Global professional services firm, Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), today announces the combination of Wallgate Group, a hospitality and leisure real estate asset management firm, into its EMEA-wide Travel, Hospitality and Leisure (THL) sector Practice, as it continues to expand its service offering in the sector. 

Wallgate has long been synonymous with delivering value for its clients, which include investors and real estate lenders, through an integrated asset management approach across the investment lifecycle. The firm works with clients on solutions for their portfolios and assets including business plan development, financing, capital expenditure, operational enhancement, and exit planning and execution.

As part of the move, Wallgate’s founder, Rob Gray, joins A&M as a Managing Director, bringing more than two decades of experience in the hospitality and leisure sector advising on operations, corporate finance, lending, restructuring and private equity transactions. He founded Wallgate in 2019, having led the European hospitality & leisure team at Hudson Advisors, the asset-management branch of Lone Star funds, for five years. 

The collaboration between A&M and Wallgate brings together a unique proposition for clients that is unrivalled in the market. The specialist asset management team will be fully integrated into A&M’s existing work for Travel, Hospitality and Leisure clients, covering transactions and due diligence, tax, debt advisory, corporate transformation, and restructuring, allowing them to provide holistic advice. 

In addition to Mr. Gray, the Wallgate team brings significant experience to A&M, with Timothy Jones and Matthieu Boucher joining as a Senior Director and Associate respectively. Mr. Jones has over 15 years’ experience and specialises in hospitality asset management and underwriting for private equity and institutional owners. He spent two years at Wallgate Group and, prior to this, seven years with Hudson Advisors. Mr. Boucher has a diverse background in asset management, with previous roles at hotel management firms Starwood Hotels, Mandarin Oriental, and Yotel. Before joining Wallgate Group, he served as an asset manager for an Italian hotel management and development advisory firm. 

Ed Bignold, Managing Director and Head of the Travel, Hospitality and Leisure Practice, EMEA, said: "Our collaboration with Wallgate brings a new capability to our Travel, Hospitality and Leisure team, enriching the value we’re able to deliver to clients through real-estate asset management, in addition to our existing suite of services. As a firm, it is in our DNA to deliver real operational change for our clients and this expansion means we can provide that across assets and portfolios.”

Rob Gray, Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal, said, "In recent years, hospitality real estate has transitioned from being an ‘alternative’ investment to a fully-fledged asset class, underscored by the sector’s strong rebound from the pandemic and significant levels of investment. However, a tougher macroeconomic environment, with rising inflation, interest rates and debt costs, calls for operational expertise and smart management strategies.''

“This exciting new collaboration between A&M and Wallgate means we are well-positioned to help clients address these complex challenges. By leveraging our combined experience, we are able to provide hands-on, holistic advice for travel, hospitality and leisure companies across Europe."