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James Francque
Global Head of Transactions at Hyatt Hotels Corporation
James Francque is a seasoned executive in the hospitality industry, currently serving as the Global Head of Transactions at Hyatt Hotels Corporation, a position he has held since February 2018.1 In this role, he is responsible for implementing Hyatt's overall capital strategy on a global scale, which includes overseeing strategic investments, mergers and acquisitions, hotel acquisitions and dispositions, and related transactional activities.1
Career Progression
Francque's career at Hyatt Hotels Corporation has been marked by several key positions:
- Global Head of Transactions (February 2018 - Present)
- Senior Vice President, Capital Strategy & Head of Hyatt Residential (October 2014 - February 2018)
- Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel (July 2011 - October 2014)
Prior to joining Hyatt, Francque was a partner at the international law firm Jones Day from September 1996 to June 2011, where he specialized in real estate practice.1
Responsibilities and Contributions
At Hyatt, Francque is a member of both the Development Committee and the Asset Management Committee.1 His role involves:
- Implementing overall capital strategy globally
- Overseeing strategic investments and mergers and acquisitions
- Managing hotel acquisitions and dispositions
- Supervising related transactional activities
In his previous role as Senior Vice President, Capital Strategy & Head of Hyatt Residential, he was responsible for supporting the implementation of Hyatt's capital strategy and overseeing Hyatt's residential projects.1
Industry Involvement
Francque is a frequent speaker at major hospitality industry events, including:
- Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS)
- NYU Hospitality Conference
- Urban Land Institute (ULI) meetings
- Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) in Hong Kong
He is also a member of the Executive Planning Committee for the NYU Hospitality Conference.1
Education
- Loyola University Chicago School of Law: JD (1993 - 1996)
- Northern Illinois University: B.S. in Political Science (1987 - 1991)1
Personal
James Francque is involved with several charitable organizations, including Misericordia, which serves more than 600 disabled children and adults.1
Highlights
It’s official: Hyatt has exceeded our $2 billion asset-disposition goal set in 2021, with the sale of Hyatt Regency Orlando – with plans for a new Grand Hyatt hotel next door. This milestone transaction represents the largest single-asset sale in Hyatt history and underscores our commitment to our capital allocation strategy.
In addition to thanking the principals of RIDA Development Corporation and Ares Management Corporation, I would also like to thank our fantastic Hyatt team members who worked tirelessly on the transaction: Michele Haynes, Joshua Lin, Karrie Dowd, Rob D. and many others, and the exceptional deal team at Latham & Watkins: Rachel Bates, Rebekah Biddle, and Chris McAdam. #inahyattworld
https://lnkd.in/dSqt3Qii
Last week I had the pleasure of participating in a panel at the 2024 American-Turkish Conference in Washington D.C, to discuss tourism in Türkiye, and meeting Ambassador Jeffrey Flake and Ambassador Sedat Önal. Thank you to the Türkiye -U.S. Business Council, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Khursheed (Khush) Choksy, and my fellow panelists, including Eryigit Umur, Fatih Durmaz, Faith M., and Hakan Ozakbas!
