Key Takeaways
- • Starwood Capital Group promoted Qahir Madhany to Head of Acquisitions, Americas, effective July 13, 2026, positioning him to oversee equity investments and lead real estate sourcing and transaction execution across the region.
- • Madhany brings two decades of real estate investment experience, including expertise in complex transactions and special situations, following his January 2025 hire as Managing Director at Starwood Capital.
- • The promotion aligns with Starwood Capital's recent $10.22 billion final close on its flagship real estate opportunity fund—the largest in the firm's 34-year history—reflecting expanded investment capacity and leadership depth.
- • Barry Sternlicht, Chairman and CEO, highlighted anticipated tailwinds in global real estate markets driven by constrained new supply across asset classes and artificial intelligence innovation adoption.
- • Madhany previously managed over $60 billion of Blackstone investments across asset classes in the US and Canada, demonstrating institutional-scale transaction experience prior to joining Starwood Capital.
Summary
Starwood Capital Group announced the promotion of Qahir Madhany to Head of Acquisitions, Americas, effective immediately as of July 13, 2026. In this newly elevated role, Madhany will oversee the firm's equity investments across the Americas region, with primary responsibility for sourcing and executing real estate transactions. The appointment reflects organizational expansion following the firm's recent capital raise milestone.
Madhany joins Starwood Capital's senior leadership with substantial credentials in institutional real estate investing. He brings two decades of investment experience, with specialized expertise in complex transactions and special situations management. Prior to his January 2025 arrival at Starwood Capital, where he initially joined as Managing Director focused on special situations and strategic initiatives, Madhany held significant responsibilities at Blackstone, where he managed over $60 billion of investments spanning multiple asset classes in the US and Canada. His recent contributions at Starwood Capital include involvement in the acquisition of Starwood Property Trust's net lease platform, Fundamental Income Properties.
Barry Sternlicht, Chairman and CEO of Starwood Capital, framed the promotion within the context of the firm's expanded platform and market outlook. He noted that Madhany "brings valuable experience and perspective to real estate investing and has proven to be a strong thought leader and partner across our various business lines." The timing of the promotion follows Starwood Capital's final close of its $10.22 billion flagship real estate opportunity fund—the largest fund in the firm's 34-year operating history. Sternlicht indicated that the firm and its investor partners anticipate real estate markets entering "a more positive cycle" supported by two structural factors: unusually constrained new supply across numerous asset classes and accelerating artificial intelligence innovation adoption across business operations.
Jonathan Pollack, President of Starwood Capital, emphasized Madhany's collaborative approach and entrepreneurial mindset, stating he has been "a key contributor to our success since joining the firm, bringing a combination of judgement, entrepreneurialism and collaboration to our investment team." The promotion positions Madhany to deploy capital from the recently closed $10.22 billion fund while driving the firm's acquisition pipeline across North American real estate investments.
Madhany joins Starwood Capital's senior leadership with substantial credentials in institutional real estate investing. He brings two decades of investment experience, with specialized expertise in complex transactions and special situations management. Prior to his January 2025 arrival at Starwood Capital, where he initially joined as Managing Director focused on special situations and strategic initiatives, Madhany held significant responsibilities at Blackstone, where he managed over $60 billion of investments spanning multiple asset classes in the US and Canada. His recent contributions at Starwood Capital include involvement in the acquisition of Starwood Property Trust's net lease platform, Fundamental Income Properties.
Barry Sternlicht, Chairman and CEO of Starwood Capital, framed the promotion within the context of the firm's expanded platform and market outlook. He noted that Madhany "brings valuable experience and perspective to real estate investing and has proven to be a strong thought leader and partner across our various business lines." The timing of the promotion follows Starwood Capital's final close of its $10.22 billion flagship real estate opportunity fund—the largest fund in the firm's 34-year operating history. Sternlicht indicated that the firm and its investor partners anticipate real estate markets entering "a more positive cycle" supported by two structural factors: unusually constrained new supply across numerous asset classes and accelerating artificial intelligence innovation adoption across business operations.
Jonathan Pollack, President of Starwood Capital, emphasized Madhany's collaborative approach and entrepreneurial mindset, stating he has been "a key contributor to our success since joining the firm, bringing a combination of judgement, entrepreneurialism and collaboration to our investment team." The promotion positions Madhany to deploy capital from the recently closed $10.22 billion fund while driving the firm's acquisition pipeline across North American real estate investments.
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