Key Takeaways
- • Starwood Capital Group promotes Qahir Madhany to Head of Acquisitions, Americas, effective immediately, overseeing equity investments and real estate transaction sourcing and execution across the region.
- • Madhany brings two decades of real estate investment experience and previously served as Managing Director at Blackstone, where he played a leadership role in over $60 billion of the firm's investments across all asset classes.
- • The promotion follows Madhany's January 2025 joining of Starwood Capital as Managing Director focused on special situations and strategic initiatives, including the acquisition of Starwood Property Trust's net lease platform, Fundamental Income Properties.
- • Starwood Capital closed its flagship real estate opportunity fund at $10.22 billion last month—the largest fund in the firm's 34-year history—positioning the firm to capitalize on what leadership views as an improving real estate cycle supported by low new supply and AI-driven innovation.
- • Barry Sternlicht, Chairman and CEO, highlighted Madhany as a "strong thought leader and partner" across business lines, signaling confidence in his ability to execute complex transactions and drive value creation for the firm's investor base.
Summary
Starwood Capital Group announced the promotion of Qahir Madhany to Head of Acquisitions, Americas, effective immediately. In this expanded role, Madhany will oversee the firm's equity investments in the Americas region, with direct responsibility for sourcing and executing real estate transactions. The promotion reflects recognition of Madhany's track record in complex deal execution and his rapid integration into Starwood Capital's investment operations since joining the firm in January 2025.
Madhany arrives at Starwood Capital with substantial institutional real estate credentials. He brings two decades of investment experience and previously served as a Managing Director in the Real Estate Group at Blackstone, where he held a leadership role in more than $60 billion of the firm's investments across multiple asset classes. His tenure at Starwood Capital has already been marked by material contributions, including involvement in the acquisition of Starwood Property Trust's net lease platform, Fundamental Income Properties, as part of his initial mandate focused on special situations and strategic initiatives.
The timing of the promotion aligns with a significant inflection point for Starwood Capital. The firm closed its flagship real estate opportunity fund at $10.22 billion in June 2026—the largest fund in the company's 34-year history. Barry Sternlicht, Chairman and CEO, framed the promotion within the context of favorable market dynamics, noting that "real estate around the world is entering a more positive cycle" supported by unusually low new supply across asset classes and the catalytic effects of artificial intelligence innovation on business operations. Jonathan Pollack, President of Starwood Capital, characterized Madhany as a "key contributor" who brings "a combination of judgement, entrepreneurialism and collaboration" to the investment team, underscoring the firm's confidence in his ability to lead acquisitions during this window of opportunity.
Madhany arrives at Starwood Capital with substantial institutional real estate credentials. He brings two decades of investment experience and previously served as a Managing Director in the Real Estate Group at Blackstone, where he held a leadership role in more than $60 billion of the firm's investments across multiple asset classes. His tenure at Starwood Capital has already been marked by material contributions, including involvement in the acquisition of Starwood Property Trust's net lease platform, Fundamental Income Properties, as part of his initial mandate focused on special situations and strategic initiatives.
The timing of the promotion aligns with a significant inflection point for Starwood Capital. The firm closed its flagship real estate opportunity fund at $10.22 billion in June 2026—the largest fund in the company's 34-year history. Barry Sternlicht, Chairman and CEO, framed the promotion within the context of favorable market dynamics, noting that "real estate around the world is entering a more positive cycle" supported by unusually low new supply across asset classes and the catalytic effects of artificial intelligence innovation on business operations. Jonathan Pollack, President of Starwood Capital, characterized Madhany as a "key contributor" who brings "a combination of judgement, entrepreneurialism and collaboration" to the investment team, underscoring the firm's confidence in his ability to lead acquisitions during this window of opportunity.
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