Highgate - Our Team - Highgate Corporate

Mahmood Khimji

Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of the Board

Mahmood Khimji is a founding Principal of Highgate, an industry-leading real estate investment and management firm, and has been involved in all aspects of Highgate’s development since its founding in 1988. Prior to founding Highgate, Mr. Khimji practiced law at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

Mr. Khimji is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sagicor Financial Corporation. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Minor International and American Hotel Income Properties and is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), Chief Executives Organization (CEO), and the Real Estate Forum. He previously held board positions at MeriStar Hospitality Corporation, Interstate Hotels, Morgans Hotel Group, and Playa Hotels & Resorts.

Mr. Khimji also serves on the boards of Aga Khan Museum and the Asia Society. Additionally, Mr. Khimji serves on the Board of Trustees for St Mark’s School of Texas and on the Board of Visitors for Columbia Law School.

He attended the University of British Columbia, holds a B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of Houston and a J.D. from Columbia Law School.

Mehdi Khimji

Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of the Board

Mehdi Khimji is a Managing Principal and Co-Founder of Highgate and sits on the Company’s Board of Directors. He founded Highgate with his brother, Mahmood, in 1988. For the past 25 years, he has been actively involved in the acquisition, financing and disposition of over 10 billion dollars of real estate. Mehdi is based in London and leads the Company’s European growth strategy.

Mehdi formerly served on the Board of Directors for the Vancouver General Hospital and University of British Columbia Hospital Foundation.

Mehdi graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in Commerce. Upon graduation, he articled with a public accounting firm in Canada and earned his CA.

Zach Berger

Principal

Zach is a 14-year Highgate veteran and leads Highgate’s real estate investment and asset management platform, and also oversees corporate strategy and corporate finance. During his time at Highgate, Zach has been involved in over $15bn of hospitality and other real estate transactions.

Prior to joining Highgate, Zach worked in Citigroup’s Real Estate and Lodging Investment Banking Group. While at Citi, Zach worked on public debt and equity raises, and M&A transactions involving REITs, lodging operators and real estate private equity funds.

Zach graduated summa cum laude from Wake Forest University with a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Science, and also studied at The London School of Economics.

Richard Russo

Principal

Rich is a Principal at Highgate, where he has been a key member of the leadership team since joining the firm in 2015. Rich leads all business development activities for the company and is also responsible for Highgate’s mergers and acquisitions activities, leading complex transactions that expand Highgate’s portfolio and capabilities. Rich has played an instrumental role in several of the company’s most high-profile deals, including overseeing the acquisition of Viceroy Hotels & Resorts.

Rich brings over 25 years of experience in hospitality and real estate. Prior to Highgate, Rich served as Head of Development at Morgans Hotel Group and began his career at Ernst & Young in the Transaction Advisory Services group, focusing on real estate and hospitality.

Rich graduated with Honors from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and completed his MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business. Rich also serves on the Advisory Board of the Center for Real Estate and Finance at Cornell’s Nolan School.

Matt Gunlock

Principal

Matt Gunlock has 15 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry, the last five of which as Highgate’s General Counsel.

Prior to joining Highgate, Matt was an attorney at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, where he focused on commercial real estate transactions, hospitality, and private equity.

He holds a BS in Accounting, summa cum laude, from the Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University and a JD from the William & Mary School of Law.

Steve Barick

Principal

Steve joined Highgate in 1992 and has over 34 years of hotel multi-unit experience and over 40 years of total hospitality experience. As Principal, Steve is focused on turnaround strategies for distressed and under-performing hotel properties, including the oversight of over $2 billion dollars in renovation and repositioning programs. Previously, he served as Highgate’s COO for 20 years where he was responsible for implementing operating cost controls and effective operating budget management techniques, operational execution of the portfolio, organizational growth and managing a world class team.

Ankur Randev

Principal & Chief Commercial Officer

Ankur joined Highgate in 2003 and was integral in the development of Highgate’s proprietary revenue management, distribution and electronic marketing functions. As Principal & Chief Commercial Officer, Ankur has global oversight of Highgate’s commercial strategy which includes Revenue Management, Sales and Marketing, E-commerce and Customer Relationship Management.

Prior to joining Highgate Hotels in 2003, Ankur worked at Taj Hotels, Resorts & Palaces and McKinsey & Company.

Ankur received a Bachelor of Hospitality Management, Sales and Marketing and Revenue Management from The University of Huddersfield. He holds certifications from Harvard Business School’s Executive Leadership Program, Cornell University, and Wharton’s Executive Education Program.

Arash Azarbarzin

Principal & Chief Executive Officer

Arash Azarbarzin is Chief Executive Officer of Viceroy and a Principal of Highgate. In this role, Arash focuses on guiding Viceroy into its next chapter while remaining actively involved with Highgate, supporting key strategic initiatives, strengthening relationships, and advancing the company’s global growth agenda.

Arash brings over 30 years of hospitality leadership experience, including most recently serving as CEO of SH Hotels & Resorts, where was instrumental in the growth and development of 1 Hotels, Treehouse, and Baccarat. Prior to joining SH, Arash was a founding member of sbe Hotel Group, where he served as President for 12 years, prior to which he held leadership roles at W Hotels & Resorts, St. Regis, and Four Seasons. Arash is a seasoned leader with deep operational experience, a track record of mentoring and cultivating exceptional talent, driving corporate culture, and a dedication to innovating and delivering unique guest experiences on a scaled level.

Rob Dann

Chief Operating Officer, Highgate Select

Rob leads the organizational growth and operational execution of Highgate’s Select Service division. Rob also is the leader for Highgate’s ground up development platform focused on select service and extended stay assets.

Previously, Rob was the Chief Operating Officer of Campus Crest Group (NYSE: CCG), the second largest student housing company in the world. Prior to Campus Crest, he was the President of CSM Lodging and held senior roles at Boykin Management Company and Interstate Hotels. Rob also has over 15 additional years of Hospitality experience at the field level with such companies as Ian Schrager Hotels, Helmsley Hotels, InterContinental and Westin Hotels and Resorts.

Rob holds a BSBA in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the University of Denver.

Ned Martin

Chief Financial Officer

Ned Martin is Chief Financial Officer of Highgate Hotels, LP. Over a career spanning more than three decades, Ned has served as Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Administrative Officer at public, private-equity, and family-owned companies across hospitality, gaming, professional sports, real estate development, and banking. Prior to Highgate, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Golden Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: GDEN), and before that spent nearly a decade as CFO — and later additionally COO — of American Casino & Entertainment Properties, a Goldman Sachs-owned hospitality company he led through the Great Recession, ultimately overseeing its $850 million sale in 2017. Earlier roles include senior finance, operations, and development leadership at Station Casinos (NASDAQ: RRR), Silverton Casino, and the Maloof Companies, where he led the acquisition of the Sacramento Kings NBA franchise and ARCO Arena and the development of the Palms Resort Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

Ned has served on the boards of public, private, government, and non-profit organizations, including Bank of Nevada (NYSE: WAL), the Nevada College Savings Plans, and The Economic Club of Las Vegas, which he chaired from 2017 to 2019. He holds a Nevada Gaming License, a BBA in Finance from The University of Texas at Austin, and pursued MBA studies at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management.

Geri Williams-Fitts

Chief People Officer

Geri Williams-Fitts is Chief People Officer for Highgate, based in the Dallas office, where she leads the company’s human resources strategy across all union and nonunion properties throughout North America. Since joining Highgate in May 2008, she has been responsible for enterprise-wide leadership across talent acquisition, labor relations, organizational design, workforce planning, compensation strategy, and full employee life-cycle management.

A long-tenured and influential member of Highgate’s executive leadership team, Geri has played a central role in shaping the company’s people strategy and service culture. She is widely recognized for building high-impact leadership pipelines, strengthening organizational capability, and embedding scalable people systems that support operational excellence and sustained business growth. Her leadership has been instrumental in elevating Highgate’s management bench and advancing a culture defined by accountability, development, and service excellence.

Geri is also deeply committed to purpose-driven leadership and community engagement. She serves on the advisory panel for Save the Children and supports the American Cancer Society. Within Highgate, she has championed major philanthropic initiatives including Charity by Design, Save the Children partnerships, and the Heroes of Hospitality program, reflecting her commitment to extending hospitality’s impact beyond the workplace and into the communities it serves. Prior to Highgate, Geri held senior human resources leadership roles with Wyndham Worldwide, Hilton Hotels, May Company, and Federated Department Stores, where she developed extensive expertise in large-scale workforce strategy across the hospitality and retail sectors.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management and Administration from Gordon University.

Mike Dickersbach

Chief Digital Officer

As Chief Digital Officer, Mike leads Highgate’s technology initiatives, identifying emerging trends, evaluating new opportunities, and guiding strategic decisions. His visionary approach and ability to navigate complex technological landscapes are instrumental in driving Highgate’s digital transformation efforts.

Mike began his career in the hospitality industry, initially serving as a Systems & Control Manager and Restaurant Manager after graduating Magna Cum Laude from Johnson & Wales University. Over the years, he has held various key positions within the industry, including CTO at Highgate, Head of IT for Thayer Lodging and Brookfield Properties, Director of Technology at HEI, and Global Head of Hospitality Services at Infor.

Mike’s contributions to the industry extend beyond his professional roles. He has actively participated in industry committees and advisory boards, such as the HITEC advisory committee, Advisory Board for Hospitality Technology Magazine, Advisor for Thayer Ventures, Hilton Advisory Board, and Chairman of the American Hospitality and Lodging Association’s Technology and e-commerce advisory committee.

In 2014, Mike further enhanced his educational background by earning a Master’s Degree in Information Systems from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, graduating Suma Cum Laude.

Kerry Mack

Chief Revenue Officer

Kerry Mack is the Chief Revenue Officer for Highgate Hotels. She joined Highgate in 2005 and has almost 30 years of hotel experience with 25 of those years in Revenue Management. Kerry’s responsibilities include direct oversight for Highgate’s 350+ properties as well as the planning and execution of the company’s property level revenue management strategies, pricing policies, CRM Program, and E-Commerce initiatives.

Prior to joining Highgate, Kerry has held property, regional and corporate Revenue Management positions throughout Manhattan with the Melrose Hotel Company and the Camberly Hotel Company. In 2004 she received an award for “Highest RevPAR Growth in North America” at the SRS World Hotel Conference and in 2008 she received the “Revenue Management Professional of the Year” award from the Big Apple Chapter of HSMAI. Most recently, she was honored in 2017 as one of HMSAI’s Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, Revenue Optimization.

Aside from her day job, Kerry has been an adjunct professor at New York University’s Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports Management for 20 years where she teaches graduate students in the classes that pertain to the discipline of Revenue Management. In 2011 she received a Teaching Excellence Faculty Award from NYU. She is also a member of HSMAI and was on the Board of Directors in 2007 to help jumpstart the Special Interest Group for Revenue Management in the Big Apple Chapter. She also is on the Executive Board of Directors for NYC & Company, which is the official marketing, tourism and partnership organization for the City of New York.

A New York City native, Kerry holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Hotel Management from New York University.

Kelly Sanders

Group President, Hawaii

At Highgate, Kelly oversees the management of an expanding portfolio of properties in Hawaii —including the ‘Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach. An accomplished industry expert, Kelly brought with him over 30 years of hospitality experience, including 21 years with Marriott/Starwood.

Sanders was appointed a board member of the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) by Governor of Hawaii David Ige. In addition to his extensive background in the hospitality industry, Sanders is active in numerous philanthropic endeavors. He is a supporter of the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative (HLRI), a non-profit organization committed to returning the indigenous koa, milo and sandalwood trees back to the Hawaiian Islands. He was previously Chair of the Diamond Head Theater and is a board member of Gregory House Charities, Euro Cinema, Boy Scouts of America and The American Red Cross. He is also the Creative Entertainment Director for the Heart Ball benefiting the American Heart Association of Hawaii.

Steve Batta

Group President

As Group President, Steve oversees the performance of Highgate’s east coast portfolio. He is responsible for the delivery of both product and service quality in accordance with the hotel’s profitability goals.

Prior to joining Highgate in 2019, Mr. Batta served as Sr. Vice President of Operations, at MCR where he led the operations for all of MCR’s independent full-service hotels across the country, including the 60-room The High Line Hotel in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood and the 512-room TWA Hotel at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. Mr. Batta also served at Marriott International for almost 25 years and held numerous senior roles, including the General Manager of the 1,780-room Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel, the luxury JW Marriott Essex House New York and the Renaissance New York Hotel.

A leader in New York City’s hotel industry, Mr. Batta is the Secretary of the Hotel Association of New York City, where he chairs the finance committee and is a member of the audit and nominating committees. He also serves as a Trustee for the New York Hotel Trades Council & Hotel Association of New York City, Inc. Employee Benefit Funds. In addition, he is the President of Les Amis d’Escoffier Society Foundation Inc., a nonprofit that provides scholarships for culinary arts students, and Vice President of Inside Broadway, a New York City-based children’s theater company.

Mr. Batta received a B.S. in Business Marketing from Marist College.

Ben Thomas

Chief Operating Officer, Highgate Europe

As Chief Operating Officer for Highgate Europe, Ben Thomas leads operations and strategic growth across the region. With extensive experience in commercial and operational leadership, he previously served as COO/CCO at Penta Hotels, overseeing 28 properties across Europe and Asia. His expertise in operations, financial strategy, and driving efficiencies has delivered strong results throughout his career. Ben also held a leadership role at Cycas Hospitality, gaining valuable insight into complex ownership structures. Based in London, he plays a key role in expanding Highgate’s European portfolio through strategic partnerships and acquisitions.

Erica Doyne

Chief Marketing Officer

Erica is an accomplished marketing and brand executive with nearly two decades of leadership experience across the travel and hospitality industry. She leads Highgate’s marketing and brand strategy, helping further define and amplify our distinctive position in the marketplace working closely across our commercial, operations, development, and executive teams to strengthen our brands, deepen customer engagement, and unlock new opportunities for growth across Highgate’s expanding portfolio.

Most recently, Erica served as Chief Marketing Officer of Cardinal Financial, where she built the marketing organization from the ground up and led brand strategy, customer acquisition, and digital product. She also helped drive the early adoption of AI across the marketing function, bringing innovative capabilities and new ways of thinking to the organization. Prior to Cardinal Financial, Erica spent nearly two decades with AMResorts and Apple Leisure Group, culminating in her role as Senior Vice President, Marketing & Global Branding for Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection following Hyatt’s acquisition of AMResorts. During her tenure, she led brand and marketing strategy for a portfolio of 12 luxury resort brands spanning more than 150 properties across Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and Europe. Erica’s impact throughout her career has been significant. She launched several resort brands from the ground up, supported the opening of more than 100 resorts, developed the AMR™ Collection master brand architecture, and led marketing through extraordinary growth and transformation under Bain Capital, KKR, and KSL Capital Partners ownership.

Erica has been recognized among HSMAI’s Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization and as a Ragan “Top Women in Communications” honoree in the Visionary category. Her teams have earned numerous industry honors, including multiple HSMAI Gold Adrian Awards and Travel Weekly Magellan Awards. She currently serves on the board of the Penn Treaty Community Fund, a nonprofit foundation supporting communities across four Philadelphia neighborhoods, and holds a Bachelor of Communication from La Salle University.

Brian Winston

EVP, Sales and Marketing

Brian re-joined Highgate in April 2013, bringing to the company over 25 years of experience as a dynamic sales and marketing professional in the hotel and hospitality industry.

Brian came to Highgate from the Trump Hotel Collection, where he served as Vice President of Sales & Marketing and oversaw the company’s domestic and international sales and marketing growth, competing in the high-end luxury sector. Prior to Trump, Brian held senior sales and marketing positions with Highgate, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels Corporation and Westin Hotels & Resorts.

A native of Boston, Brian graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel Management.

Gopu Menon

EVP, Revenue & Distribution

Gopu Joined Highgate in 2007. As EVP of Revenue & Distribution he oversees Revenue Management Operations for Highgate Hotels. He has opened & set up several properties in new markets for Highgate.

Gopu recently relocated back to NY after a 5-year stint in UK/EU where he assisted in setting up Highgate’s London office & oversaw Revenue & Distribution for Highgate’s EU portfolio.

Gopu was awarded the coveted HSMAI Revenue Management Professional of the Year in recognition of exceptional contribution to the discipline in the year 2013.

Prior to joining Highgate, Gopu worked with the Taj Hotels, Resorts & Palaces. Gopu has a Bachelors Degree in Hospitality Administration form Welcomschool, Manipal.

Michael Quimbey

EVP, Accounting & Shared Services

As Executive Vice President of Operational Accounting and Shared Services, Michael is responsible for the strategic design and execution of Highgate’s hotel level accounting policies, financial statement preparation and operational reporting.

A hospitality and real estate finance veteran with more than 30 years of experience, Michael first joined Highgate in 2006 with responsibilities for an assigned group of hotels coordinating all financial aspects of acquisitions, divestitures, refinancings and financial reporting. He rejoined the firm in 2022 where he redesigned the accounting and finance structure and policies for Highgate’s Select Service portfolio creating increased effectiveness and efficiency. Michael has also held senior finance leadership roles at Prism Hotels & Resorts, Sam Moon Group, Solid Rock Asset Management and Wyndham International.

Michael holds a B.S. in Accounting from McPherson College and is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the state of Texas.

Dina WInder

EVP, Asset Management

Dina Winder brings 25+ years of experience in hospitality real estate with a demonstrated track record of driving superior results through active asset management and forging strategic partnerships. She is intensely focused on maximizing investor returns with an eye to the guest experience and executing value-add renovation and repositioning plans.

Dina is currently Executive Vice President, Asset Management at Highgate, a leading real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Dina was previously a Principal with Walton Street Capital in Chicago, focused on the asset management of $1+ billion of hotel and resort properties across the US. Prior to that, she held senior positions at Chartres Lodging Group and Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. Dina started her career Bear Stearns in the Real Estate, Gaming, Lodging and Leisure Group in New York.

Dina has a BS from Cornell University, an MBA from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and is a Certified Hotel Asset Manager (CHAM) designee. She is currently President of the Board of Directors of the Hospitality Asset Managers Association (HAMA), serves on AHLA’s ForWard Advisory Committee and is a committed champion of advancing women within the real estate and hospitality industry.

Judy Matz

Head of Programming & Partnerships, Lifestyle/Luxury

As the Head of Programming & Partnerships, for the Lifestyle/Luxury division, Judy oversees the strategy, development and curation of culturally relevant brand initiatives and events across Highgate’s luxury and lifestyle portfolio, leveraging her diverse expertise to craft compelling activation platforms that shape brand relevance.

Judy began her dynamic career at Condé Nast, working inhouse at the likes of GQ, Vanity Fair, W and Condé Nast Traveler, producing branded content and activations at The Academy Awards, Golden Globes, Art Basel Miami, Tribeca Film Festival, Global Citizen and SXSW. Prior to joining Highgate, Judy was the Executive Director of Global Programming at IMG Fashion Events, where she conceived and successfully launched, New York Fashion Week’s first cultural programming platform, anchored in design, music, art, wellness, travel and sustainability.

At IMG, she traveled the world with Etihad Airways, curating partnerships and events with luxury designers, including Oscar de la Renta’s first runway show in Sydney, Jimmy Choo’s 20th Anniversary celebration in New York & London and collaborations with Prabal Gurung for the Formula One Grand Prix and Moda Operandi & Diane Von Furstenberg at the Louvre in Abu Dhabi.

Megann Samperisi

Marketing Director

As Marketing Director at Highgate, Megann implements success-driven strategies within the luxury and lifestyle portfolio, geared towards building optimal brand awareness and driving market share.

Over the past 10 years, Megann has built extensive knowledge of branding, programming, and marketing for the unique needs of luxury hospitality. Gaining notoriety with Sydell Group’s NoMad Hotels, Megann helped to develop holistic brand expression through the brand’s pioneering F&B, events, and activations. Joining LDV Hospitality in 2021, Megann specialized in pre-opening strategy on behalf of multiple ownership interests and hotel partners globally – helping to break LDV’s signature brands into international markets in Europe, Middle East and Asia. In between, she has produced community-driven marketing initiatives for accoladed restaurant brands in partnership with LVMH and American Express.

Liz Woodson

Marketing Director

As Marketing Director, Luxury Lifestyle, Liz Woodson leads the creation of distinctive brand platforms and go-to-market strategies across Highgate’s luxury lifestyle portfolio. She brings a strong foundation in editorial storytelling and global brand-building, shaped by more than a decade working at the intersection of travel, hospitality, and culture.

Liz began her career in New York at Travel + Leisure, where she oversaw hotel and wellness coverage, managed the World’s Best Awards and T+L 500, and launched the annual It List. Her work has also appeared in The New York Times, Vogue, Architectural Digest, and Departures.

Her path then transitioned into brand management with Four Seasons, Six Senses, Aman, and Canyon Ranch across Bangkok, Los Angeles, Dubai, and Dallas. Most recently, she served on Hyatt’s luxury and lifestyle brand team, driving major rebrand initiatives and stewarding the global expansion of Alila.

At Highgate, Liz applies her editorial rigor and cultural fluency to craft impactful, insight-driven marketing programs that elevate the luxury lifestyle portfolio.

Callie Peck

Creative Director

As The Studio’s Creative Director, Callie Peck has built a sustainable creative agency with a team of hospitality-minded creatives. Her rounded expertise encompasses creative and brand strategy, art and copy, technology and interactive, content direction and advertising, with over 14 years of hospitality focus. At Highgate, she drives creative branding, repositioning and concept development, including the creation and development of Highgate’s first brand, Romer Neighborhood Hotels — which launched in 2023 in NYC and Honolulu.

For over a decade, Callie built and led the creative team at Sideways, one of the country’s most noted hospitality creative agencies. She personally led and oversaw each of the agency’s nearly 100 multidisciplinary projects, her clients have included prominent lifestyle brands and groups such as Equinox Hotels, Sydell Group’s Freehand, The Line and The Saguaro, SBE’s SLS Hotels, Hyde Hotels, Moxy Hotels, Thompson Hotels, and JDV Hotels.

Caroline Gompers

Creative Producer

At Highgate, Caroline is the creative producer of The Studio, providing leadership, strategic vision, and a commitment to the marketing of Highgate’s properties. She brings an agency mindset to Highgate, managing a team of creatives and the team’s day to day project deliverables to deliver campaigns, photos, video, websites, brand identities and marketing strategies.

With 10 years of working in project management and production, Caroline has been instrumental in guiding creative departments and projects throughout the entire brand life cycle across various industries. From corporate and experiential events to hospitality and residential branding, she has managed teams, vendors, projects, budgets, and deadlines for major brands including Moxy Hotels, SH Hotels, The Corcoran Group, Diageo, PepsiCo, HBO, Google, and CoverGirl.

Caroline graduated from the University of Tennessee with a B.S. in Journalism and Film.

Kaizad Charna

EVP, Operations

Born and raised into a hotel family, Kaizad is a results-driven executive leader with over a twenty-year record of success in leading multi-brand hotel operations. Kaizad has extensive experience in the hospitality industry, having worked within the Marriott’s Autograph Collection and Hilton Family of Brands as General Manager for hotels including Hilton, Doubletree, Hilton Garden Inn, and Hampton Inn for nearly 11 years. During his time on property, Kaizad was recognized for his outstanding leadership and performance, receiving multiple awards including “General Manager of the Year.”

Kaizad was then promoted to Area Managing director, and further to VP of Operations overseeing all operations of multiple New York City Hotels within Highgate’s portfolio. Kaizad also serves as a Board Member on the Hotel Association of New York and is also on the Executive Committee.

Today, Kaizad serves as EVP of Operations overseeing a subset of Highgate hotels across the country. Kaizad is a graduate of the Swiss Hotel Management School, “Les Roches”

Hugo Desenzani

EVP, Operations & Luxury

Hugo joins Highgate with a distinguished track record as a transformational leader in global hospitality. Most recently, he served as Regional Vice President of Luxury for the Caribbean and Latin America at Marriott International, where he oversaw an elite portfolio of 54 operating hotels and 40 pipeline projects. His scope included some of the world’s most iconic luxury brands, including The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, EDITION, W Hotels, The Luxury Collection, and Bulgari. As a member of Marriott’s senior leadership team, he played a central role in shaping strategy and driving performance across one of the organization’s most dynamic regions and brands.

Recognized for his visionary leadership and disciplined execution, Hugo has consistently delivered exceptional results across diverse global platforms. His career has been defined by the ability to elevate brands, strengthen asset performance, and deliver world-class guest experiences that set new standards in luxury hospitality.

Prior to Marriott, Hugo served as Chief Executive Officer of Urbanova, one of Latin America’s leading real estate groups and the largest owner of Marriott-branded hotels in South America. Earlier in his career, he held senior leadership roles including Vice President of Hotel Development at Marriott International and Chief Business Development Officer at Atton Hotels, where he was instrumental in building a leading business hotel platform later acquired by Accor. His experience spans hospitality, real estate, and consumer sectors across multiple global markets.

A strong advocate for lifelong learning and leadership development, Hugo holds degrees from Les Roches International School of Hotel Management, Endicott College, and New York University, and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Merav Segev

SVP, Operations

Merav Segev serves as Highgate’s Senior Vice President of Operations, supporting Highgate’s New York City hotels which consists of a variety of full-service branded and independent hotels. Merav joined Highgate in 2008 as the Hotel Manager of the Embassy Suites Battery Park. During her 15-year tenure with the organization, she has been continuously recognized for her successful leadership approach and has advanced to various executive leadership positions, including General Manager of both NYLO Hotel and Doubletree Metropolitan, Area Director of Operations, Vice President of Operations and most recently Senior Vice President of Operations – which she has served as since 2020. In 2013, during her tenure at DoubleTree Hotel, Merav was the recipient of the “General Manager of the Year Award” for Highgate.

Prior to joining Highgate, Merav worked at prestigious New York City hotels such as The Waldorf Astoria, Lowes Hotels and Westin Times Square. Merav is on the Executive Board of Directors for the Hotel Association of New York City. Originally from Israel, and a New York resident for the past 25 years, Merav has a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Haifa University and holds a Masters Degree in Hotel Management from New York University.

Keith Shopnick

SVP, Operations

Keith Shopnick joined Highgate in 2019 as Managing Director for the Westin Las Vegas Hotel & Spa and now serves as SVP of Operations with performance oversight of the Central and West portfolio. Prior to joining Highgate, Keith spent 17 years with Winegardner & Hammons, Inc. where he opened three newly built Marriott properties and navigated two brand conversions in Assistant and General Manager positions. Keith then worked with White Lodging serving as General Manager for the Westin Austin Domain, Resident Manager for the 1,005-room JW Marriott Indianapolis and General Manager for the Teaneck Marriott. Subsequently, Keith repositioned the 650-room Indianapolis Marriott Downtown through a $45M renovation, while implementing a Marriott Complex sales initiative covering 2,276 guestrooms and 150,000 square feet of combined meeting space.

Keith has been recognized with the General Manager of the Year Award, Acquisition GM of the Year Award, and was a recipient of the Chairman’s Award for his accomplishments.

Eric Au

SVP, Engineering & Sustainability

As Senior Vice President of Engineering & Sustainability, Eric Au leads enterprise engineering and sustainability strategy across Highgate’s portfolio, driving operational excellence, brand consistency, and long-term asset performance. He oversees standards, governance, training, and sustainability initiatives that enhance efficiency, strengthen operational resilience, and reduce environmental impact across diverse properties.

With more than 30 years of engineering leadership experience, Eric has successfully directed complex engineering programs spanning development, capital planning, operations, preventative maintenance, and continuous improvement in multinational environments. He is recognized for delivering measurable results, solving complex technical challenges, and implementing scalable processes that elevate property performance portfolio-wide.

Eric holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Physics, with a minor in Mathematics, from Oregon State University. He is also certified by the Association of Energy Engineers as a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and Certified Demand-Side Management Professional (CDSM).

Tony Maness

EVP Operations, InnVentures

Tony is a select service operations veteran who brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role. He joined the Aimbridge team in 2012 and demonstrated exceptional leadership skills while leading Channel Point Hospitality and overseeing the THL (aka Prime) portfolio, which Highgate took over in early 2021. Throughout his remarkable 30-year career in the hospitality industry, Tony has consistently exhibited a commitment to operational excellence, and the building of best-in-class operating teams.

Prior to his tenure with Aimbridge, Tony served as the Executive Vice President of Operations for Jameson Brands at Park Management Group L.L.C. Tony’s journey in the hospitality industry began at the ground level as a line-level employee at Holiday Inns, Inc., and he steadily ascended to corporate and executive positions at several leading select service platforms, including Holiday Inns, Inc., Equity Inns/McNeill Hospitality Corporation, Winfield Hospitality, and Jameson Inns.

Jason Gold

SVP, Business Development

Jason joined Highgate in 2020 and brings to Highgate a wealth of industry-related experience, having most recently spent over two years with Crescent Hotels & Resorts, as the Senior Vice President of Business Development, leading the business development team and personally generating over $200M in new revenue under management, with a focus on premium full service, branded and lifestyle hotels.

Prior to Crescent, Jason spent over six years as Vice President of Acquisitions & Business Development for Two Roads Hospitality (formerly Destination Hotels & Resorts), the then largest operator of independent hotels & resorts in North America, where he was instrumental in strategically developing and expanding growth within the Two Roads portfolio before the subsequent sale to Hyatt Hotels & Resorts.

Jason also worked for Denihan Hospitality Group as Director of Acquisitions & Development and was involved in the acquisition and subsequent growth of the James brand in New York City and Miami. Jason has also held positions with Lehman Brothers and PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York City.

For Business Development opportunities, contact Jason at:

[email protected]

Matt Wechsler

SVP, Acquisitions and Development

Matt joined Highgate in 2011 and is adept at underwriting and analyzing complex portfolios, seasonal resorts, lifestyle urban hotels, and mixed-use developments. He joined Highgate after a successful career as a Senior Analyst with Rockbridge during their peak hotel investment period and began his career with Choice Hotels.

Matt is a graduate of Michigan State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Real Estate and Development.

[email protected]

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