London and Regional Announces Strategic Transformation and a Vertically Integrated Operating Platform Amid Global Growth
Privately held investment firm consolidates business verticals and unveils new hospitality operating platform as part of ambitious global growth strategy aimed at scalable, programmatic partnerships built on “unmatched alignment”
London and Regional transforms into L+R with new unified platform and launches Iconic Hotels & Resorts operating company with veteran Shan Kanagasingham as COO.
London – London and Regional, the privately held global investment firm with a £10bn+ wholly-owned RE portfolio and 30+ year track record of success, today announced its transformation into a unified platform: L+R. The new corporate identity brings the firm’s four distinct verticals: Hotels, Commercial Real Estate, Private Credit, and Ventures under a single brand, aligning the organisation for its next phase of growth.
L+R aims to further establish itself as a uniquely positioned sector specialist and disrupt the traditional GP/operating partner model. The firm offers prospective capital partners a vertically integrated operating platform underpinned by “unmatched alignment of interest”. This alignment is demonstrated through L+R’s unique willingness and ability to invest significant equity - well in excess of industry standard GP/operating partner norms - alongside its partners in scalable, thematic investment strategies.
This is an exciting new chapter for L+R as we continue to grow our family office business with an enhanced sector specialist investment and operating platform and expanded third party capital relationships. Our core ethos of disciplined investing of our own capital will always remain fundamental to our approach and we look forward to exploring new partnerships built on true alignment and shared principles. Ian Livingstone, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of L+R
As part of this transformation, L+R is launching Iconic Hotels & Resorts, created through the merger of Iconic Luxury Hotels and L&R Hotels. Iconic will serve as L+R’s dedicated, fully integrated operating platform, responsible for supporting acquisition DD/UW, platform creation and managing and enhancing the value of L+R’s owned global hotel portfolio. Iconic Hotels & Resorts already operates across 5 countries, with numerous landmark urban hotels and resorts including Excelsior Venice Lido (Italy), Nobu Portman Square (London), Marriott Brussels Grand Place, Palm House (Palm Beach) and Cliveden House (U.K.). The company will focus on delivering elevated guest experiences and best-in-class, owner-aligned performance underpinned by a next-generation, data-driven in-house Commercial platform.
As part of this launch, Iconic Hotels & Resorts is unveiling its new global HQ located in the heart of central London, comprising over 7,000 square feet of innovative workspace. The HQ unites nearly 100 in-house experts across Commercial, Operations, F&B, IT, and HR along with an expansive, new in-house interior design studio and project management division.
Atlas Hotels, L+R’s market-leading select service platform and largest Holiday Inn Express franchisee in Europe, will continue to be operated on a stand-alone basis by the 75-person strong team, led by CEO Sean Lowe, based in Leicester, U.K.
Significant investments have also been made across L+R and Iconic Hotels & Resorts to create an industry leading tech stack including new distribution architecture, business intelligence, accounting, treasury, procurement, payroll and labour management.
To help lead the platform, L+R has appointed Shan Kanagasingham as Chief Operating Officer of Iconic Hotels & Resorts. With over 30 years of global experience, Kanagasingham is a renowned hospitality leader with a long track record of scaling high-end, experiential hotel brands, properties and platforms around the world. Most recently Shan spearheaded the remarkable growth of Auberge Resorts Collection from just 7 properties to 40 open and under development globally.
In this role, Kanagasingham will oversee operations across the global platform and lead implementation of Iconic Hotels & Resorts’ guest-experience and value-creation strategies, working closely with L+R’s leadership and capital partners.
We have a truly unique opportunity with the repositioned L+R and Iconic to offer institutional investors access to our sector-focused expertise across multiple geographies and asset classes. We will seek to forge new strategic partnerships based on unrivalled alignment of interest compared to traditional industry models. The launch of our new, Central London-based, Iconic Hotels & Resorts, together with the appointment of prominent industry veteran Shan Kanagasingham, follows a transformative year of investment in our new headquarters, people, systems, and strategy. These milestones mark the beginning of an ambitious new chapter as we position Iconic to become a leading global operator and trusted partner to major owners and investors around the world. Cody Bradshaw, CEO - Hotels at L+R
This rare combination of L+R’s access to significant discretionary capital, coupled with its market-leading platforms and “owner-operator mindset”, uniquely positions the group to become the programmatic “partner of choice” for major institutional investors seeking direct access to opportunities across the international hospitality landscape.
The transformation reflects L+R’s focus on building scalable platforms that combine investment capability with operational execution. By unifying under one brand and structure, L+R is strengthening coordination across acquisitions, asset management, development and operating expertise to support growth and long-term value creation across the numerous geographies and asset classes where the firm has established itself as a leading sector specialist with over three decades of experience and proven track record.
About Iconic Luxury Hotels
Iconic Luxury Hotels was founded in December 2016 and is part of L+R Hotels (landrhotels.com) - a highly motivated family-owned global hotel investment and management company - who have an extensive portfolio of over 105 hotels, with approximately 21,000 bedrooms. Iconic Luxury Hotels is an expanding collection with an international focus. The collection is comprised of an eclectic array of properties each of which celebrates distinct architecture, cultural heritage, and natural surroundings.
Each property has its own character, traditions, and stories but they share a common commitment to delivering outstanding experiences. The current portfolio includes some of the world's most famous hotels from Cliveden House, one of England's finest country estates, to the Hotel Excelsior in Italy which is the home of the Venice International Film Festival. The other UK hotels are comprised of Chewton Glen an English estate on the South Coast, The Lygon Arms a 14th Century Coaching Inn in the Cotswolds, 11 Cadogan Gardens in Chelsea, one of London's most prestigious residential areas and The Mayfair Townhouse, London which opened in December 2020.
Media Contact
Natalie Bigbie-Berry
Communications Manager, Iconic Hotels & Resorts [email protected]