Barry Sternlicht

Barry Sternlicht
Born	(1960-11-27) November 27, 1960 New York City, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Businessman, investor
Years active	1980s–present
Known for	Co-founder, chairman and CEO of Starwood Capital Group; founder of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide

Barry Stuart Sternlicht (born November 27, 1960) is an American billionaire and co-founder of Starwood Capital Group alongside Bob Faith. He holds the positions of chairman and CEO at this investment firm, which oversees assets exceeding $100 billion. Additionally, he serves as chairman of Starwood Property Trust. Sternlicht established Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, where he acted as Chairman and CEO from 1995 until 2005. As of May 2023, his net worth was approximated at $4.6 billion.

His board memberships include Estée Lauder Companies, The Business Council, the Real Estate Roundtable, the Robin Hood Foundation, Dreamland Community Theatre, and the National Leadership Advocacy Program of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Previously, Sternlicht served on the boards of the Pension Real Estate Association, RH (company), Invitation Homes, Tri Pointe Homes, and was a trustee at Brown University.

His approach to leadership has been described as "intense and impetuous."

Early life

Born in New York City in 1960, Sternlicht grew up in Stamford, Connecticut. His father, Maurycy “Mark” Sternlicht, was a Holocaust survivor from Poland who worked as a plant manager. His mother, Harriet, was both a biology teacher and a stockbroker. Sternlicht graduated magna cum laude from Brown University in 1982 before starting his professional journey as an arbitrage trader on Wall Street. He later earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1986.

Career

Following his graduation from Harvard, Sternlicht joined JMB Realty in Chicago but was laid off in 1989 amid the recession and the savings and loan crisis. At age 31 in 1991, he partnered with Bob Faith to launch Starwood Capital Group, focusing on acquiring apartment complexes sold by the Resolution Trust Corporation. They raised $20 million from leading New York families. By 1993, Sternlicht contributed this portfolio to Sam Zell's Equity Residential in exchange for a 20% ownership stake.

In 1994, Sternlicht orchestrated Starwood’s $561 million purchase of Westin Hotels & Resorts with backing from Goldman Sachs. The next year, he acquired the struggling Hotel Investors Trust and assumed the role of CEO. In 1997, Starwood outbid Hilton Worldwide to acquire Sheraton Hotels and Resorts for $13.3 billion. Sternlicht introduced innovations such as the W Hotels brand and developed the Westin Heavenly Bed, significantly improving guest comfort and setting new standards for brand distinction.

Outside of real estate, Sternlicht invests via his family office, JAWS Capital, which has initiated three SPACs aimed at exploring new business ventures.

Awards

In 1998, he was honored with the Golden Plate Award by the American Academy of Achievement.

Institutional Investor magazine named him "America’s Best Lodging CEO" in 2004.

In 2005, Sternlicht was inducted into the Interior Design Magazine Hall of Fame.

He received dual accolades in 2010 from Commercial Property Executive as "Executive of the Year" and "Investor of the Year."

In 2015, he earned the Cornell Icon of the Industry Award recognizing his significant contributions to hospitality, real estate, global commerce, and philanthropy.

Personal life

Sternlicht was previously married to Mimi (née Reichert) Sternlicht, whom he met during their time at Brown University; the couple divorced in 2016. That same year, he moved his residence to Florida.

Wealth

Forbes estimates Sternlicht’s net worth at approximately $4.4 billion, placing him at number 260 on the Forbes 400 list.

Philanthropy

In 2007, Sternlicht and his then-wife Mimi contributed $1 million to the Harvard Stem Cell Institute to advance research on diabetes.

In 2024, Sternlicht halted his financial support to Brown University after the institution approved a board resolution responding to student protests calling for divestment from companies engaged with Israel following the October 2023 Hamas attacks and Israel’s military response. He criticized the demonstrators for lacking both "facts and moral clarity."

Political contributions

Though Sternlicht has traditionally aligned with the Republican Party, he now describes his political stance as independent. He identifies as a "self-described friend and golf partner" of Donald Trump but expressed disappointment that Trump did not adopt more centrist policies during his presidency. In 2008, Sternlicht contributed to both Hillary Clinton’s and Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns. He donated $70,800 to Mitt Romney’s 2012 campaign and gave $125,000 in 2016 to Right to Rise, supporting Jeb Bush’s bid for president.

In a 2020 interview, Sternlicht described himself as "an independent," socially liberal and fiscally conservative, affirming that while capitalism is the most effective system of governance, it requires regulation.

After Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Sternlicht instructed a staff member to create a WhatsApp group comprising leading U.S. business figures aimed at "changing the narrative" in favor of Israel and shaping American public opinion. The group expanded to around 100 participants before disbanding in May 2024. Notable members included former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, Dell founder Michael Dell, Kind founder Daniel Lubetzky, hedge fund managers Daniel Loeb and Bill Ackman, billionaire Len Blavatnik, real estate investor Joseph Sitt, Thrive Capital founder Joshua Kushner, and Cypriot-Israeli billionaire Yakir Gabay.

This network worked closely with Israeli officials such as former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, war cabinet member Benny Gantz, and Ambassador Michael Herzog. In April 2024, they conducted a video conference with New York City Mayor Eric Adams to encourage Columbia University’s administration to permit police intervention against pro-Palestinian demonstrations opposing Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The discussion also covered potential political contributions to Mayor Adams.