Deloitte Integrates Boutique Consultancy Firm ‘Planet Hotels’

10 October 2017 – Expansión

The professional services firm Deloitte is consolidating its presence in the market for hotel transaction advice with the incorporation into the group of the boutique consultancy firm ‘Planet Hotels’. In this way, it is taking advantage of the good times that the tourist sector is enjoying; it has seen record numbers of international visitors for the last eight years and investor appetite for these assets continues.

The Planet Hotels team joining Deloitte is led by África Palau (pictured above, centre) and Marc Molas (pictured above, right), and has more than 15 years experience in the tourism and hotel sectors. Specifically, this boutique consultancy firm specialises in hotel transactions; searching for hotel operators for hotel owners; and managing hotel assets. The employees of Planet Hotels will be integrated into Deloitte’s Financial Advisory team, comprising 500 professionals, more than 30 partners and with a presence in 20 offices all over Spain.

The area is divided into two main blocks, one specialising in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and the other providing services for crisis situations. Similarly, this division renders its services with an approach of specialising by industry, with the objective of providing advice that reflects sector reality and the needs of its clients.

In terms of the professional profile of the new joiners, Palau holds a degree in Economics and Business and has completed a Corporate Finance training program at the Instituto de Empresa. She has 29 years of experience as a senior manager of hotel companies and in processes involving investment and divestment operations, as well as advising on contracts for the leasing, management and franchising of hotel projects.

Meanwhile, Molas holds a degree in Economics and has 15 years of experience advising on investment and divestment transactions in the hotel sector. Molas has also led hotel projects in Spain, Eastern Europe, South America, Central America and the Middle East.

Some of the major corporate operations advised by the new team to join Deloitte include the sales of Hotel Leonardo Gran Atlanta (Madrid), Hotel Ilunion Málaga (Málaga), Hotel Barceló Lanzarote (Lanzarote) and Hotel Pestana Barcelona, as well as the search for and selection of operators for Hotel Vincci Mercat (Valencia) and Hotel Ilunion Bilbao (Bilbao). They also led the search for a franchise agreement for Hotel BW Urdanibia Park (Irún).

Investment

The tourist boom and upturn in the real estate sector have facilitated record years of asset purchases in Spain. Last year, investment in the hotel segment amounted to €2,145 million, up by 17%, according to Deloitte España’s Hotel Property Handbook. This year, investment volumes are also expected to exceed €2,000 million.

Original story: Expansión (by R. Arroyo)

Translation: Carmel Drake