Investment den out to spot new talent

He said that as many projects have been sidelined in a swift response to the current market cycle, industry players must be careful to keep an eye on the future. He said that this is a good opportunity to use a mixture of experience, innovation and instinct in identifying, and backing, projects with a real difference.

"We believe that the mood of 2009 provides a wonderful opportunity for investors, developers and operators to take a fresh look at the criteria for competitiveness. Future development is a topic that deserves its own stage and we have designed an Investment Den concept,"

said Worsley.

The new session is scheduled on the opening day of this year's conference (May 2) and provides a window to the equity capital-raising process. It places developers in need of financing in front of investors looking for the ultimate investment opportunity.

"The Investment Den will give a pre-selected group of developers the opportunity to pitch their projects to our expert panel of judges, made up of legacy industry investment advisors.

"This will allow investors to get the inside track on some of the most innovative and exciting large scale developments from around the world, such as the Caribbean's most ambitious development to date from Baha Mar Resorts, as well as luxury resort projects in the Mediterranean," he said.

The short-listed projects include: Brisa De Atalia, tipped as a new generation year-round resort in Brasil and Toscan, said to be Europe's most luxurious resort from Eblana Hotels & Resorts, in Tuscany. Miltos Kambourides, CEO of Dolphin Capital Partners will also be on hand to present co-investment opportunities with his Athens-based group.

Worsley said that on the flip side, the panel will offer no holds barred inside tips on what they expect from developers in capital raising pitch.

"I'm looking forward to hosting this new interactive panel. It should give delegates some unique insights into how investment pitches work," said Richard Stockton, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley.

"The panelists will be candid in assessing the opportunities, and equally the developers will get to choose their ideal capital partner. With capital scarce, investors need to bring to the table not only their money but their expertise and insights."

The AHIC Investment Den will be hosted by Stockton, and the panel will include: Frank Croston, Partner, Hamilton Hotel Partners, Hala Matar Choufany, Managing Director, HVS Global Hospitality Services - Dubai, Marwan Shehadeh, CIO of the Al Futtaim Group and Baudilio Ruiz, Chairman, OBM International.

The Arabian Hotel Investment Conference will run from May 2-4, 2009 at Dubai's Madinat Jumeirah Convention Centre and is jointly organised by Bench Events and MEED.