Cedar Capital Partners invests exclusively in the hospitality sector with an emphasis on luxury, full service and lifestyle hotels.

 

 

Founded in 2004, the firm has made investments in excess of $4 billion and has maintained a consistent track record of strong performance and value creation throughout various market cycles.


The firm’s principals have worked in nearly every major hotel market in the world and are industry professionals with backgrounds in acquisitions, finance, development and operations.


Executive Team

Ramsey Mankarious

RAMSEY MANKARIOUS 

Ramsey founded Cedar Capital Partners and was previously Executive VP of Acquisitions & Development for Kingdom Holding where he was jointly responsible for the company's $2.5 billion hotel investment and asset management activities within Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Ramsey developed and acquired numerous luxury hotels and was actively involved with the firm's investment in the following management companies: Four Seasons, Fairmont and Mövenpick. Ramsey was previously with HVS, a leading hotel valuation and consulting firm, in their London and New York offices. While at HVS he conducted valuation and advisory transactions in over 30 countries. Ramsey has authored numerous hotel investment articles and is a frequent lecturer. He received his MA in Property Valuation and Law from City University Business School in London and holds a BA in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Michigan State University, USA.

Phil Golding

PHIL GOLDING 

Phil manages the acquisition and asset management functions for the company. Previously Phil worked in the London and Singapore offices of HVS International where he conducted hotel valuations and feasibility studies throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. Prior to this, Phil was a consultant with Christie Consulting International, one of the UK’s largest hotel agents. Phil has valued hotel real estate in excess of US$5 billion and conducted advisory transactions in more than 40 countries throughout the world. Phil started his career at the Savoy Group of Hotels where he completed the prestigious five-year management training programme.

Benjamin Leahy

BENJAMIN LEAHY

Mr. Leahy is responsible for overseeing the firm’s investment activities in the United States. Mr. Leahy most recently worked as an advisor to PointState Capital focusing on a significant hotel and real estate investment in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Prior to joining PointState, Mr. Leahy was Managing Director and Global Head of Lodging at Goldman Sachs.  During his 11 years at Goldman Sachs, he focused on M&A advisory assignments, capital raising, mortgage lending and restructuring. He advised on over US$50 billion of hotel transactions and his work spanned multiple geographies and ranged from single assets to corporate level transactions. Prior to Goldman Sachs, Mr. Leahy worked at Banc of America Securities and began his career as a consultant for Wharton Econometric Forecasting Associates. Mr. Leahy received his BA in History from Georgetown University. 

GIOVANNI FORNI

GIOVANNI FORNI

Giovanni is involved in the firm’s asset management and acquisition functions. He joined from Hilton Worldwide’s Feasibility & Investment Analysis team where he was responsible for conducting hotel management contract valuations and feasibility studies across Europe and Africa. He also supported Hilton’s Real Estate & Asset Management team in underwriting master plan renovations, acquisitions and disposals. Giovanni has worked in over 25 countries. He holds a B.Sc. in International Hospitality Management (Hons) from the École hôtelière de Lausanne, with a specialisation in real estate finance. During his studies in Switzerland, Giovanni co-founded YHS Global, an organization which acts towards improving professional opportunities for young talent in hospitality. He speaks Italian, German, English and French.

Phil Golding

BENJAMIN LEAHY

Ben is responsible for overseeing the firm’s investment activities in the United States. Ben most recently worked as an advisor to PointState Capital focusing on a significant hotel and real estate investment in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Prior to joining PointState, Ben was Managing Director and Global Head of Lodging at Goldman Sachs.  During his 11 years at Goldman Sachs, he focused on M&A advisory assignments, capital raising, mortgage lending and restructuring. He advised on over US$50 billion of hotel transactions and his work spanned multiple geographies and ranged from single assets to corporate level transactions. Prior to Goldman Sachs, Ben worked at Bank of America Securities and began his career as a consultant for Wharton Econometric Forecasting Associates. Ben received his BA in History from Georgetown University. 

CHRISTIAN YOUENS

CHRISTIAN YOUENS

Christian is responsible for the firm’s asset management activities. Prior to joining Cedar Capital, he worked for London and Regional Properties where he held the position of Head of Hotel Operations, Asset Management and Investments. During his time at London and Regional, Christian oversaw the operations and asset management of over 5,000 hotel rooms across 14 hotels worldwide. He implemented various multi-million capital investment programmes, negotiated lease contracts and hotel management agreements and acquired five further hotels. Christian was previously with various hotel operators and owners including Thistle Guoman Hotels, Hilwood Resorts, Lotus Investment Fund and others, where he held various positions in Finance, Controlling, Feasibility and Development. Christian holds a Diploma in Hotel Management from Les Roches School of Hotel Management and is a Board member of the European chapter of the Hospitality Asset Managers Association (HAMA).

CHRISTIAN YOUENS

PAUL HARNEDY

Paul is responsible for the operational and commercial performance of the firm’s hotels.  Prior to joining Cedar Capital, Paul was Chief Operating Officer at Amaris Hospitality, overseeing performance across 30 internationally branded hotels as well as central functions including Food & Beverage, Leisure & Spa, Procurement and Information Technology.  During his time at Amaris Hospitality he was instrumental in the conversion to franchise of 18 Accor Hotels and the sale of 12 Hilton Hotels.  With over 25 years’ experience in hospitality, Paul has held senior leadership roles at Interstate Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotel Group and Barcelo Hotels & Resorts.  Paul studied Hospitality Management at University College Birmingham.

CHRISTIAN YOUENS

ALEX PENKUL

Alex is Cedar’s Finance Director and oversees the firm’s finance and accounting matters. Alex has over 30 years’ experience in global hospitality. Prior to joining Cedar, Alex was Finance Director at EQ Hotels which oversaw 5,000 hotel rooms. Previous to that, Alex was CFO at Jupiter Adria, a high-end hospitality investor, developer and operator, focused on Croatia.  Alex also worked with Kerzner International as Finance Director of One&Only Resorts.  In addition, he held various senior finance positions with Queens Moat Houses plc, which comprised some 200 hotels.  Alex is a chartered accountant and trained with KPMG.

CHRISTIAN YOUENS

CHRISTIAN YOUENS

Christian is responsible for the firm’s asset management activities. Prior to joining Cedar Capital, he worked for London and Regional Properties where he held the position of Head of Hotel Operations, Asset Management and Investments. During his time at London and Regional, Christian oversaw the operations and asset management of over 5,000 hotel rooms across 14 hotels worldwide. He implemented various multi-million capital investment programmes, negotiated lease contracts and hotel management agreements and acquired five further hotels. Christian was previously with various hotel operators and owners including Thistle Guoman Hotels, Hilwood Resorts, Lotus Investment Fund and others, where he held various positions in Finance, Controlling, Feasibility and Development. Christian holds a Diploma in Hotel Management from Les Roches School of Hotel Management and is a Board member of the European chapter of the Hospitality Asset Managers Association (HAMA).

MAURICE PETIGNAT

MAURICE PETIGNAT

Maurice is involved in the firm’s capital expenditure programs and asset management functions. He joined from Principal Real Estate‘s Hotel and Leisure Division where he was responsible for the management of major capital expenditure projects across their portfolio. Previously he was responsible for capital expenditure projects across Hilton’s European owned, leased and joint-venture estate and he provided support to the Feasibility & Investment department. Maurice holds a BSc in International Hospitality Management (Hons) from the École Hôtelière de Lausanne, with a specialisation in real estate finance and a MSc in Construction Economics and Management from University College London. He speaks English, German, French and Italian.

JAMES MERCER

JAMES MERCER 

Jim is responsible for overseeing the firm’s capital expenditure programs, with particular emphasis on hotel renovations and new builds. In his career he has accumulated over 30 years of specialist experience in the project management of some of the finest luxury hotels including the Ritz - Paris, the Four Seasons George V - Paris, the Park Hyatt - Milan and many others. Jim has a BS degree in Quantity Surveying and is a Member of the Royal Institution Of Chartered Surveyors. He speaks English and French.

MAURICE PETIGNAT

MAURICE PETIGNAT

Maurice is involved in the firm’s capital expenditure programs and asset management functions. He joined from Principal Real Estate‘s Hotel and Leisure Division where he was responsible for the management of major capital expenditure projects across their portfolio. Previously he was responsible for capital expenditure projects across Hilton’s European owned, leased and joint-venture estate and he provided support to the Feasibility & Investment department. Maurice holds a BSc in International Hospitality Management (Hons) from the École Hôtelière de Lausanne, with a specialisation in real estate finance and a MSc in Construction Economics and Management from University College London. He speaks English, German, French and Italian.

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ALEX BERMAN

Alex is involved in the firm's acquisition and asset management functions in the United States. Prior to joining Cedar, he worked as a Director for Tishman Hotel & Realty, where he was responsible for acquisitions, corporate strategy and asset management of the company's $3 billion hotel & retail portfolio. Prior to joining Tishman in 2014, Alex was an investment banking Analyst at Goldman Sachs, where he worked on public equity issuance across the real estate, gaming & lodging universe of companies in North America, including the Hilton Worldwide IPO. Alex graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2012 with a BA in Political Science and Economics.

FREDRIK ANDERSSON

FREDRIK ANDERSSON

Fredrik is involved in the firm’s asset management and acquisition functions. He has diverse experience across hotel investment, asset management, data analytics and operations. Prior to joining Cedar Capital Partners he worked for Hetherley Capital Partners investing in full and select service hotels across the UK and Ireland. Fredrik also co-founded MAV Analytics which provides hotel real estate data analytics services to hotel investors and FTSE 100 companies. He has advisory experience working for JLL and has held operational positions in China, Hong Kong, Sweden, Italy and Switzerland. Fredrik graduated with honours from the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, speaks fluent Swedish, French and English and is currently pursuing the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst qualification.

INA PLUNIEN

INA PLUNIEN

Ina is involved in the firm's acquisition and asset management functions. Previously, she was with Eastdil Secured in London, where she worked on over US$2 billion worth of hotel real estate sales in Europe. She has also worked in real estate advisory with EY as well as various operational positions in Germany, The Netherlands and Malaysia. Ina holds a B.BA (Cum Laude) in Hotel Management from Hotelschool The Hague in The Netherlands and speaks German, English, French and Dutch.

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MANON DOISTAU

Manon is involved in the firm’s capital expenditure and asset management functions. She joined from KAC (a company owned by KEYS AM and ACCOR group) where she was responsible for the management of hotel capital expenditure projects across their portfolio. Previously she was responsible for development at Aegide Domitys across 10 projects in France and Europe from planning permission to completion and official handover to the operators (1,000 dwellings / €300M GAV). Manon holds a Diploma in Civil Engineering and Construction from ESTP Paris. She speaks English and French.

ImageSTEVE WALFORD 

 

Steve is part of the firm’s capital expenditure team. He has a strong contracting background and has worked on numerous commercial and hotel projects. Steve holds a BSc (Hons) in Construction Management and brings an understanding of numerous construction methods along with operational requirements of the hospitality sector.

Nesrine Tourqui

 

NESRINE TOURQUI

 

Nesrine is involved in the firm’s design and capital expenditure functions. She joined from Prime Development where she was responsible for the development of The Peninsula London and the Bulgari Paris. Previously, Nesrine managed the pre-construction of numerous projects including, the Hotel de Crillon in Paris and the Hyatt Regency in Trinidad & Tobago. She has extensive knowledge of complex projects with a special focus on luxury hospitality. Nesrine graduated from a Civil Engineering and Construction University - ESTP Paris. She speaks English and French.

aurelie

 

 JULES CHEVALIER

 

Jules is involved in the firm's asset management function. Previously, he was with AccorInvest, where he worked on the investment property strategy for their 91-hotel UK portfolio. He has also worked with the European development team at Four Seasons as well as various operational positions in Spain and Paris. Jules holds a Bachelor of Science in Hotel Management from the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne and speaks English, French and Spanish.

MARY MASSIH

MARY MASSIH

Mary is in house legal counsel. Previously she worked as a solicitor for City law firms Withers, Farrers, Harcus Sinclair and Gouldens (now Jones Day). Her legal work has encompassed private client and corporate work. She has structured complex vehicles to minimise tax exposure and has advised domiciled and non domiciled clients. She is fluent in French and Spanish and took a First at Oxford University before embarking on a career in law.

SAMANTHA BOYLE

SAMANTHA BOYLE

Sam manages the financial functions for the company and is responsible for investor relations and HR. Previously she worked as an adviser to start-up companies setting up in-house systems of accounting and office management in the fields of web development, logistics, media and law.

Advisory Board

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JOHN BOTTS

John has more than 40 years of experience in investment banking, corporate finance, and private equity. John is Senior Advisor to Allen & Company, Chairman of The Ink Factory, and Advisor/Director to several early-stage tech platform companies. John is a former career banker and was previously Chairman of Citicorp Investment Bank  in Europe. John was formerly Chairman of UBM plc, Euromoney plc and a Director of Songbird (Canary Wharf). John is currently a Director of Glyndebourne (former Chair), Tate Foundation and Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. In 2003, John was awarded an Honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). He received a BA from Williams College.

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LEWIS WOLFF

Lewis (“Lew”) Wolff has been in the real estate industry for over 50 years and has developed more than 4 million sq. ft of real estate including hotels, office, retail and residential.  He is currently Chairman & CEO of Wolff Urban Management, a California-based commercial developer.  He is also founder and Chairman of Maritz, Wolff & Co, a hotel investment group that formerly  owned and asset managed luxury hotels around the world, including the Fairmont San Jose Hotel, the Fairmont San Francisco, the Carlyle Hotel New York and many others.  Lew was previously Co-Chairman of Sunstone Hotel Investors, a NYSE listed REIT, Vice Chairman of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts and Co-Chairman of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. Currently Lew is a Regent of Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California.

 

Lew is a shareholder of Major League Baseball’s Oakland Athletics and Major League Soccer’s San Jose Earthquakes.  Lew received a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and an M.B.A. from  Washington University, St. Louis. 

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PHILIP MARITZ

Philip (“Flip”) Maritz has been in the hotel and real estate business for nearly 30 years and has co-sponsored multiple investment funds with $7 billion worth of assets at Broadreach Capital and Maritz, Wolff & Co.  He has also chaired or co-chaired several owned hotel management companies (Rosewood, Fairmont and Dolce Hotels) and developed/redeveloped numerous iconic hotels including the Carlyle NYC, the Fairmont San Francisco, Four Seasons hotels in Toronto, Houston, Austin and Nevis, The Lanesborough London, Park Hyatt Sydney and Hotel Seiyo Ginza Tokyo,

 

Flip serves as a director of Asbury Automotive Group (NYSE: ABG, a $10 billion auto retailer) and numerous private companies. Additionally, he serves as a trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the American University in Cairo, the Princeton University Art Museum, and the New York Landmarks Conservancy.  Flip is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He received a BA from Princeton University and a MBA from Stanford University.

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EMAD SALIB

Emad Salib has over 35 years of experience in the technology, education, hospitality and management consultancy sectors. He has supported organisations in developing profitable and sustainable relationships with their customers and partners. Emad previously held senior roles with Siemens AG, where he was European General Manager of their Professional Services business and Senior Principal at IBM Global Services. Emad received a BA from London university and an MBA from the Open University Business School.

 

 

 

Track Record

Monte Carlo Grand, Monaco

€200m - December 2004

The Savoy, London

£220m - January 2005

 

Des Bergues, Geneva

CHF 120m - April 2005

Mandarin Oriental, Prague

€60m - October 2006

Le Richemond, Geneva

CHF150m - December 2010

Sanderson, London

Portfolio of 2 hotels, £190m - November 2011

St Martins Lane, London

Portfolio of 2 hotels, £190m - November 2011

Amstel, Amsterdam

Portfolio of 7 hotels, €450m- February 2012

Carlton, Cannes

Portfolio of 7 hotels, €450m- February 2012

Hotel de la Ville, Rome

Portfolio of 7 hotels, €450m- February 2012

Intercontinental, Budapest

Portfolio of 7 hotels, €450m- February 2012

Intercontinental, Frankfurt

Portfolio of 7 hotels, €450m- February 2012

Intercontinental, Madrid

Portfolio of 7 hotels, €450m- February 2012

Intercontinental, Vienna

Portfolio of 7 hotels, €450m- February 2012

Concorde La Fayette, Paris

Portfolio of 4 hotels, €700m - January 2013

Hotel du Louvre, Paris

Portflio of 4 hotels, €700m - January 2013

Palais de la Méditerranée, Nice

Portflio of 4 hotels, €700m - January 2013

Martinez, Cannes

Portfolio of 4 hotels, €700m - January 2013

Sofitel Le Faubourg, Paris

€100m - March 2013

Eden, Rome

€100m - September 2013

Le Meridien Etoile, Paris

€270m - May 2014
 

Kimpton DeWitt, Amsterdam

€100m - June 2015

Mama Shelter, Prague

€20m - June 2016

Terme di Saturnia, Tuscany

€40m - September 2017

The Hoxton, Rome 

€35m – January 2018

Angsana by Banyan Tree, Corfu

€95m - December 2018

Grosvenor, Edinburgh

£20m - June 2019

Lloyd, Amsterdam

€45m - July 2019

Shelborne, Miami

$140m - January 2020

 

 

 

Sundance Mountain Resort, Utah

December 2020

 

 

 

 

The Belfry Resort, Birmingham

November 2021

 

 

 

 

Palazzo Ricasoli, Florence

November 2021

 

 

 

ESG

 

At Cedar Capital Partners, we believe in the importance of responsible and sustainable investing. We integrate Environmental, Social, and Governance factors into our investment decisions to ensure that our hotels align with our values and make a positive impact on society and the planet.

 

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Contact

London

45 Albemarle Street

London W1S 4JL

United Kingdom

 

Tel: +44 20 7484 3560
Email: info@cedarcp.com

 

 

New York

110 East 25th Street

New York, NY 10010

United States

 

Tel: +1 646 790 1535

Email: info@cedarcp.com

 

 

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