Lumpur. The company also has plans to develop new St.
Regis properties and expand its residential and hotel mixed use projects, as
well as pursue management contracts for hotels under development around the
world.
"St. Regis currently operates nine hotels with more than 2,500 keys. Within our
Luxury Collection portfolio there exist as many as 10 properties worthy of the
St. Regis distinction bringing to 20 the number of St. Regis hotels within the
next two years. We expect, with the leadership of Atef and his team, to expand
to 40 or more luxury St. Regis hotels and resorts over the next five years,"
said Cotter.
Mr. Mankarios said, "We are all very excited and this opportunity to lead St.
Regis into the number one position in luxury hotels is the culmination of a life
long dream."
More about Mankarios
A native of Egypt, Mankarios began his career in luxury travel in Paris in 1970.
In his more than 30 years in the hotel business, he has worked for luxury hotel
companies including Sonesta International Hotels, Four Seasons Hotels, Rosewood
Hotels & Resorts and Foresthills Hotels & Resorts. He and his team have managed
prestigious luxury properties including the Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas;
the Lanesborough in London; the Hotel Bel Air in Los Angeles; the Las Ventanas
al Paraiso in Los Cabos, Mexico; and the Palazzo Arzaga in Verona, Italy.
Mankarios is past Chairman of the Board of Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide,
a prestigious association of more than 120 independent luxury hotels. He is also
a past member of the exclusive World Travel & Tourism Council. He earned a
Bachelor of Arts degree and an LLB degree in law. He is fluent in English,
French, Dutch and Arabic.
The St. Regis operating and marketing team will be located at 2515 McKinney
Avenue, Suite 800, Dallas, TX 75201, (214) 965-0888, while development and other
ancillary services will remain at Starwood's headquarters in White Plains. NY.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) is one of the leading
hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 725 properties in 80
countries and 120,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. With
internationally renowned brands, Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator
and franchiser of hotels and resorts including: St. Regis, The Luxury
Collection, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton, W brands, as well as
Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators
of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information,
please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.
CONTACT: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
K.C. Kavanagh, 914/640-8339
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