San Francisco-based Geolo Capital promoted Omar Palacios to COO and hired Ben Gottlieb as principal to support the company’s increasing footprint and growth initiatives in the hospitality real estate market.
The private equity investment group focuses on four service-related industries: hospitality, health and wellness, consumer products and entertainment. In his new role, Palacios will oversee the asset management and construction functions and continue as CFO, overseeing finance, accounting and M&A transaction documentation functions for the fund. Gottlieb’s responsibilities will include asset management, acquisitions and business development.
“In his short time with us, Omar has demonstrated his strength as a leader by developing important relationships with our investment partners and has played an important role in our transactions and value enhancement efforts of our core investments. I am also thrilled to have Ben join our team,” said John Pritzker, founding partner and director of Geolo Capital. “With their extensive financial track record and operating expertise in the hospitality industry, I am confident they will help strengthen our bench as they further our continued success and help to position Geolo’s future.”
Prior to joining Geolo, Ben Gottlieb served as VP, acquisitions at AJ Capital Partners in Chicago, where he focused on the acquisition, financing, development and asset management of boutique hospitality projects in resort, urban and university-anchored markets, and was a founding member of Graduate Hotels. Gottlieb began his career at Morgan Stanley, Tokyo, where he served as a senior analyst in the Panorama Hospitality Division managing a $5.7-billion portfolio of hospitality investments throughout Asia Pacific and Europe. Gottlieb received a bachelor of arts degree from University of Michigan and a master of business administration from Cornell University.