Starwood Capital Group, a global private investment firm with a primary focus on real estate, today announced the launch of Starwood Impact Investors (“SII”), a return-driven strategy that seeks to invest in real estate opportunities controlled by women and diverse owners and operators across the United States.
SII is a platform that aims to empower underrepresented partners in the real estate industry by providing them with access to capital. Starwood Capital, through this initiative, is looking to expand its network of operating partners through a mix of joint ventures with established firms and direct investments in emerging companies. The capital for these investments will come from the firm’s existing investment vehicles and will be made across asset types.
“The underrepresentation of women and diverse-owned real estate firms in the market is a significant issue. At Starwood Capital, we believe that expanding the spectrum of representation will uncover valuable investment opportunities that may have gone unnoticed before. By providing more funding and resources to these partners, we aim to address the significant wealth disparity in the built environment,” said Jeff Dishner, President of Starwood Capital.
“This initiative is a reflection of our commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG) values and our desire to make a positive impact on our community. It also aligns with our ongoing objective to promote diversity within our industry,” said Barry Sternlicht, Chairman and CEO of Starwood Capital.
SII, headed by Managing Director Bakari Adams and a dedicated team, is designed to identify and capitalize on promising opportunities in the commercial real estate sector. In addition to working with senior investment and operating professionals within Starwood Capital, SII will also establish impactful partnerships with organizations focused on educational and talent development. This will help to attract a diverse range of talent to the industry. Mr. Adams, through his role at Starwood Capital, will provide access to a wealth of resources, including a network of capital markets, service providers, brokers, and industry experts. Prior to joining Starwood Capital in August 2022, Mr. Adams held a leadership role at real estate private equity firm Interstate Equities Corporation, overseeing Asset Management, Capital Construction, and ESG.
“I am honored to lead Starwood Impact Investors and to collaborate with the broader Starwood Capital team and our partners on this important initiative,” said Mr. Adams. “Together, we will work to address the systemic barriers in our industry by providing investment capital and expanding the talent pool.”
About Starwood Capital Group
Starwood Capital Group is a private investment firm with a core focus on global real estate. The Firm and its affiliates maintain 16 offices in seven countries around the world, and currently have approximately 4,500 employees. Since its inception in 1991, Starwood Capital Group has raised over $70 billion of capital, and currently has approximately $120 billion of assets under management. Through a series of comingled opportunity funds and Starwood Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. (SREIT), a non-listed REIT, the Firm has invested in virtually every category of real estate on a global basis, opportunistically shifting asset classes, geographies and positions in the capital stack as it perceives risk/reward dynamics to be evolving. Starwood Capital also manages Starwood Property Trust (NYSE: STWD), the largest commercial mortgage real estate investment trust in the United States, which has successfully deployed over $91 billion of capital since inception and manages a portfolio of $27 billion across debt and equity investments. Over the past 31 years, Starwood Capital Group and its affiliates have successfully executed an investment strategy that involves building enterprises in both the private and public markets. Additional information can be found at starwoodcapital.com.
