Starwood International CEO

New York, New York

Barry Sternlicht was just 36 when his young Starwood Lodging Trust outbid Hilton Hotels Corp. to acquire ITT Corp., which at the time included Sheraton Hotels, for $10.2B.

Since then, the 56-year-old hotel mogul has emerged as a titan of hotels and commercial real estate in general. He is known for closing marquee deals. He is credited with creating the W hotel brand, one of the most successful boutique brands in recent decades. In 2015, Starwood Hotels & Resorts sold for a record price of more than $2M per room. And in 2016, Sternlicht’s firm acquired a 23,000-unit residential portfolio from Equity Residential for $5.4B. — Scott Klocksin