Harunori Takahashi
Harunori Takahashi | |
|---|---|
| Born | Near Nagasaki, Japan |
| Died | Error: Need valid birth date (second date): year, month, day Tokyo, Japan |
| Occupation(s) | Real estate entrepreneur, chief executive |
| Years active | Until 2005 |
| Known for | CEO of EIE International Corp; development of Regent Hotels & Resorts properties |
| Notable work | Development of The Regent New York hotel |
was a Japanese billionaire real estate entrepreneur and the chief executive of EIE International Corp.
Early life
Originating from a distinguished family near Nagasaki, Harunori Takahashi was a descendant of a Prime Minister from the pre-war era. His father, Yoshiharu Takahashi, played a crucial role in rescuing EIE from financial collapse in June 1975.
Career
At the helm of the privately held EIE International Corp, Takahashi oversaw a real estate empire valued at one trillion yen at its height.
In 1986, EIE acquired a 35% ownership interest in Regent Hotels & Resorts. By 1989, Takahashi initiated the development of The Regent New York located on 57th Street, with architectural design by I. M. Pei. A 1991 profile in the New York Times likened him to Donald Trump, describing him as a bold developer known for aggressive acquisitions while managing $6 billion in precarious debt.
Takahashi's extensive portfolio once comprised Regent and Hyatt hotels throughout Asia, a floating hotel situated in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City, partial ownership of Australia's Bond University, properties on Denarau Island in Fiji, and ambitious proposals for constructing a thousand-mile railway in Australia.
In 1992, EIE divested Regent to Four Seasons Hotels, with the New York property subsequently reopening as the Four Seasons Hotel New York.
Personal life
He was married to Aki Takahashi and fathered two children: Ichiro Takahashi and Makiko Komai.
Takahashi passed away on 18 July 2005 in Tokyo at the age of 59 due to a brain hemorrhage.