JLL’s Hotels and Hospitality Group has named Gilda Perez-Alvarado its Americas CEO, Hotels and Hospitality. Perez-Alvarado will work closely with Mark Wynne Smith, JLL’s global CEO, Hotels and Hospitality, over the next year to transition leadership responsibilities for the Americas.
In her new role, Perez-Alvarado will lead JLL’s Americas hospitality real estate services, including investment sales, debt and equity placement, strategic advisory and asset management. Additionally, Perez-Alvarado will maintain leadership of the global hotel desk, an international team focused on facilitating cross-border transactions, and will continue her global advisory work for JLL’s capital markets.
“Gilda has played a pivotal role in growing JLL’s hotels business through marquee transactions and astute leadership, both in the Americas and globally,” Wynne Smith, who also leads the firm’s international capital coverage, said in a statement. “Her reputation as an accomplished dealmaker, tireless champion for our clients’ interests and a trusted mentor, advisor and collaborator makes her the ideal leader to build the momentum of our Americas business.”
Perez-Alvarado’s 16 years' of hotel industry experience includes 14 years with JLL in Madrid, London, Miami and New York. Prior to this appointment, she served as a managing director focused on full-service global investment sales and managed high-profile transactions. She is a prior recipient of the The Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) Jack A. Shaffer Advisor of the Year award and serves as a member of Qiddiya’s global advisory board.
“Understanding ‘what’s next’ is the key to success in the hospitality business. Our culture of innovation and delivering data-driven insights allows us to provide our clients with creative, market-driven answers to these questions,” Perez-Alvarado said. “As CEO, I’m looking forward to leading our incredibly talented team and using our collaborative approach, technology and research to help our clients’ hospitality businesses thrive.”
Senior managing directors Jeffrey Davis and John Strauss also have been promoted to co-lead Americas hotel capital markets, working closely with Perez-Alvarado in the execution of the group’s business strategy. Davis and Strauss will be responsible for overseeing investment sales and debt and equity placement across the Americas. Davis is based in New York and leads full-service investment sales in the Mid-Atlantic region. He also oversees the hotel investment banking platform nationally. Davis brings more than 25 years' of experience to his role, including 13 at JLL. Strauss is based in Los Angeles and leads full-service investment sales in the Western half of the United States, including Hawaii. Strauss also offers more than 25 years' of experience, including 20 with JLL.
“The growing competitiveness and complexity across the hotel investment and advisory landscape made it the right time for these changes," said Arthur Adler, JLL chairman, Americas, Hotels and Hospitality. "We are committed to remaining the leading hotel-investment advisory business in the Americas. I have the utmost confidence in Gilda, Jeff and John’s ability to continue to drive the business forward, to deliver exceptional results and to exceed our clients’ expectations.”