"hospitality" Acquires a majority stake in a portfolio "Richard Kering"
ABU DHABI, 11 APRIL / WAM / Diyafa, the leading investment platform in the luxury hospitality sector based in Abu Dhabi, and one of the associate companies in the International Holding Company portfolio, announced today the completion of an investment deal to acquire a majority stake in the hospitality portfolio of Richard Kering, one of the most influential figures in the restaurant sector in the world.
The deal includes The Ivy Brasseries, Caprice Holdings’ fine dining portfolio that includes iconic brands such as Scott’s, Sexy Fish and Noema, as well as Pearly Clubs’ premium private members’ clubs, including Annabel’s, George’s, Harry’s Bar and Mark’s Club.
Richard Kering will continue his duties as Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, establishing vision and leadership across the various components of the portfolio. Diyafa will collaborate with Kering to lead the next phase of global expansion, which includes the upcoming opening of the Annabelle Club in New York, in addition to the continued international expansion of the Scott’s, Sexy Fish and Noema brands.
The Ivy Brasseries Group will also continue its expansion plans in the UK through 2026, while exploring opportunities to open new locations in the US and other international markets.
“Diyafah” is a luxury hospitality and lifestyle group based in Abu Dhabi. It is an associate company in the International Holding Company portfolio. It was established to build a leading global platform in the luxury food and beverage sector and includes prestigious international hospitality brands, such as “Azumi Group”, which includes “Zuma” and “Roca”, and “The H Wood Group”, which includes “Delilah”, “The Nice Guy” and “Bird Streets Club”, adding today to its portfolio “Caprice Holdings”, along with Burleigh Clubs.
The establishment of “Diyafa” came in response to a fundamental shift in consumer behavior, where experiences have become more important than products, authenticity has become more important than aspirations, and meaningful relationships are more valuable than transactions. Therefore, “Diyafa” brings together under its umbrella the finest hospitality and luxury restaurant experiences within a global platform that can be expanded.
“Diyafa” aims to build the most famous food and beverage portfolio in the world, based on long-established names of leading international institutions and distinguished private clubs, all the way to high-end social destinations and innovative modern concepts that set a new vision for gathering, celebration and communication.
The group collaborates with emerging brands and pioneers in various fields who have unique identities, strong reputations, and the potential to achieve a sustainable global presence.
Diyafa’s strategy is based on one principle, which is to partner with the best, and thus it cooperates with founders and pioneers with ambitious visions, taking advantage of the established market power, to unleash the latent potential for expansion at the international level.
To achieve this vision, Diyafa appointed Rafi Zakran as CEO of the group. He is a veteran leader in the global luxury sector and previously served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the LVMH Group in Asia. He founded L Capital Asia, the private equity investment arm supported by LVMH and the Arnault Group, and oversaw investments exceeding $4 billion across 32 companies.
With more than three decades of experience in the global luxury sector, Thikran has deep knowledge and a broad understanding of the factors that distinguish established brands from others, an experience that he uses today in shaping the features of Diyafa’s global portfolio in the food and beverage sector in his capacity as CEO of the group.
On this occasion, Rafi Zakran, CEO of Diyafa Group, said: “The deal marks the beginning of a new chapter in the global luxury hospitality sector and we are working to build a portfolio that includes the most famous and influential brands around the world, with aspirations to reshape the concepts of dining, socializing and luxury lifestyle for future generations. Through our partnership with Richard Kering, we are establishing a platform with sustainable value and broad global influence.”
For his part, Richard Kering, Founder and Executive Chairman of Caprice Holdings, said: “I am pleased to cooperate with the Diyafa team, which has an ambitious vision and aspirations, and I am confident in our ability to transfer our world-famous brands to new markets, and to continue to advance our vision for the hospitality sector to more distinguished heights. He stressed that Diyafa’s commitment to investing in exceptional luxury brands makes it the ideal partner for us, and he expressed his aspiration to build a partnership with a sustainable impact and long-term value.
- For more: Follow Khaleejion 24 Arabic, Khaleejion 24 English, Khaleejion 24 Live, and for social media follow us on Facebook and Twitter
