Arash azarbarzin biography

Arash Azarbarzin, the CEO of Highgate, knows struggle. He was an immigrant of necessity, having sought political asylum in the U.S.

amid the turmoil and bloodshed of the Iranian revolution, which lasted for more than a year and culminated in 1979 with the institution of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

It’s not surprising, then, that though revenue and profit matter for the real estate investment and hospitality management company, which has a portfolio numbering more than 550 hotels, people come first.

“Talent is the foundation of our company,” Azarbarzin told HOTELS, his own story one built on hard work and dedication, “the American dream,” as he put it.

His and Highgate’s focus on its employees is the idea behind the company’s “People First” employee initiative, which has succeeded in reducing its attrition rate to 23.2%, a percentage