Colliers, the leading global commercial real estate services firm, announces it has strengthened its Hospitality Practice Group with the appointment of two talented industry professionals. John Avanzino and Estelle Wang join the practice—led by the recently hired Vice Chair and practice Leader Mark Owens—as Colliers continues adding top talent across its capital markets team.
Avanzino, who has an extensive background in debt and structured finance as well as institutional investment sales across all lodging asset classes, joins the firm as a Senior Vice President. Over the course of his career, he has financed and sold nearly $3 billion of hotels and resorts throughout The Americas and Caribbean and raised funds through investors including sovereign wealth funds, family offices and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. In his previous position at CBRE Avanzino was part of a team led by Owens that completed notable deals including the Strategic Hotels & Resorts portfolio refinancing, the Loews Arlington Hotel & Convention Center ground-up construction financing and the Trinity Investments GP fund raise.
Wang joins the company as a Senior Associate, specializing in raising debt and equity capital for acquisition, refinancing, recapitalization and development of hotel assets and portfolios, in addition to investment sales. She will be involved in all aspects of financing including underwriting, financial analysis, financing memorandum preparation, marking and due diligence, and transaction closing. Wang was also part of the team led by Owens at CBRE and has been involved in over $1.5 billion in transactions and has extensive international operational and hospitality finance experience.
“Colliers is building a hospitality practice group that is focused on best-in-class professionals working with industry leading clients, their properties, and their global hospitality needs,” said Owens, National Hospitality Practice Group Leader. “The hospitality practice and the overall Capital Markets team are positioned for growth and success in part because of the strength of cross-team collaboration spanning practice groups and geographies. I’m excited to welcome John and Estelle, two hard-working, intelligent professionals to our expanding team. As business, leisure and group travel continue to increase, so does our commitment to the hospitality industry and providing our clients with market-leading outcomes that capitalize on the lodging market’s strong fundamentals.”
Both hires arrive following Owens’ appointment at Colliers as Vice Chair and National Practice Group Leader, Hospitality. The new team members will help bolster the hospitality group’s investment sales, acquisitions, joint venture, private equity, debt and structured financing and recapitalization efforts. Colliers has expanded its hospitality practice amid a recent growth in demand across the sector.
