LOS ANGELES—Proper Hospitality has appointed industry veteran Arash Azarbarzin as president and COO.
A leader with executive and management experience at luxury brands such as St. Regis and Four Seasons, and who was instrumental in the establishment of the W Hotels & Resorts brand, Azarbarzin was also a founding member of sbe Hotel Group, where he served as president for the last 12 years. In his role, he led the creation and expansion of fully integrated hospitality concepts including SLS Hotels; Hyde Hotels, Resorts & Residences; and Redbury Hotels.
“I have known and watched Arash grow over the last 12 years, and have been consistently impressed with his ability to develop brands that resonate with a discerning international audience,” said Brad Korzen, co-founder and CEO of Proper Hospitality.
“We are thrilled to have Arash join us as our partner and have him lead all aspects of operations for our hospitality division,” added Brian De Lowe, co-founder and president of Proper Hospitality.
Azarbarzin’s appointment comes at a crucial time in the company’s development. Over the last two years, Proper Hospitality has taken over management of the Avalon Hotels in Beverly Hills and Palm Springs, CA; opened the first of its eponymously named properties, Hollywood Proper Residences; and assembled a team of seasoned hospitality professionals to fuel the company’s future growth.
He will oversee both the Avalon and Proper brands and will be principally responsible for the launches of Hollywood Proper Residence’s F&B venues; San Francisco Proper Hotel; Downtown LA Proper Hotel; Santa Monica Proper Hotel; and Austin Proper Hotel & Residences, all of which are scheduled to open within the next 18 months.
“Brad, Brian and Alex have created and grown world-class hospitality brands before. They know what it takes to be successful and are absolutely committed to doing it again, and even better,” said Azarbarzin. “They already had a great team and a robust pipeline in place when I joined. It will be my job to help them fully realize their vision for the Proper and Avalon brands.”